When can i start eating regular food after tooth extraction

Even though we all love smoothies and ice cream, a common question our patients ask is, “When can I eat solid food after wisdom teeth removal?” Well, there are multiple factors at play here. How soon you’ll start eating solid foods mainly depends on the patient’s comfort level and how fast the healing process is progressing.

At Katy Cypress Oral Surgery & Implant Centre, our dentists and oral surgeons typically recommend waiting about a week before you resume eating solid food again after oral surgery. But it all comes down to how well you are following wisdom teeth removal aftercare. Let’s give a full read to learn more about the wisdom teeth removal recovery timeline and much more!

When Can You Eat Solid Foods Depends On How Well You Are Caring For Your Gums After Wisdom Teeth Removal

Caring for your gums after wisdom teeth extraction is crucial for better recovery without complications. As we know, wisdom teeth removal is a surgery performed at a dentist or oral surgeon’s office. Although most teeth can be removed without cutting or incisions, some impacted wisdom teeth require surgery to remove bone and other obstructions while removing large molars. You may also require extensive anesthesia and possibly sedation while undergoing wisdom teeth removal. This will allow you to get done with your procedure without feeling discomfort or pain.

Once your wisdom teeth are removed, your gums will have holes that need to heal. Your oral surgeon will likely fill and cover the extraction site to help keep it clean. Thus, restricting foods and drinks during the initial days of your teeth extraction recovery time. This will help reduce the risk of complications like infections and reduce irritation to the wounds. Therefore, knowing which foods you can eat after wisdom teeth removal is essential. The main idea is to minimize the risk of damage and help the extraction sites to heal faster.

For the first 1-2 days, eat only drinks and soft foods like ice cream, yogurt, and applesauce. Moreover, cold foods like ice cream and smoothies may help you with some of the discomforts. And as you start feeling better, you can try adding more solid foods gradually. On the third day after wisdom tooth extraction, you can add foods like toast, oatmeal, or eggs. You may also want to learn more about “What to eat and what not to eat after wisdom teeth removal?”

You can increase solid foods one by one if chewing doesn’t cause any pain. But if you do feel pain when chewing, it is advisable to go back to soft and semi-soft foods.

Take Away

When can you eat solid food after wisdom teeth removal? Generally, most people can resume a regular diet within a week. So if you take good care of your wound and follow your doctor’s instructions, you can likely eat solid foods again after one week of your wisdom teeth removal procedure.

Before you have a tooth extracted at a dentist office in Marietta, GA, it’s important to fully discuss the tooth extraction procedure with your oral surgeon. The dentist office will provide you with in-depth aftercare instructions for your tooth extraction recovery . Follow these instructions carefully and contact the dentist office if you have any questions or if you experience any possible complications.

How to Eat

Your approach to eating is just as important as the types of foods you eat. It’s advisable to only chew on the opposite side of your mouth from the treated area. Since you’ll likely be consuming more liquids than solids initially, it may be tempting to use a drinking straw. In fact, this isn’t advisable because the suction of the straw can dislodge the blood clot and lengthen your total healing time.

What to Eat After Tooth Extraction

For at least 24 hours after your tooth extraction, you should consume only soft foods and liquids. You can ease into a more normal diet when you feel comfortable doing so. Try to stick with easy-to-chew foods for a few days. Initially, choose cool foods like yogurt, pudding, Jell-O, and ice cream. If you choose ice cream, select a variety that does not contain crunchy or chewy candy pieces and avoid ice cream cones. Applesauce is a good choice after your tooth extraction because it will add some fiber to your diet. After the first day, you might try mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, and broth-based soups without large chunks of meat. Eat these foods lukewarm, not hot.

What Not to Eat

Generally, tooth extraction patients are advised not to consume alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours following the oral surgery. If you are taking powerful pain medications, avoid consuming alcohol until you’re no longer on the medicines. For about a week, it’s best to avoid eating hard, crunchy, chewy, or brittle foods like chips, nuts, and popcorn. You might also find it difficult to properly chew tough cuts of meat. Instead, try getting your protein from dairy products.

How long after tooth extraction can I start eating normally?

Two Weeks. Avoid chewing from the extraction site for about two weeks following the procedure to disrupt and delay the healing process. While you can begin to eat your usual foods after three days, avoid very hot, spicy, acidic, sticky, and crunchy foods until your gum and jawbone is fully healed.

What can I eat 4 days after tooth extraction?

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..

What can you eat 7 days after tooth extraction?

You should eat only soft foods for the first week: for example, soups, eggs, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf are fine. For 2 weeks (8 weeks if you had lower wisdom teeth extracted), do not eat hard, crunchy, or very chewy foods, such as European breads, pizza crust, steak or jerky, nuts, or popcorn.