Your Midland Invisalign® Provider
Here, our Midland dentists share a list of the foods you can and can't eat after your tooth extraction dental surgery.
If you have damaged teeth that are threatening the health of your other healthy teeth, your dentist may recommend having them extracted. You will be advised to eat a healthful diet containing soft foods while you heal.
Though your schedule may differ depending on your dentist’s recommendations and other factors, we’ve compiled a general timeline of what should be safe to eat at different stages of recovery – and provided some important facts about when you’ll be able to enjoy all the foods you love again.
Why You Need To Eat Soft Foods After Having Teeth Extracted
While tooth extractions are common procedures, maintaining a healthy diet of soft foods, following your dentist’s instructions, and managing self-care is critical to ensuring the recovery process goes smoothly.
You’ll want to do this to avoid complications or infections, which can result from bacteria or food particles becoming trapped in the extraction area.
Foods You Can Eat After a Tooth Extraction
For 3 to 5 days
Ideally, you’ll want to eat lots of soft, mushy food and make sure you drink plenty of liquids for the first 3 to 5 days. This can include:
- Jell-O
- Potatoes (regular, mashed, or sweet)
- Blended soups (easy to eat, hydrating, and rich in nutrients)
- Broths (filled with minerals and essential vitamins to help you recover)
- Apple sauce
- Smoothies
- Seedless, pureed fruit
- Pudding
- Yogurt
- Regular ice cream or banana ice cream
- Pureed or mashed vegetables such as squash or carrots
As you start healing, you can gradually integrate more regular, semi-soft foods such as:
- Macaroni and cheese
- Scrambled eggs
- Toast
- Instant oatmeal
Allow any hot food to cool before eating, and keep the area clean according to your dentist’s recommendations. Also, remember to take your medications as prescribed.
Foods You Should Avoid
For 1 Week or More
For those first several days, the extraction site will be vulnerable to infection. You’ll want to avoid any foods that could inflame the area or cause complications, such as:
- Alcohol
- Spicy or acidic foods (peppers, citrus juice)
- Grains (quinoa, rice)
- Crunchy, tough, or crumbly foods (hamburgers, jerky, popcorn, pizza, etc.)
- Seeds
For 2 to 4 Weeks
While you may love these snack foods, you should avoid them until you are fully recovered, because they could stick to the wound and disrupt healing.
- Chips
- Nuts
- Popcorn
When You Can Start Eating Normally After a Tooth Extraction
Many patients find they can eat normal food again within a week of having teeth removed. Eating a diet full of delicious, healthy, and soft foods in the days and weeks following a tooth extraction is imperative to your quick recovery.
As long as you consume the right foods – and avoid foods that may delay or hamper your recovery – you’ll feel more comfortable and help reduce your risk of infection.