Dental - Eat after Wisdom Teeth Removal

What to Eat after Wisdom Tooth Removal

By Danielle Briones

Published on March 27, 2008

Anyone who has had his or her wisdom teeth removed knows that it isn't the most pleasant experience. For most people, swollen cheeks, pain, and hunger are what they remember most about recovering from wisdom tooth extraction surgery.

Fortunately, the swelling and pain are easy enough to control with prescription medication. But what about the hunger? Is there a solution for those who actually want to eat after wisdom teeth removal surgery?

Here are some of our recipes that can help keep children, teens, and adults nourished after having their wisdom teeth removed.

Recipe #1: Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1 banana
  • I C. plain or vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 C. fresh/frozen strawberries
  • 1 C. orange juice
  • 1/4 C. soy protein powder

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to blender and mix.

Recipe #2: Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients:

  • 4 C. water
  • 2 C. shredded cooked chicken/turkey
  • 2 C. chicken stock
  • 2 C. cooked rice
  • 1 C. diced celery
  • 1 C. diced carrots
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to pot and cook on low heat for three to eight hours.

Recipe #3: Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 2 Russet potatoes
  • 1/4 t. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh minced garlic
  • 1/4 C. cheddar cheese
  • 1/8 C. sour cream
  • 1/8 C. protein powder
  • 1/4 C. milk
  • 1/8 C. chives or green onions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Boil and mash potatoes. Add remaining ingredients and mix until creamy.

Additional Snack Ideas:   

There is no doubt that those who undergo wisdom tooth removal surgery are hungry for some good meal and snack ideas. So here are a few more!

  • Apple sauce
  • Juice
  • Pudding
  • JELL-O®
  • Canned fruit
  • Ice cream
  • Yogurt
  • Cottage cheese
  • Beans

Comment on this article →

Keyword Tags: dental

Comments

1

I see that one of the recipes has rice in it...if a grain of rice happens to get into one of the sockets (very likely), it will cause a dry socket (a very painful situation indeed!)

Danielle
11 months ago

2

I think you should eat peanut brittle and popcorn!

Dutch
10 months ago

3

Obviously this dutch person is a complete idiot and not a very nice person. People come to this site to get information. Not some ass trying to be smart. If you wanna be mean and nasty find some other site that caters to people like you.

jess
10 months ago

4

Thanks I am so happy to see mashed potatoes... I am starving

vicki
9 months ago

5

I must admit that, although some may think he/she was offensive, Dutch gave me quite a chuckle. I can't stop laughing!
Seriously, when can we eat normal food again? I had 1 wisdom tooth extracted 3 days ago. I need some crunch!

bbetty99
9 months ago

6

Re: Danielle:

Cooking rice for three to eight hours should soften it up a lot, alomost to the point of a congee.

Chris
8 months ago

7

I'm about to have my 4 wisdom teeth extracted in a couple of days time :o(

As much as I'm dreading it, I have to admit that Dutch's comments gave me a real laugh too !!

Although perhaps I won't be laughing after the event .........

Jon
8 months ago

8

I got my wisdom teeth out yesterday, and even looking at recipe number 2 makes the back of my mouth sore. Imagine if any of that stuff got stuck back there....

kayla
8 months ago

9

just wondering if I should do one side at a time, then in two or three months do the other so I can chew on one side for a bit while the other side recovers. On the other hand that might set me up for twice as much pain twice as long. It's to bad that they couldn't just put a dental implant post in the open socket to close up the socket or somthing like that that would maybe disolve over time and one's life could go on infection free and pain free.

Marcel
8 months ago

10

Marcel,

I got my teeth out 2 days again. It is hell! I suggest going through absolute hell once instead of just plain hell two times! Good luck.

Brian
8 months ago

11

I just got all four wizzies out today and my cheeks feel bruised, moreso my right cheek. Not bad enough to want pain reliever, but annoying. I can still open my mouth pretty wide. No pain where the teeth used to be, as far as I can tell.

