What To Eat After A Wisdom Tooth Extraction? Top Tips To Follow

Not everyone has problems with their wisdom teeth. But for some people, problematic wisdom teeth can mean a lot of pain and additional dental issues. 

Often, it’s because there is insufficient room in the mouth for the wisdom tooth to erupt correctly. Alternatively, it’s common for wisdom teeth to become lodged in the gums (an impacted wisdom tooth). 

Doubtless, you have many questions to ask your dentist before going ahead with treatment, and one of the things on your mind may be what to eat after a wisdom tooth extraction. 

Before diving into dietary requirements, let’s discuss wisdom teeth removal in a little more detail so that you know what to expect and why you need to be careful with any food choices for a few days at least. 

Wisdom teeth removal requires oral surgery and is different from a regular tooth extraction. Because wisdom teeth are found at the back of the mouth, accessing them can be a problem. 

Often, the surgeon will need to make a small incision into the gum to cut it out. As a result, the gum will be closed with sutures, and your mouth is likely to feel a little tender once the anaesthetic wears off. You may also experience facial swelling and bleeding for a couple of days which will gradually subside. 

Keeping in mind that the area around the surgical site will be sore following wisdom teeth removal, the following food guidelines will ensure a speedy and safe recovery. 

From the outset, it’s crucial to avoid crunchy, spicy, and chewy foods as these can increase pain and may prevent healing. Ideally, for the first one or two weeks, we recommend soft, easy to chew foods to give your jaw a rest until it feels more like its old self again. Then you can resume normal eating once more. 

Slight discomfort is inevitable on day one and, while you may feel hungry, you might not feel like eating. Avoid solid foods and stick to liquids like soup. 

It’s essential to drink plenty of fluids to remain hydrated and aid recovery. Water is the best option but try to refrain from drinking through a straw. Sucking can dislodge the blood clot formed after surgery, causing a condition known as a dry socket. This is a painful condition where the bone and underlying nerves are exposed to air, fluids, food, and anything else that enters the mouth. A dry socket can lead to infection and pain for 5 to 6 days. 

After 24 hours, look to progress to other soft foods. Here are some dishes to try. 

Potatoes are a good way of getting carbs into your body and increasing your energy levels. Just boil them and mash them, and you can swallow them without any chewing. To avoid getting bored with them, jazz them up by running some herbs through them or adding cheese or sour cream. 

You can do the same with sweet potatoes, polenta and cauliflower to create a healthy, nutritious veggie-based dish that is easy to swallow and digest. 

These provide a great way of getting nutrients into the body after wisdom teeth removal without chewing. Fresh or frozen fruit and berries are a good option for the base, ensuring you receive plenty of vitamin C and antioxidants. 

Adding milk or yoghurt also gives you a boost of protein and calcium. You could ramp up the nutritional value by blending in protein powder.

Soy-based or dairy yoghurt is another good choice of food when your mouth is feeling ultra-sensitive and is sufficiently healthy to include in your daily diet. 

It provides a good serving of protein to help make you feel full and calcium to help strengthen the jaw bone Yoghurt is also very versatile. Try adding honey, berries, or cocoa for a chocolate hit. 

If you enjoy a bowl of warming porridge, there’s no need to give it up just because of problematic wisdom teeth. Try switching to microwaveable oatmeal that you can cook in a couple of minutes. Quick oatmeal tends to be less chewy and easily digestible. 

As a top tip, remember to avoid adding extra fruit or nuts as these could get stuck in your gums and irritate your wound. 

Ice cream is a food commonly associated with oral surgery. It’s certainly a food that people look forward to following wisdom teeth removal. However, some ice creams are better than others. 

Wherever possible, choose soft-serve ice cream and stick to plain flavours like chocolate or vanilla. Avoid ice cream with added toffee pieces or nuts and forego cones altogether. Use a small spoon to eat your ice cream with care. 

Remember, you don’t have to restrict yourself to one or two types of food while you recover from wisdom teeth extraction. You can mix things up as long as nothing requires chewing. This way, you won’t feel bored and tempted to tuck into more solid food until your mouth has fully healed. 

So, there you go, all you need to know about what to eat immediately after a wisdom tooth extraction. 

If you are experiencing problems or discomfort with your wisdom teeth, the experienced team at Riverlands Dental are here to help. Why not book an appointment using our online booking service or call us on (02) 4501 7930. We now have a visiting oral surgeon in our practice.