Dave Parker
To accelerate wound healing after wisdom tooth surgery, the right foods must be on the menu. But what exactly can you eat after wisdom tooth surgery? These foods are best after teeth extraction.
Removing a wisdom tooth or even several wisdom teeth causes deep wounds that usually even have to be sewn up. For the wounds to heal faster, we should only eat foods after the operation that do not additionally irritate the gums. But what should we eat best after wisdom tooth surgery and which foods are taboo? Everything about the right diet after wisdom tooth surgery.
When can you eat and drink again after wisdom tooth surgery?
The extraction of wisdom teeth is extremely painful and is therefore never done without a local anesthetic of the jaw. Since the anesthetic lasts about three to four hours after the operation, you should not eat or drink anything until then. The reason: due to the numbness of the mouth, you have no feeling in your mouth, so the risk of injury from eating and drinking is increased.
Why should you avoid dairy products after wisdom teeth surgery?
After removing the wisdom teeth, you should ideally not eat any dairy products for a week, because cheese, yogurt, and the like contain lactic acid bacteria. These can also irritate the wounds in the mouth. This can slow down the healing process of the gums and even trigger secondary bleeding.
In addition, milk can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics, which are often prescribed after wisdom teeth surgery.
What foods should you avoid after wisdom tooth surgery?
You should not eat solid, hot, or spicy food for the first three days after removing your wisdom teeth.
You should also avoid blood-thinning foods, such as:
- paprika
- olives
- cherries
- grapes
- blueberries
- apricots
- pomegranates
- raisins
- walnuts
- licorice
- garlic
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- onions
Also, you should avoid consuming irritating, acidic beverages such as alcohol, coffee, and carbonated beverages after dental surgery. Smoking should always be taboo because it impairs wound healing.
What can you eat after wisdom tooth surgery?
It is best to only eat liquid food for three days after the treatment. By reducing chewing, you take the pressure off your jaw. The wounds have less friction and can heal better. In addition, no food residues such as bread or nuts get stuck in the wounds.
It is also important to only consume foods that do not further irritate the inflammation.
The following foods are recommended after tooth extraction:
- Smoothies: Smoothies with vegetables and low-acid fruit are the perfect post-procedure breakfast because you don’t have to chew a lot and get important nutrients. Above all, use smoothies with green vegetables, these contain a lot of vitamin K, which promotes wound healing.
- Lukewarm soups: As a warm meal, pureed soups should be on the menu. But watch out: only eat lukewarmly and use plant-based alternatives to cream and co.
- Porridge: You can also eat porridge after wisdom tooth surgery. Use a plant-based alternative to milk and avoid spices.
- Mashed Potatoes: Mashed potatoes are also a low-impact food. Refined with plant-based milk, you can consume it without hesitation.
- Water Ice: Water-based ice cools the cheeks, making it the perfect meal after dental surgery to reduce swelling and pain and heal wounds. You can also just suck on an ice cube now and then instead of a popsicle.
- Lukewarm camomile tea: camomile has a wound-healing effect. It is therefore advisable to drink a cup of lukewarm chamomile tea several times a day.
After a few days, you can also integrate noodles and soft-boiled rice into your diet.