Alexandra
8 months ago

12

I had four wisdom teeth extracted today. It wasn't bad at all. I don't remember anything about the procedure, and the pain has been moderate to light. I feel pretty energetic now 9 hours after the procedure. (though I am taking it easy). The hunger is the worst part thus far. I've had a little chicken broth, some ice cream and two pudding cups. By the way, I am 31 - 10 years older than the recommended age to having such a procedure.

Patrick
7 months ago

13

The soup, or just broth is a good idea, but rice is likely to get into the socket. If your really looking for something to partially fill you up, try using pieces of bread in the soups or broth. It will get nice and soft and can be easily swallowed. For a something a little extra sprinkle your favorite cheese on top. Just remember not to eat the broth HOT, wait until it cools to lukewarm.

Air
7 months ago

14

I just had a nice hot dog and warmed soft white bread in the microwave first yummy my first food today

Jeff
7 months ago

15

It is hell I agree. I got my "wizzies" removed on one side last year and yesterday I got my other side taken care of. Like everyone else said the hunger is what sucks the most.

JFG1904
7 months ago

16

I had all 4 taken out 12 days ago. Still a little swollen and just a little headache from the tightness and Lord, now I have this nasty tasting fluid excreting from my sites into my mouth causing me to spit a lot and have bad breath. It has all been a nightmare because I am older (40). Hope it is all done with soon.

Dot
7 months ago

17

What kind of a "health" counselor would suggest such horrible foods and combinations?.......

kat
6 months ago

18

I am 59 years old and about to have my 4 wisdom teeth removed. Any advice or comments, short of the word "Pray!"?

Steve
6 months ago

19

Ok guys I'm on day 3 after my wisdom tooth extraction here are some ideas for goodies that you can tear off pieces and chew on one side....I would wait till the day after to try to eat these things but the 1st day I had egg drop soup from a local chineese resturant and it worked out very nicely..

1) scrambled eggs (with or without cheese)
2)those little frozen bean and cheese burritos (let it cool down and then tear it into little bits)
3)tortillas with cheese inside and rolled up : nuke it for a minute till the cheese is melty and the tortilla is SOFT..same thing as a taco bell cheese roll up
4) large mcdonalds sweet tea no straw no ice..been living on this stuff
5) bowtie shaped pasta..cook it till nice and soft..put some butter and cheese on it

Stacy
6 months ago

20

im 14 and i got mine at yesturday got 2 persciptions that are sopposed to make me sleep and has done the oppisite thanks for all the ideas im starving

tyler
5 months ago

21

My name is Marie. I had my wisdom tooth taken out just today for the very first time. Now, not only am I hungry, but I must eat something so that I can take my medication, antibiotics.

Does this mean I can eat/drink soup only for the rest of the week?

Marie
5 months ago

22

I just had the two bottom ones pulled yesterday and I must say it was painless thank the lord. This morning I felt no pain and have been on a pudding and jello diet. I would say besides the mouth full of blood after the operation the worst part is not being able to eat foods like steak, burgers, chilidogs etc... I go in for the top ones and I can't wait to get it all over with!

Matt
5 months ago

23

People...the removal of wisdom teeth is way over rated. I had mine removed back in 1982 (18 years old) all 4 at once.

I came home and ate a half tuna fish sandwich 2 hours later but chewed with my fronts and then had chili. Only thing I had was some moderate soreness but NO SERIOUS PAIN. 2 days later I did try Mcdonalds but wasn't ready for Burgers this early so ended up swallowing to big of chucks and we got drunk and this came back up LOL.

Make sure you gargle 3 times daily with warm salt water and this helps. Also, after day 1-2, you should not need pain medicine at all but just keep it around in case.

Get them wisdom teeth out and the pain is way OVERRATED!

Rick
5 months ago

24

I got all 4 out a few hours ago. The first thirty minutes I just wanted to punch somebody in the face becaus it was just annoying with all the blood but now I feel good and energized.I just had mashed potatoes with gravy and it was very good.now If only I could have this fried chicken!

Parker
5 months ago

25

I had my wisdom teeth out 6 days ago ... and I am really considering eating a panzarotti! LoL That is how hungry I am ... BUT I made soup like the one stated above and NO rice got stuck in the stitched areas. The soup was actually really good! THe soup was VERY filling!

