Eating After a Simple Extraction
You came to the dentist with a damaged and problematic tooth and the dentist removed it after ruling out other treatment options. Now that you are back home after the procedure, you need to make sure you are following your aftercare instructions and helping your body heal as best as possible. You will need to nourish yourself while you’re healing, but you will not be able to eat just anything right away. Spending a week or two being careful about what you eat and drink will help you avoid weeks of complications and discomfort. Here are some suggestions of foods to have at hand during the first 24 hours and the first week.
First 24 Hours: Stick to Soft and Cool Foods
You need to prioritize the extraction site’s comfort and avoid disrupting the blood clot that is forming. With those two huge considerations the best options are foods and drinks that are soft and room temperature or cooler. Cold foods can be soothing and avoiding chewing can keep the extraction area free from external aggravation. Here are some specific choices to consider:
- Applesauce
- Yogurt
- Smoothies eaten with a spoon
- Mashed potatoes
- Gelato/ice cream/sorbet without any hard pieces of nuts or candy or flavoring
You need to do your best to avoid hot food like soup even though soup is a soft food. The warm temperature can cause the blood clot to dislodge. Anything you need to chew needs to be saved for later in your healing journey. You do not want to add pressure to an area that is already swollen.
It is critical to not use a straw and to avoid smoking. The suction that results from those actions can also cause the blood clot to come loose. The result is a dry socket and the discomfort of a dry socket is just the start of the issues that come with a dry socket. Your jaw bone and nerve endings in that area of your mouth will be exposed without any protection and your healing will take longer as a result.
First Week: Gradually & Slowly Introduce Warm (Not Hot) Foods
You are now in a place that you can start to add in warm soft food like scrambled eggs and soup. You could even enjoy oatmeal or mashed vegetables as long as they are lukewarm and without any crunchy additions like nuts, carrots, or apples.
Hydration is Key
Be sure to keep drinking your water all day. The extra liquid will keep your mouth from becoming too dry and keeps the environment cleaner. Water can remove actual food pieces that may remain after you’re done. A cleaner mouth will help you avoid infection and a hydrated body will not retain swelling like a dehydrated one.
Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene While Eating
Drinking water is one way to keep your mouth healthy and maintaining good oral hygiene habits is another way. That means brushing at least twice a day with a soft bristled toothbrush, flossing, and rinsing with warm salt water will keep you at a minimal risk for infection at the extraction site and minimal risk from dislodging the blood clot.