There´re times when to deal with some dental issues, and your dentist might need to remove one or more teeth surgically.
In the long run, tooth extraction´s a step toward improving your oral health. However, the recovery process can be somewhat challenging.
Yes, the main issue´s been dealt with. But post-extraction, you´re now left with a sore socket that won´t fully heal until a couple of weeks.
During recovery, you´ll likely feel discomfort and sensibility in (and around) the extraction area. This will, in turn, make eating and chewing (crunchy foods, especially) a bit difficult.
Though some foods can ease your recovery process, others will clearly disturb the extracted tooth´s area.
Here, we´ll give you some food tips after extraction. How to eat after the procedure, what foods will ease your recovery, and which you should stay away from. Let´s begin!
Eating After a Tooth Extraction
How to eat
As important as what type of foods you eat after having an extraction, so is how you´ll be eating them.
Initially, it´ll be difficult to bite and chew, so you´ll be mostly consuming liquids. And though you might feel tempted to drink through a straw, we seriously advise against it.
When you use a straw, the suction could cause a dislodging of the blood clot from the socket, which will delay your recovery.
Once you start eating solid foods, try to use only the opposite side to the extracted tooth area and stay away from hard-to-eat snacks.
After a tooth extraction, caring for your gums is essential to achieve a speedy recovery. Luckily, there´re multiple nutritious (and tasty) foods to help you relieve the initial discomfort.
Do´s
- Mashed potatoes
When recovering from tooth extraction, mashed potatoes are an excellent option! They´re not just soft, but their nutrient-rich nature helps you recover faster.
Also, root vegetables help make you feel full quickly. Nonetheless, we recommend consuming them warm to avoid disturbing the extracted tooth´s area.
- Scrambled eggs
With a high content of proteins, vitamins, and minerals, eggs are amongst the most recommended foods to eat after tooth extraction.
Just try to look for Omega-3 enriched eggs. Polyunsaturated fats such as Omega-3 bring multiple benefits while helping you recover quickly.
Additionally, eggs are easy to chew/swallow. Also, combining them with avocado and some cheese makes up for a complete meal.
- Smoothies
Aside from working perfectly either as breakfast, snack, or dessert, smoothies might be the perfect way to ensure you get all the right vitamins without disrupting your recovery process.
You can prepare your smoothies from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Or even add some protein powder for a complete nutritional intake.
- Blended soups
Aside from providing vital hydration, blended vegetable soups are easy to consume, tasty, and nutrient-rich. Meaning they´ll help keep you feeling strong and heal quickly.
- Yogurt
Its creamy texture and high calcium and protein content make yogurt one of the most recommended foods to consume after tooth extraction.
Don´ts
After tooth extraction, you´ll likely be on powerful pain medication. Because of this, avoiding alcoholic beverages is mandatory.
Likewise, avoid hurting the recovering tissue by staying away from brittle, chewy, spicy, or crunchy foods. This, at least in the week following your extraction surgery.
Chewing meat´s another thing you might find trouble with. Instead, turn to dairy products for your daily protein intake. Here is a list of food to eat after tooth extraction.
Feel like you might need to have a tooth removed? Give us a call, or better yet, schedule an appointment online!
Our team of dentists in Endeavour Hills will gladly provide you with patient-friendly, personalized dental care services and treatments.