Wisdom teeth are the hindmost molars in humans. People usually have four wisdom teeth, one at each corner of the mouth. They usually grow after the age of 18.
Wisdom teeth grow at the back of the mouth, and since there is little space, they emerge at odd angles most of the time. These are called impacted wisdom teeth.
If they do not have an open connection to the mouth, these teeth may cause pain and affect other adjacent teeth. Hence people usually remove wisdom teeth which cause the above problems.
Now the question arises, what to eat after wisdom teeth removal.
The food should be nutritious to prevent further complications and soft or semi-solid because one cannot chew after wisdom teeth extraction.
For the first few days after the surgery, wisdom teeth food must contain proper vitamins, minerals, and proteins.
So here are foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal.
Blended Soup
Soups are the most comfortable thing to gulp after tooth extraction. Blended soups like tomato soups or pumpkin soups are rich in vitamins and minerals, which will help to recover quickly.
The vegetables should be adequately blended to avoid chunks that might irritate the surgery area. Soups contain a good amount of water quantity which keeps the body hydrated. The soup should not be hot when consumed as it will irritate.
Broths
Broths are also enriched in vitamins and minerals and are a good source of nutrition after dental surgery. It is tasty and healthy and keeps the body hydrated.
Greek Yogurt
It is rich in protein and one of those good sources of nutrition after dental surgery. It is smooth and easy to eat. It contains calcium and zinc, which are vital for a nutritious diet.
Greek yoghurt is an excellent alternative to the high protein foods we consume, such as steak, or other meats, which are difficult to consume after surgery.
Mashes Potatoes
Potato is one of the most versatile veggies. You can have it in many ways. It contains carbohydrates and other nutrients which are required for a faster recovery. Again, mashed potatoes can be consumed quickly and is a good source of energy.
Ensuring that the mashed potatoes are lukewarm or cold is better because eating something hot may irritate the surgical wound.
Scrambled Eggs
Eggs are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Pasteurized or omega-4-enriched are better be used as wisdom teeth food. These varieties of eggs heal the wound more rapidly and are also an excellent source of the nutrient. Scrambled eggs are more natural to gulp than other forms.
Applesauce
Apples cannot be consumed after dental surgery in chunk forms since they are hard to chew. Nowadays, applesauce is a way to consume apples after dental surgery. But applesauce is made after peeling off the skin from the apple.
So it reduces its nutritious value. Still, it is a good source of vitamins and minerals after teeth surgery.
Mashed Bananas
Bananas contain a variety of nutrients, including vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, and folate. They provide better healing of the wound. Bananas are widely available, easy to eat.
Banana ice cream
Doctors recommend eating ice cream after dental surgery. But ice creams do not contain any nutritious value. Though it helps to comfort the wound, it’s unhealthy too due to its high sugar content.
So, banana ice cream is a healthy alternative to it. Freeze some bananas overnight. Blend it with a little bit of milk. The mixtures become thick and creamy. So, it’s easy to consume.
Avocado
Avocado contains healthy fats, which are a good source of energy. It also contains Vitamin B, vitamin C, and potassium which are rich sources of nutrition. Avocado increases the healing rate of wounds and is also easy to eat.
Smoothies
Smoothies can be made using any fruit. Fruits are a rich source of nutrition. You can add any ingredients you want in the smoothie-like greek yoghurt, protein powder which will be a good source of nutrition.
Cottage Cheese
It is soft and creamy, contains low fat and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It can be consumed with scrambled eggs or mashed potatoes. Cottage Cheese helps to heal wounds faster.
Salmon
If you are a fish lover, salmon is the best one to have after wisdom teeth removal. It is soft and fleshy, rich in protein and healthy fats. It reduces inflammation. You can have baked salmon with minimum spices and herbs, which can be consumed easily after surgery.
Following are some foods that should be avoided after wisdom teeth removal.
- Spicy food that will cause irritation.
- Chips/Cookies which may hurt the wound.
- Seeds which may get stuck in the injury and cause infection.
- Foods that involve lots of chewing
- Alcohol, which may cause irritation and may slow down healing.
Recovery after wisdom teeth removal
For the first 24 hours after surgery, patients are suggested to have liquid food and ice creams. Cold food reduces irritation.
After 24hrs, when the pain and irritation decreases, you can start having soft but solid foods. After that, you may begin to have oatmeal, eggs, and bread.
As mentioned above, you can eat food from the list of what to eat after tooth extraction. Gradually increase the chewing rate and check whether pain and irritation persists or not. If it does, then go back to having soft and semi-solid foods. Altogether it takes a week to recover from the dental surgery fully.
So, the important thing is that after removing your wisdom teeth, you need to have proper food that is both nutritious and can be easily gulped down. Healthy foods increase the rate of recovery and also reduce irritation and pain.
So, what to eat after tooth extraction? Now we have a solution. Foods that can be taken care smoothies, soup and broths, Greek yoghurt, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, applesauce, bananas, banana ice cream, cottage cheese, and salmon. It’s better to stock this up at home if you are planning to remove your wisdom teeth.