Tasja
4 months ago

26

Dry socket is an experience to remember! You will know you have it or not. I've had it it twice. One thing I found that immediately kills the pain for a short while until you can get it packed is ice water...SERIOUSLY...it really works! I know it sounds like a painful experience, but it is incredibly soothing and kills the pain 100%. Try it starting gradually with water that is closer to room temperature first to test the site to make sure it is responding similarly, gradually making it cooler. The cooler the water, the more relief you will experience. Once you are drinking ice water, it should provide complete relief for 5 to 10 minutes. You will need to drink and swish it around around again over the site to keep the pain from coming back. I highly recommend the Oil of Clove gauze for the pack as it is natural and extremely effective and last for several days. (I never imaginged that cloves could be so amazing when it comes to relieving major pain.) You may need to have it repacked maybe once, but after a week to ten days or so, you should be good to go!

If you discover that you have dry socket over the weekend when you can't get to a dentist till Monday, sleeping is a bit of a problem as you continually need to irrigate the site with ice water. I suggest you sit up in your bed on a wedge and have a plastic water bottle of ice water nearby and just reach for it throughout the night catching a some accumulative micro sleep in the interim.

Another option I found worked well also is to use liberal amount of 20% strength benzocaine (Anbesol Gel and OraJel have versions at this strength) applied directly to the gum area and gently inside the socket as well with a clean Q-tip. I found this amazingly effective and lasting up to 3 hours!

These are the best recommendations I can make from actual experience! Good luck!

Michael
4 months ago

27

is it okay to eat things with grease or fat in them on the day you got them taken out?

Whats something else besides this that i can buy?

i just got it done an hour ago and i havent eatin all day

Adrian
4 months ago

28

I'm going on day 3 now, I've experienced quite a bit of pain and I've only eaten twice really and it was just a tiny bit of jello mixed with whipped cream. I've been looking up things to try to eat, but I keep finding the same things. Last night I tried a piece of bread, I had to tear it into tiny pieces which I basically swallowed hole and then I attempted to try chips which I smashed into tiny pieces and let get soft before swallowing thing. Anyways, if anyone has any other advice on foods to eat that would be great. I'm going to try the mashed potatoes hopefully soon, but other ideas would be awesome as well.

Ashley
4 months ago

29

I had four wisdom teeth removed yesterday. Had mashed potato and beans run through the blender about 5 hours after the op. Today had mac and cheese for lunch and about to try shepards pie and beans, again put through the blender at room temp. It really isn't that bad, I get tired but the pain is minor at this stage and re food just avoid anything that will fall into the cavities or is hot. Worse thing is not being able to smoke!

MB
4 months ago

30

I am getting all 4 wisdom teeth out on Monday, I am thankful for this page, is it a good idea to blend the food for first couple days? I am scared to get them out !

Carol
4 months ago

31

Well I had my 4 wisdom teeth removed yesterday (above post) I didnt feel a thing, and when the numbness wore off I took my painkiller, I broke it in half and slid it down my throat with some jello, it was the easiest way for me. I pretty much ate ice cream, jello cups but by 9pm I was starving so I had a small bowl of very lukewarm tomato soup, just the flavor was so satisfying. Today Ive had a jello cup and 1/3 can of Raviolis, small bits and I slide them down and drink some water with it, I need my savory foods and is pretty much the only time I will eat Chef Bordee !

Good luck to all who are getting them done and feel free to ask any questions you may have :)

Carol
4 months ago

32

i had my wisdom teeth out all 4 of them yesterday that were impacted and i have not been in any kind of pain at all if i didnt have stiches i would not even know i had it done

susan
4 months ago

33

haha! i got mine taken out this morning.
and i thought dutch's comment was kind of funny... :P

me
4 months ago

34

Susan day 3 and 4 you will see and feel the swelling, I'm on day 6 and have had most of my pain the past 3 days, my food intake has been really limited due to pain and thats with the strong painkillers. I had partial bony extractions so my jaw bone is killing me. I'm back to ice cream but macaroni cheese is still a godsend!!

