What meat can i eat after wisdom teeth removal

Soft foods are in, chewy or hard foods are out while you recover from wisdom teeth removal. Here, our Ottawa dentists give advice on which foods to stock up on and what to avoid.

If your dentist finds your wisdom teeth are impacted or coming in at crooked angles, they’ll often recommend having wisdom teeth removed and eating a healthful diet full of soft foods while you heal.

Though your schedule may vary depending on your dentist’s recommendations and other factors, we’ve put together a general timeline of what to eat at different stages of recovery - and answered the important question of when you’ll be able to get back to your regular diet.

Why maintain good self-care and eat soft, healthy foods after wisdom teeth are removed?

While having your wisdom teeth removed is a common procedure, maintaining a healthy diet full of soft foods, following instructions from your dentist and managing self-care are important to healing. You’ll want to avoid infections or complications, which can result from food or bacteria becoming trapped in the extraction area.

What can I eat after having my wisdom teeth removed?

For 3 to 5 Days

Generally, you’ll want to stick to liquids and soft, mushy foods for 3 to 5 days, including:

• Blended soups (easy to eat, nutrient-rich and hydrating)
• Broths (full of essential vitamins and minerals to aid recovery)
• Yogurt
• Pudding
• Smoothies
• Potatoes (mashed, sweet or regular)
• Apple sauce
• Seedless, pureed fruit
• Pureed or mashed vegetables (carrots, squash)
• Banana ice cream or regular ice cream
• Jell-O

As you begin to heal, gradually incorporate more regular, semi-soft foods such as:

• Scrambled eggs
• Macaroni and cheese
• Instant oatmeal
• Toast

Let any hot foods cool before eating, keep the area clean per your dentist’s recommendations, and don’t forget to take prescriptions as directed.

Which foods should I avoid?

For 1 Week or More

For the first few days, the extraction site will be tender and vulnerable to infection. You’ll want to avoid foods that may irritate the area or lead to complications, such as:

• Acidic, tough or spicy foods (citrus juice, peppers)
• Crumbly, crunchy or tough foods (pizza, jerky, popcorn, hamburgers, etc.)
• Grains (rice, quinoa)
• Alcohol
• Seeds

For 2 to 4 weeks

These snack foods may be delicious. However, you should ban them from your diet until you're fully recovered. These can get stuck in the wound and disrupt healing.

• Chips
• Popcorn
• Nuts

Other Helpful Routines

For 3 to 5 Days

Avoid using a straw and spitting for 3 to 5 days after surgery. These create suction in your mouth, which raises the risk of developing dry socket - a painful condition where the clot that protects the area your tooth is removed from becomes dislodged. This exposes your bones and nerves to air, which hampers healing and causes pain.

Avoid smoking for 5 days, as the nicotine in cigarettes impedes healing and prolongs recovery time. Avoid chewing tobacco for at least a week.

One Week After Surgery

At the 7-day mark following your surgery, start to rinse your extraction sites to rid the area of debris and food (your dentist may provide a syringe for this). Do not rinse before this as you may also remove the healing blood clot.

When can I start eating normal food after wisdom teeth extraction?

Many patients find they can resume normal eating within a week of having their wisdom teeth removed.

Maintaining a diet full of soft, delicious and healthy foods in the days and weeks after wisdom teeth removal is crucial to your recovery. As long as you stick to the right foods - and steer clear of foods that can disrupt your recovery - you’ll feel more comfortable and help reduce your risk of infection.

Are you experiencing jaw pain or swelling, red or swollen gums, or bad breath? You may need your wisdom teeth removed. Contact our Ottawa dentists to book an appointment today.

For the first 24 to 48 hours after wisdom teeth removal, you should consume liquids and foods that do not require any chewing. Afterward, we advise that you choose soft, nutritious foods that are easy to chew and swallow. Here is a list of foods that are good to eat after oral surgery:

Fruit

Most fruits contain fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that promote healing. Baked or canned fruits are soft but beware of added sugar in canned fruit. Below is a list of soft fruits you can enjoy, along with some of their nutritional benefits:

• Apples (baked, then peeled) or applesauce – Fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C
• Avocado – Fiber, magnesium, potassium, protein, vitamin B6, vitamin C
• Bananas – Fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B5, vitamin C
• Mango (peeled) – Fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C
• Melons (remove seeds) – Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon contain fiber, magnesium, potassium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C
• Olives – Fiber, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K
• Papaya (peeled) – Fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C
• Peaches (peeled) – Potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C
• Pears (baked, then peeled) – Fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K

