Some of the main questions patients have when preparing for oral surgery revolve around what foods will be safe to eat after the procedure. It’s natural to want to seek out soft foods that require a minimal amount of chewing after wisdom teeth removal, tooth extraction, or other situations.
What follows are some general tips to aid in preparing for a smoother recovery from an oral surgery procedure.
The advice in this blog is no substitute for the recommendations from Paul T. McCord, DDS, or Hunter T. McCord, DDS, during a patient consult with you. If you have a question, please ask so we can give you the most accurate information for your particular situation.
Planning What to Eat After Oral Surgery
When visiting the grocery store in advance of oral surgery, you or your caregiver may look for soft foods to ease the impact. Some pain may be expected after surgery depending on the complexity of the procedure done.
Some suggestions for soft foods to eat after oral surgery:
- Applesauce
- Mashed Avocado
- Baby Food
- Mashed Bananas with yogurt
- Mashed Potatoes
- Beef, Chicken, or Vegetable Broth
- Soup
- Smooth and Creamy Clams
- Custard
- Jello-O
- Fruit Smoothies
- Oatmeal
- Ice Cream and Milkshakes (avoid nuts or using a straw)
- Popsicles
- Cake and Cupcakes
- Doughnuts
- Humus
- Pancakes
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Mashed Tofu
- You’ll also want to consider the best beverages following oral surgery:
- Cranberry Juice
- Apple Juice
- Grape Juice
- Instant Breakfast Drinks
- Cow or Almond Milk
When making your decisions, please avoid purchasing foods that require more work for the teeth including:
- Steak
- Chicken
- Deli Meats
- Popcorn
- Potato Chips
- Cookies
- Breads and Bagels
- Alcoholic Beverages
Planning What to Avoid Eating After Oral Surgery
You also want to avoid some foods that are acidic or contain small seeds, nuts, or other particles that can become lodged between teeth, causing discomfort and/or leading to infection. Temporarily avoid orange juice, tomatoes, or tomato sauce, and spicy foods. Cold foods are preferable to hot foods.
Although it isn’t a food, over-the-counter mouth rinses like Scope or Listerine can interfere with healing. We can prescribe a safe mouth since following dental surgery.
It’s important to repeat that you should avoid sucking through a straw during your recovery from oral surgery. This action can interfere with healing. Also, avoid smoking because it can also cause dry sockets and discomfort.
Focus on Healing and Getting Nutrition During Recovery
You may be tempted to avoid eating altogether if your mouth is sore. However, don’t skip meals because it is important for you to heal and gain strength faster.
We hope this list is helpful in helping prepare meals in advance so you can take the worrying down quite a bit.
Paul T. McCord, DDS, or Hunter T. McCord, DDS, perform dental surgery and dental implants in Cleveland TN. Our team is committed to providing our patients with information to ease with recovery after dental surgery. If you are a patient of Ocoee Oral Surgery and are having any questions regarding what you should eat after dental surgery, please call us at (423) 479-8544 or email today.
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