When it comes to getting your wisdom teeth pulled, you may be stressing about the long list of foods you can’t eat. Don’t worry – you won’t starve! We want your recovery to be as quick and painless as possible, so keep reading for an easy-to-follow guide to eating after your wisdom tooth removal!
DONT’S
Remember not to drink from a straw during your recovery. Using a straw could rip out your stitches or blood clots, causing dry socket.
The bubbles in carbonated drinks can also cause dry socket by loosening blood clots, so it’s best to avoid sodas.
Don’t eat crunchy foods like nuts, chips, and popcorn because they are hard to chew and can easily get stuck in your extraction sites.
Avoiding acidic foods and beverages can keep you from experiencing pain and stinging.
DO’S
Any liquids are fair game, like soups and broths. Lukewarm beverages are best, because you may experience temperature sensitivity.
Yogurt, pudding, applesauce and Jell-O are some go-to recovery foods: no chewing involved! Stick to these post-extraction staples for the first 24 hours after your surgery before moving on to soft foods that require chewing.
Mashed potatoes are great for the first few days because you can flavor them with gravy, butter, garlic, sour cream, cheese, the list goes on. Soft, starchy and filling, you won’t feel like you’re missing out on solid foods with these!
When you’re ready to move on to chewable foods, eggs are soft and can be eaten with just about anything.
You can even eat pancakes! They’re light, fluffy, and easy on your extraction sites (Tip: you can make breads even easier to chew by letting them sit in your mouth for a few seconds and softening them with your saliva).
Pasta is totally doable if you prepare it right. Macaroni and cheese is perfect because you can swallow the tiny noodles whole or chew them with your front teeth. You can also overcook your pasta noodles to make sure they are soft and easy to chew.
Your wisdom tooth extraction will be over with before you know it, and as long as you avoid difficult-to-chew foods you’ll be on your way to a speedy recovery!
About Your Durham, NC Oral Surgeon
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jelic contact our Durham, NC office today by calling (919) 419-9222. Our office welcomes patients in and around the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel-Hill area.
Dr. Jelic is a board certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with a Doctorate of Medicine from the Medical College of Virginia in addition to his degree in Dentistry from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Dental Medicine.
Having completed seven years of combined residencies in Hospital Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and General Surgery, Dr. Jelic has achieved a remarkable understanding of the functional demands of teeth, facial bones and upper airway.
Before moving into private practice, Dr. Jelic was an Associate Professor in the UNC Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He also spent eight years caring for our nation’s military veterans and teaching residents, as Staff Surgeon at the Durham VA Hospital.
Dr. Jelic’s training and experience make him exceptional in managing facial and occlusal reconstruction and conditions that require an expertise in traditional oral surgery.
