Places to 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.

On the day of surgery, you will have a moderate amount of discomfort. It is likely you’ll be hungry but won’t want to eat. You should avoid solid foods altogether. Instead, stick to liquids like broth. It is essential that you get enough liquid in your diet, juice, and water are great options. You will want to avoid using a straw as this could cause a dry socket. Dry socket is when the blood clot that forms after surgery is dislodged. This condition can be excruciating. Sucking through a straw can cause the blood clot to come out.

Day 2

After 24 hours, moving on to soft foods is encouraged. You still will want to avoid anything hard, but you can eat items with some substance, including yogurt, pudding, jello, and soups. If possible, avoid the food sitting on the incision site. There will be a great deal of sensitivity, so avoid having overly hot or cold foods. 

Day 3

On day three, you will want to continue eating soft foods, including pudding, jello, soup, and applesauce. You can also incorporate mashed potatoes into your diet for a change of pace. However, you should let any hot food or drinks cool to room temperature. This will reduce the likelihood of causing discomfort. 

Day 4

Continuing with liquids and soft foods is crucial for the next two days. On day four, you can consume cream of wheat, oatmeal, and ice cream. Popsicles can also be eaten, but if you find that the cold of ice cream and popsicles to be uncomfortable, it might be best to avoid for the first few days. In general, many find the cold to be soothing for the swollen gums. 

Day 5

Day five is the last post-operative day, where you should still be having softer foods. Macaroni and cheese and eggs are great additions to the diet, that provide some nutrition and flavor, while still being easy to eat. You can now begin eating more substantial items. But you will even want to avoid overly crunchy foods. A great example would be tacos and nachos. The chips and shells can be too crunchy and injure the incision site. 

Day 6 and beyond

Starting day six and beyond, you will still want to be careful about what you eat and drink. Avoid overly hot or cold items for at least the first week. You may notice that around day six that there is less sensitivity, less swelling, and it is much easier to chew. However, you should avoid anything overly chewy. After eating, it is important to keep the teeth and gums clean. Using a soft bristle tooth gently cleanse the area. Your dentist will likely instruct you to do a saltwater rinse beginning on day 2. It is important not to be overly aggressive with the rinse and simply swoosh around your mouth. 

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