Carol
4 months ago

35

ONE shuld go for chilled things such as icecreams. dat will give u a soothing effect...

Dr. renu bali
3 months ago

36

The worst thing about the extraction was the needles and the fear of getting a dry socket. I am a big guy 6 foot 3 and 276lbs. and very hungry all I have eaten was mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie. I have been drinking ice cold V8 veggie juice and ice water. I hate the constant taste of flesh wound along with blood it's annoying no pain after 5 days but I need food , however I still have the dry socket fear. Is it safe for me to eat some real food now?

Gary
3 months ago

37

i had my wisdom teeth out 9 days ago and the pain is still unbearable without pain killers. I havent had a full nights sleep once (it is now 4.30am and im searching for people with similar problems to mine). The top ones didn't hurt at all but the bottom ones kill. Is this because I also had some bone removed? i am able to open my mouth and everythig seems to be healing nicely, so why am i still in pain?

Lateasha
3 months ago

38

I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed 8 days ago. I have just been eating applesauce, slices of banana, smoothies, ice cream, mashed potatoes..mainly anything really soft. I only chew with my front teeth, because I don't want to risk getting anything stuck in the sockets... 3 days ago I started getting this awful taste in my mouth, I went to the doctor and found out it's bacteria from food (gross). It has gotten better but it makes me sick to my stomach. If anyone is experiencing this same thing, keep brushing your teeth and tongue with toothpaste, and use a Q-Tip with a little bit of toothpaste on it and use that around the site, and rinse with a mouthwash called Biotene. It's gentle, alcohol free, and kills bacteria. So far it's working very well. :)

kk
3 months ago

39

Yesterday my dentist removed 1 Wisdom Teeth and told me to eat all the food what ever I was eating before. After couple of hours I ate Rice and Lentils and again today i ate Rice and Potato.

After every meal just Gurgle for couple of time with Water and everyday Gurgle with Salt and Water 5 times a day.

VK
3 months ago

40

I am 39 years old, had all 4 taken out 5 days ago, all were impacted. I am worried the healing process will be slower since I'm older. Well, of course it will be.~

I found that drinking ice water and letting small ice cubes melt in my mouth while I read has really taken the edge off.

My pain has been more like some mighty headaches that include my whole face, an aching more than a pain, if that makes sense. Ibuprofen does a good job on it.

On graduating to firm foods after wisdom teeth removal:

After a few days of applesauce, mashed potatoes, smashed acorn squash, and chocolate milk, I graduated to scrambled eggs, cheese ravioli, and some tuna & salmon sashimi (I avoided the sushi rice.)

I've also had instant oatmeal made with a little extra water, and let it sit longer to make sure the oatmeal softened.

Oh, I splurged and had a piece of tiramisu! (It might have had a little bit of alcohol in it, but I only took the prescription pain relievers days 1-3.)

I can chew slowly with my front teeth. I don't want to bite the sides of my mouth.

Particles of egg got stuck in the holes, but came out by rinsing well with salt water. I rinse gently, but continue doing it and letting the water fall from my mouth into the sink until there are no food particles.

Tonight I'm having (from Boston Market) mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, dressing/stuffing, and corn bread with honey.

Tomorrow I might try some French onion soup with bread soaked in it. The onions might hang out in the holes, but I am sure they will rinse out too.

I am physically hungry, but my appetite (actual desire to eat) has decreased.

I had a nose bleed on day 2, the surgeon said it wasn't exactly common but it wasn't uncommon either. Today too, I had a bit of blood from my sinuses, mixed with thin nasal mucus. I am trying to keep my head elevated and stay in bed/on couch, even though it's been 5 days.

I appreciate the comments others have left - this is definitely a time when getting some support from others experiencing the same thing really helps!

Good luck and practice patience. It's really hard, but it's what I'm trying to do to stay sane!

Orowi
3 months ago

41

I JUST got my wisdom teeth out(all 4) like half an hour ago. When would I be okay to start eating?

