There are many situations that warrant a tooth extraction, ranging from impacted wisdom teeth to a severely decayed or broken tooth. Patients should know that the procedure for tooth removal can be performed quickly and painlessly. Not only will you be given a local anesthetic injection, but most patients elect some form of sedation dentistry to help them fully relax.
While the procedure itself is straightforward, there will be some aftercare instructions to follow once your tooth is extracted. For the sake of your comfort and healing, it is important that you adhere to the guidelines your dentist gives you. Part of these post-op instructions will be rules for eating and drinking.
Your Eating Technique
How you eat is equally important to what you eat after your tooth extraction. Try to chew on the opposite side of the extracted tooth. When it comes to drinking, stay hydrated but don’t use a straw! The suction of the straw can disrupt the clotting of blood that is necessary for healing.
Your Food Selections
During the first 24 hours after your tooth extraction, restrict your diet to soft foods and liquids. Choices such as yogurt, pudding, Jell-O, and ice cream can be soft and soothing to your gums. Just be sure to avoid any crunchy or chewy food for the first few days. Soups make a great nutritious meal. However, consume your soup lukewarm instead of hot.
Your Food Restrictions
For the first week or so, cut out any foods that are hard, brittle, crunchy or chewy. This includes chips, nuts, popcorn and some cuts of meat. For protein, choose a healthy dairy product instead. In addition, if you are taking pain medication, be sure to avoid alcoholic beverages.
At Gilreath Family Dentistry, we want you to have a comfortable and speedy recovery following your tooth extraction. For more tips on how and what to eat after your tooth removal, please give us a call.
Posted on behalf of Dr. Paul Gilreath IV,
