What You Should and Shouldn’t Eat After A Tooth Extraction

During the first 24 hours after a tooth extraction, you need to make some changes in your diet. Until the affected area has not healed completely, it is recommended that you only eat foods such as apple sauce, yogurt and of course, ice cream. Try to take soft foods and liquids. Once you start feeling better, you can get back to your normal routine diet. Most people resume their normal eating diet in about a week or so.

What You Should Eat

1. Ice Cream
The number one food item to eat after a tooth extraction is ice cream. You rightly deserve it after being brave and strong to get your teeth extracted.  Cold foods like ice cream help ease some pain and discomfort, as well as help with the rate of healing the area where your tooth was extracted.

Ice cream is soft and cool so you are able to comfortably eat it, even when you feel your mouth all sore and tender. However, make sure the ice cream does not contain any solid sprinkles or mix-ins.

2. Cold Soup
Of course, you can’t just live on ice cream for a week. You need to get some nourishment to help increase the healing rate of the affected area. Cold or lukewarm pureed soup is the best thing you can have after a tooth extraction. Not only is soup easy and yummy to eat after an extraction, it is the best food that can give you the nutrients you need help you recover quickly.

Just make sure that there are no lumps of solid food. You want your soup to be as smooth as can be. Though you can add some pasta or cooked vegetables, its better for you avoid adding foods that will require lots of chewing.

What You Shouldn’t Eat

1. Acidic and Spicy Foods
Although you may love to add some hot sauce to your food, at this time it’s best you restrain yourself from reaching the bottle. After a tooth extraction, you need to avoid eating acidic and spicy foods. Such foods can cause irritation and aggravate the extracted site. The last thing you’ll need right now is the acidity intensifying the irritation in the swollen area. Citrus juices and fizzy drinks can also cause pain and irritation. Wait until the affected area is completely healed and check with your dentist before you start using your favorite spices in your food.

2.   Crunchy and Chewy Snacks
It is a bad idea to eat crunchy and chewy snacks during the week your tooth was extracted. You will find it difficult and challenging to eat with a sore mouth. Not only that, you might also find bits of the snacks get trapped in the socket. There is a chance that snacks that are difficult to chew such as chips and nuts can open up the stitches and cause a delay in healing. It’s always best to get a follow-up with your dentist before you switch back to eating crunchy foods. Until then, stick to eating soft foods.