What to Eat After Tooth Extraction – List of Soft Foods to Eat
When recovering from a tooth extraction, it is important to allow the gum tissue to heal during the days after the procedure. One of the recommendations for recovering from tooth removal or oral surgery is avoiding crunchy, chewy or hard foods. If you are having a tooth removal surgery, you should plan to only eat soft foods after your procedure. What are the soft foods to eat after tooth extraction? Here is what you need to know about eating after a tooth removal or oral surgery procedure.
Soft Foods to Eat After Oral Surgery
Tooth extractions like wisdom teeth removal are types of oral surgery. The gum tissue will have a wound – some patients may have stitches or sutures in their gums, depending on the tooth removal procedure. The goal for recovery is to allow the tissue to heal, avoiding any irritation to the healing gums. However, you still need to eat while you are recovering from oral surgery. The best solution is to find appropriate soft foods to eat after oral surgery. Here is a list of soft foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal, tooth extraction or oral surgery. So, what to eat after tooth extraction?
- Nutritious Vegetable Soups
- Most soups are not only soft, but they are also liquid-based and easy to eat. Soups require little or no chewing, which makes them perfect for consumption after oral surgery. The best choice in soups to eat after oral surgery are those with no chunks – smooth soups like tomato, squash or vegetable-based soups are excellent choices. They are high in nutrients to help you heal without any chewing required. Avoid adding crunchy items like croutons or crackers that may require chewing.
- Greek Yogurt
- Yogurts are one of the perfect soft foods to eat after tooth extraction or other types of oral surgery. Blended yogurt is best without any chunks, but even those with fruit are usually very soft in texture. There are Greek yogurt options that contain more protein and can be more fulfilling and nutritious than plain yogurt. There are many different flavors to choose from for all taste preferences.
- Bone Broths
- If you like chicken or beef-based soups, bone broth can be a satisfying option for consuming after oral surgery. Bone broths contain more protein and nutrients that bouillon or plain chicken or beef broth. You can find bone broth in the soup isle at most grocery stores.
- Eggs
- Scrambled, soft-boiled, pouched and even fried eggs can be a wonderful option to add to your list of soft foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal or oral surgery. Eggs are nutritious and high in protein – you want to replace the meat, nuts and other solid proteins with soft options like eggs and yogurt while healing from oral surgery. Make sure not to overcook your eggs. If you fry an egg, it should be sunny-side up or over-easy with the whites and yolk still soft. You can even make a soft omelet with cheese, just avoid adding vegetables or meat that need to be chewed.
- Soft Fruits and Vegetables
- Any fruit or vegetable that you can easily mash with a fork can be added to your diet of soft foods to eat after tooth extraction or oral surgery. Avocados, bananas, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, canned peaches, canned pears and mashed squashes are possible fruits and vegetables to enjoy after oral surgery.
- Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurts
- While you should be eating nutritious soft foods for your meals while recovering from oral surgery, you can also have a sweet treat. Ice cream, popsicles and frozen yogurt are safe to have while you are recovering – just forego any crunchy toppings. Enjoy a shake, malt or cone made from your favorite yogurt or ice cream. You can also have frozen popsicles, gelatin and pudding without any chunks.
- Cottage Cheese, Smoothies and Other Soft Foods
- Depending on your oral surgery procedure, you may be limited to soft foods for several days or more. Soft foods to eat after oral surgery may seem limited, but you can add variety. Anything that is very soft and does not need to be chewed can be an option. Cottage cheese, refried beans, ricotta cheese and tofu are some other protein options to add to your diet. Fruit or vegetable smoothies are healthy ways to add more vitamins, minerals and fiber to your soft food diet while you recover from your oral surgery.
You should be able to find plenty of options from this list of soft foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal or oral surgery. The goal is to put as little stress as possible on your healing oral tissues and reduce possible complications or infections. Make sure to follow your dentist’s post-surgery recommendations carefully, including sticking to only soft foods, to ensure you heal quickly after your tooth extraction.
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