Cion Monge
3 months ago

42

I had my 4 out yesterday and have slept most of the time. Got a laugh out of the peanut brittle and popcorn... husband suggested steak and ribs!

Although I have no apetite, the best food so far potato & leek soup, chocolate mousse, scrambled eggs (really runny/milky/cheesy and not chunky- sounds gross but was so great) and will be having tuna bake (no pasta or rice in it- only cheese, tuna, creamed corn, onion) with mashed potato with wholegrain mustard- hope no bits get stuck...

Pain not too bad- ibuprofen every 4 hrs and panadeine 2 hours later every four hours so there is a smaller trough, thinking of changing to paracetamol & ibuprofen tomorrow.

Kristy
3 months ago

43

Baby style oatmeal, pancakes mushed up really well with butter and syrup, yogurt, pudding, hummus, blended up potatoes and other veggies. Not sure how many of you out there are protein shake fans but here are two of my favorites (I am hypoglycemic, so I can't eat a lot of the sugary snacks that would be great right now...i.e. ICE CREAM) GREAT as snacks or meals...for meals, just ADD MORE OF THE GOODS =)

Chocolate PB/Banana
1 scoop chocolate whey
1 -1 1/2 cup milk/skim milk/soy milk/water (or mix of either)
*not to sound gross, but most milk products leave your mouth gooey...i found this annoying the first few days, so i stuck to water*
1/2 -1 whole banana
1-2 tbsp of pb
1 cup spinach (for the dare devils...can't taste it and hey, you gotta get your greens)
5-7 ice cubes

Coffee Coolatta-Amazing if you don't want to take the chance of burning your gumholes with hot coffee...gross

1 scoop chocolate whey
1-11/2 cups milk/water/whatever
1 banana (adds consistency)
1 packet instant coffee mix

There is my contribution...hope I'm helping someone out there. Now, can I please vent and say that this has been the worst experience I've had in a very long time. I had 3 taken out last Tuesday, all impacted. I followed all the directions and still ended up back in the office 2 days later with TWO DRY SOCKETS. Not sure how many of you had the pleasure of experiencing this, but the doctor stuck gauze soaked in clove oil in both sockets which is just plain awful. To top it off, I went back today, and I can't get it out til next tuesday cause apparently I suck at healing =O FML at the moment. Other than this mishap though, life is fabulous. Trying to stay on the up and up, but damnnnnnn, this sucks.

Sugie1231
3 months ago

44

I had 2 impacted wisdom teeth and one regular wisdom tooth removed over a week ago and am just enjoying regular food from the last 2 days. It was very painful to eat anything that required chewing motion at all. Stick with liquids. You will heal sooner. Trust me!

candace
2 months ago

45

I get my bottom two wisdom teeth taken out tomorrow, and I was on here looking to see what I can eat afterwards. ALL of your entries are very helpful to me. Going to the grocery store in a few to pick up some of these things. Any extra advice? I sure could use it. I'm a little nervous!

Magen
2 months ago

46

i just had 3 wisdom, 1 front fow baby, and and extra at the roof of my mouth removed today and im going to eat a slushy and cold mashed potatoes

stefan
2 months ago

47

i just had my wisdom teeth pulled out yesterday!

it hurt the most right after the anesthetic wore off.

i have been eating yogurt and mashed potatoes.

i want to eat something different cause i am hungry!

your responses gave me some good insight as to what else i

should try! but i am doing okay for now and hopefully i won't

get dry socket! sleep was terrible for the first night

but since then i sleep like a baby!

Vonice
2 months ago

48

This a great forum! I got mine all four of mine taken out 3 days ago and after two days of soup...I couldn't take it. I've discoverd if you eat soft foods (i.e. fish,pasta, or ham and cheese sandwiches) in very small bites and make sure you chew with the your front teeth it is possible to eat foods other than purees, milkshakes, and soups. Make sure after every bite or two you swish a drink around in your mouth and definitely rinse with mouthwash after you finish. Everyone heals at different paces so I can't give a definite time when this would be okay ( I was able to chew the day after surgery) but I defintely wouldn't advise chewing the day of the surgery or if your jaw is terribly swollen. Cheers!

purcellgal
2 months ago

49

Oops, sorry about all of the typos!

purcellgal
2 months ago

50

I had three removed four days ago , but the last two days i have been having a weird metal tasting liquid coming out from one of the extraction sites (the lower right one). I do not feel any increasing pain nor this taste is foul , but i am wondering what it is . My stitches also came out on day three , can that be bad for my healing or is it normal??

