If you’re planning to have your wisdom teeth removed, you might be dreading the dietary restrictions that follow the procedure. While your feelings are normal and understandable, you really shouldn’t give it a second thought. Dr. William Campbell is the leading oral and maxillofacial surgeon and dental implant provider in the region. He will handle your procedure at Campbell Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center and set you on the path to a fast recovery at home.
To give you a basic idea of what you can and can’t have, we’ve compiled an easy-to-follow list of food and beverage do’s and don’ts for the next three days after wisdom teeth extraction.
What You Should Do
While there are things that you can’t eat while you’re recovering from wisdom teeth extraction, we thought we’d start with what you can have.
Day 1
During the first 24 hours of recovery, your gums may be very tender. We recommend that you refrain from eating anything during this time that needs to be chewed. Stick to very soft foods like these below and others with the same consistency:
- All liquids, such as soups and broths, at lukewarm temperatures
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Applesauce
- Jell-O
- Smoothies
Day 2
On day two, you can add foods that require minimal chewing, such as these and more like them:
- Eggs
- Oatmeal
- Cottage Cheese
- Hummus
- Mashed sweet or white potatoes
Day 3
At this point, you’re ready to move to softly chewing. You can now eat the foods listed below and others with a similar texture:
- Pancakes
- Macaroni and cheese
- Soft pasta (Skip the tomato sauce; the acid content can cause pain.)
- Refried or mashed beans
- Chicken or tuna Salad
What you shouldn’t do
While you’re in recovery, there are foods and activities you should avoid to promote quick and proper healing. The full list of prohibited items is long and varied, so consider the following a general approach to your recovery.
- Don’t drink carbonated sodas/beverages.
- Don’t drink with a straw. (These first two Don’ts can undo or stretch your stitches or blood clots, causing dry socket, a serious and painful healing complication.)
- Don’t eat crunchy foods. (Particles can get stuck in your extraction site and cause an infection.)
- Don’t consume acidic foods and drinks. (These can cause pain so save yourself the discomfort.)
Don’t wait to get your wisdom teeth out
The longer you delay removing your wisdom teeth, the greater the risk of complications becomes. This is partly due to the fact that our bones harden as we age, making extraction more difficult the longer it’s put off.
Dr. William Campbell is the leading Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in the Columbus, GA and Phenix City, AL metro area. Talk to any member of his friendly staff at Campbell Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center and they will be happy to speak with you further about your wisdom teeth extraction. Call us at 706-324-6106 or reach us through the contact form on our website. We look forward to speaking with you.
