What to Eat After Wisdom Teeth Extraction?

Dr.Bhumika Madan, 4 mins read

Include soft foods and exclude hard or chewy foods while you’re recovering from wisdom teeth extraction. Here we've compiled everything you should know before and after this procedure.

Wisdom teeth, also known as molars, are the toughest and widest teeth that grind food. They are called so because they come when you are in your late adolescence. You get four wisdom teeth - two on top and two on the bottom. They grow at the rear of the mouth.

As molars are the widest teeth, they need more room than others to come out of the gum. If they don’t get enough space, come through the wrong position or come in at crooked angles, they can cause a lot of pain and other dental issues, like infection, cysts, damage to the nearby tooth, tumours, gum disease and tooth decay.

If you are experiencing such discomfort and pain, talk to a doctor. If the doctor finds that your wisdom teeth are impacted, he may recommend wisdom teeth removal surgery.

Preparation for the procedure

The doctor will first examine your mouth and teeth condition and take an X-ray. He may also ask you about your ongoing medical conditions and medications. Before a few hours of surgery, he may also advise you to:

• Take your meal 2 hours prior to the procedure 
• Refrain from smoking
• Bring someone from the family for assistance

Procedure

Wisdom teeth removal surgery is an outpatient procedure that means you can go home the same day. The time of the surgery depends on the complexity and how many teeth need to be removed. 

After taking your consent, the hospital staff will shift you to the procedure room, where you’ll receive local anaesthesia. Once you get numbed, the doctor will make an incision in the gum tissue to see the tooth and bone. Then, he will remove the bone that blocks access to the tooth root and may divide the tooth into sections (for easier removal). And then he will finally extract the tooth. Afterwards, he will clean that site and stitch the incision. The doctor may also place gauze over the extraction site for a few days to control the bleeding.

Post-procedure

After the procedure, the hospital staff will monitor your return to vitals. The doctor will then evaluate your health condition and advise aftercare tips. 

Foods to Eat

During the healing period, choosing the right food is very important to speed up recovery and prevent infections. The doctor usually advises taking more liquid, cold, soft and mushy food for 2 days including:

• Nutrient-rich soups
• Smoothies
• Yoghurt
• Mashed potatoes
• Apple juice
• Pureed or mashed vegetables
• Seedless, pureed fruit
• Broths

You can gradually resume your normal eating 2-4 day of the procedure.

Things to avoid for a 2-4 days as advised by the consultant:

• Spitting
• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Hard or chewy foods
• Hot food 
• Drinking through a straw

Also, Read: Tooth sensitivity and home remedies