Marcel
2 months ago

51

HI all.

I just got two of my left wizzies removed 3 hours back and with the anesthetic effect wearing off, the pain is getting worse and worse. Already popped a painkiller and have been icing the area. hope it kicks in quickly.

Michael
2 months ago

52

Marcel,

salt rinses help. As you heal it gets better

tajat2002
2 months ago

53

Hi all. Its already been two days since my wizzies were removed. The pain comes on intermittently and the swelling is always there. Pain ranges between 2-7 on a 0-10 pain scale. Painkillers are a god send, but i still try to restrict them as much as i can. The main problem im having is diarrhea due to antibiotics and i still have a good 3 more days to go.

Michael
2 months ago

54

Hi all.
Its been 3 days postop. Pain is much better. Went through the day with only one painkiller. Diarrhea as a side effect of antibiotics controlled with addition of metronidazole. Had baby food powder for breakfast, soups for lunch (cream of tomato and egg drop chicken soup). Soup was yummy but i felt hungry within an hour of having that. Drank two bowls of dal (lentils) to control my hunger pangs. Had two cup noodles for dinner (first satisfying meal in 3 days). It feels weird to put my tongue near the operative site. Been gargling with mouthwash after eating coz food particles get stuck in the operative areas. Got to get to work tomorrow. Still cant talk properly though. Luckily my job doesnt entail me to talk much. So its ok.

MIchael
2 months ago

55

I am officially getting my bottom right and left impacted/un-impacted wisdom teeth's out, I am
scared of getting a dry socket so thanks for all the
food options. Luckily I only have 2 "wizzies" but,
I admit that I am VERY anxious.

Delilah
2 months ago

56

Dont worry about dry socket Delilah as long as you are cautious about what and how you eat in the first 5 days postop. Its been 5 days since i got my 2 wizzies out and im doing fine.

Michael
2 months ago

57

My son (14) had his bottom 2 wisdom teeth taken out 3 days ago. I'm still waiting for him to tell me he has pain. I ask him every 45 min or so and he keeps saying he has nothing. He's not even that hungry. He's been living on Gator ade, scrambled eggs, jello, and little does he know...the milkshakes I've been making him contain "Boost" or "Ensure" he can't even taste it. I think I will offer him Kraft dinner and maybe pancakes today, along with the "milkshakes". Rincing your mouth with salt water after every food intake is the best advice.

AngeliMy
2 months ago

58

Figured I'd post a comment also since I found the responses very helpful. I'm older (45) and needed to have a molar (last, bottom tooth) removed. Had it done just 8 hours ago. My biggest fear is getting stuff caught in the hole, especially since I was told NOT to rinse until tomorrow. Had to take an antibiotic and an ibuprofen already---that was fun! Extraction was on left side, so I tilted my head to the right, put the meds individually on my tongue and then swallowed with a bit of water. It's coming up on dinner; think I will go buy a can of Ensure or maybe just make due tonight with a quart of chocolate milk; or maybe ice cream.

willy
2 months ago

59

i just had 2 tooth extractions 4 days ago im feelin good
no dry socket does anybody know if i can start eating normally now????please and thank you

jose
about 1 month ago

60

it is now monday and i had all four of my wisdom teeth taken out this past friday morning. does anyone think it would be a horrible idea to smoke just one cigarette? ive heard wait three to five days after the procedure and im on day four. i know that its the "sucking" that can cause a dry socket but if i take it easy should i be fine?

austin leach
about 1 month ago

61

My daughter had all 4 wisdom teeth extracted 3 days ago and I am truly regretting that I agreed to having it done. She is having a horrible time, none of the meds help the pain, her face is swollen 4x its normal size and I think she has dry socket. She hasn't slept more than 2 hrs at a time for 3 days due to the pain, nausea, vomiting. Dental surgeons are useless, keep prescribing the same types of meds that make her sick (percocet, lortab). Nightmare. I didn't really think she needed to have this done, the teeth were not erupted and causing her no problems. Dentist said they were "turning" and would cause her teeth to go crooked but I wonder now.