Vegetables

After wisdom teeth removal, you can eat various vegetables without seeds or stems. Cook the vegetables until they are soft, or you can mash or puree them. Eating vegetables reduces inflammation and boosts your immune system to help you heal faster. Some veggie ideas include:

• Beets (steamed or baked) – Folate, vitamin C, iron
• Broccoli crowns – Fiber, potassium, protein, vitamin C
• Carrots (baked or steamed until soft) – Fiber, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K
• Green beans – Fiber, folate, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K
• Green leafy vegetables (chopped) – Calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K. Choose soft leafy vegetables like spinach or turnip greens
• Green peas – Fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E
• Squash (peeled and seeded) – Fiber, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K. The squash family offers many choices, including zucchini, eggplant, acorn, butternut, pumpkin, spaghetti, or yellow squash

Meat, Fish, and Other Proteins

Eat plenty of protein to help your body form collagen to repair tissue. Protein also helps your body fight infection. If you are concerned about getting enough protein during your recovery, consider these ideas:

• Cottage cheese – Protein, calcium, and B12. One cup of cottage cheese contains around 28 grams of protein
• Broth, stock, or smooth soup – Protein and potassium. Stock and soup contain more nutrients than broth
• Eggs – Protein, magnesium, and calcium. Enjoy boiled, scrambled, sunny-side-up, or over-easy eggs—or an omelet
• Flaky fish (non-fried) – Protein, B vitamins, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and potassium. Bake, pan sear, or grill catfish, salmon, red snapper, or your favorite flaky fish
• Ground or canned beef, chicken, or turkey
  • Beef – Protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium
  • Chicken – Protein, calcium, vitamin A
  • Turkey – Protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin A
• Hummus – Protein, fiber, iron
• Legumes – Protein, iron, and fiber. Black-eyed peas, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, and other types of peas or beans will give you plenty of protein
• Soft tofu – Protein and calcium
• Smooth nut butter – Protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium
• Yogurt – Protein, calcium, magnesium potassium
• Yogurt (non-dairy, almond milk) – Protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium

Other Foods

Other tasty food options after your wisdom teeth removal include:

• Mashed potatoes – Calcium, vitamin C, and potassium
• Smoothies – Add protein powder, nut butter, fruits, or veggies to your smoothie to boost its nutritional value
• Sweet potatoes – Fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium

Foods to Avoid

Keep your recovery moving forward by avoiding acidic or spicy foods or those that require a lot of chewing. They can cause pain or irritation and lead to infection. These foods include:

• Chewy, crunchy, fried, hard, or sticky food – Can break into pieces while you chew, irritate the surgical site, or dislodge blood clots
  • Chips – potato, taco, corn, plantain, veggie, tortilla
  • Crackers
  • Meat
  • Nuts
  • Popcorn
  • Raw, crunchy fruits and vegetable
  • Seeds
• Acidic food – gum tissue and can cause inflammation and pain
  • Fried foods
  • Grapefruits
  • Lemons
  • Limes
  • Oranges
  • Pineapples
  • Soda
  • Tomatoes
• Spicy food – Irritates your gums and surgical site and may cause pain
  • Chili
  • Curry
  • Horseradish
  • Hot peppers
  • Salsa

Borderline Foods

Some soft or semi-soft foods require more chewing than others. Sometimes, their small size can increase the risk of lodging in your surgical site. If you are unsure about a food type, remember your goals to minimize chewing, avoid potential irritants, and chew without pain.

Be cautious with these foods:

• Bread – Crust, seeds, or grains in bread can get trapped in or around the surgical site
• Cheese – Asiago, cheddar, and gouda are some types of cheese that take longer to chew than other varieties
• Fruits with seeds – Berries are soft but often contain tiny seeds. Strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are examples. Kiwi is another soft fruit with tiny seeds
• Vegetables with seeds – Okra is an example of a soft vegetable with seeds that might be irritating
• Pasta – Although many kinds of pasta are soft, their texture may require more chewing than other food choices
• Pizza – Crust, cheese, and toppings can increase the chewiness or crunchiness of pizza
• Quinoa – Its small size makes it easy to get trapped in surgical sites
• Rice – This soft but small grain can get lodged in the wound and irritate your gums

How Long Must You Eat a Soft-Food Diet?

Your soft-food diet will last about a week. But as swelling and pain decrease throughout the week, you can gradually switch from soft to semi-soft foods. If you can eat semi-soft foods without pain, try solid foods that require a little more chewing. Most people can resume their regular diet within a week.

Do You Have Painful or Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

If your wisdom teeth are causing pain or discomfort, schedule a consultation or examination with our oral surgeon in Fairhope, AL. Contact us at Minto Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery for an appointment with Dr. David Minto.

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