What to Eat after a Tooth Extraction

The last thing you want to have to do after having oral surgery is go grocery shopping. You will be in pain and on medication and not thinking well. You will probably just want to go lay down for a while.

So if this isn't an emergency dental procedure and you are able to schedule your tooth extraction ahead of time, you should also do some planning and preparation ahead of time for what to eat afterwards. You will want your kitchen stocked with soft foods that you like and you know you will eat.

Make Yourself A List

It's a best practice to make yourself a written list. These days, that often doesn't mean a pen-and-paper list. A shopping list on your phone can work well. It makes it easy to take it with you and refer to it while shopping.

You need your own list because articles like this one only give generic advice. This piece can provide a list of examples of soft foods that can work well following an extraction, but only you can make a list of foods you will actually eat. Only you know not only your food preferences but also any dietary restrictions you need to accommodate.

Standard advice includes foods like apple sauce, yogurt, ice cream, jello, pudding, mashed potatoes and broth or thin soups. You will notice that a lot of soft foods that get listed are sweets. It can be challenging to come up with good ideas for more nutritious foods while keeping things soft.

But there are soft cheeses, like ricotta or cheese spreads, salsas, peanut butter and other nut butters and some meat dishes get cooked until the meat is very soft. While nut butters are often paired with crunchy foods, like crackers, that you shouldn't be eating during this time, they don't have to be. They can be paired with soft bread or even spread on fresh fruit.

Other options include scrambled eggs, omelettes filled with cheese and other soft items, egg drop soup and quiche with small ingredients like rice and beans. You can also look for lentil dishes, bean dip and other bean dishes. Beans are a good source of protein and can be made into a soft food version while still being consumed cold and having flavor.

So if you really want to eat healthy after your procedure, you can. You just will need to put in a little time beforehand to think up nutritious soft foods that you are willing to eat and pre-stock the kitchen with them.

Some Things To Avoid

• Do not drink through a straw after a tooth extraction. It will create suction in your mouth and can dislodge the blood clot sealing the wound. This will set back your healing process.
• Do not chew on the side where the tooth was extracted. Do not eat extremely hot food. Stick to cool or lukewarm foods. Do not eat hard or crunchy foods, like nuts and chips.