If you're thinking of having this done to your child as a "preventative" I strongly advise AGAINST it.

TJ
about 1 month ago

62

I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted plus 2 molars (at the same time!) five days ago. I have been in AGONY...seriously. But I never had any trouble finding things to eat.

I have enjoyed potato soup, soggy fruity pebbles, baked potatos, bananas, grilled cheese, spaghetti. Pretty much anything I wanted I ate. The dentist just told me to stay away from spicey food and cut down on the salt and then to rinse with warm salt water after every meal.

However, now I have canker sores along the edge of one socket. Not sure what caused that but ouch...

Jennifer
about 1 month ago

63

Technically, you can eat anything you want. But there are some things you should avoid as to reduce the risk of complications.

Avoid spices and avoid high temperatures to reduce inflammation. Do not eat foods with jagged or sharp edges that can easily get lodged into or otherwise interfere with the clot(s). Examples are nuts, chips, grated carrot. Do not smoke! Easier said than done if you are addicted, but this is probably the biggest thing to avoid.

For best healing, avoid chewing/grinding for the first 4 hours, keep it to an absolute minimum for 8 hours, and carefully limit chewing and grinding for 2-4 days. Specific food suggestions.

1-4 hours post-op: water (sipped carefully, slowly)
4-8 hours post-op: yogurt, pudding, milk, apple sauce, protein shakes (sip slowly!), jello, and similar.
8-24 hours post-op: scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, mashed acorn squash, and similar.

The recipe list above is OK, but you probably want to eliminate the rice from #2. Consider substituting egg noodles or farfalle.

Things to ideally avoid for at least 48 hours (not a comprehensive list - just to give you some feel for the character of ill-advised post-op foods):

- carrots (raw), rice, broccoli, spicy food, very hot foods, citrus, gum, chips, nuts, corn, most cereals.

Some people take longer to heal and will need to watch what they eat for a longer period of time - it depends a lot on the trauma inflicted during extraction, and that itself is a function of your tooth health (i.e. how much fragmentation of the tooth occurs), tooth placement (impacted or not), root placement (roots that form a nice "spike" make for a cleaner extraction, while roots that branch out will result in more trauma during extraction), skill of the dentist/surgeon, and individual biology (clotting, saliva, stress, general health of surrounding gingiva tissue).

Richard Fiele
23 days ago

64

I had my wisdom teeth out thursday october 21 in the morning. its now day 5 and i'm still on soft foods, soup, mashed pot etc. Anything i can just swallow w/o chewing really. i have stitches and the dr sewed my cheek to the gum so its hard to move without causing friction. it took about 4 days to gain a good amount of mobility back in my jaw and i didnt experience any harsh pain. i was prescribed painkillers but never even opened the bottle. i'm more uncomfortable and hungry then anything. i just want to be able to have potato chips, steak, cookies and sandwhiches again. its tough going downstairs for dinner and have a bowl of chicken soup waiting for you instead of a thick steak your parents are having..... i'm going for a follow up this coming thursday so i'll know whats going on and how i'm coming along.

Katie
12 days ago

65

Had 4 wisdoms out 3 days ago. 2 were impacted. Worst pain ever. Now the site if impacted are infected. I'm tired all the time, sore throat and feel really sick. Would not tell anyone to have it done :-( miserable!!!!!!

Nicole
about 15 hours ago

66

i had my 2 bottom wisdom teeth and 4 other teeth out today under general anaesthetic. i still have a bit of local in my mouth, but my throat is absolutely killing me. apparently they had to put a tube in my throat :| and i cant swallow anything without being in agony :'(

jen
about 7 hours ago

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