One of the pieces of advice you’ll get when getting your wisdom teeth removed is to eat soft foods after surgery. You won’t feel up to chewing during the first week or so after surgery, and you also don’t want to run the risk of having a piece of food get stuck in healing socket. While the thought of eating soft foods for days on end might make you worry that you’ll be stuck eating pudding or Jell-O at meal after meal, your options are actually quite broader than that.
Keep hunger at bay and enjoy a relatively balanced diet by eating these five foods after your surgery.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a great snack to eat after your wisdom teeth are removed. For one thing, it’s completely soft, so you won’t have to chew at all. For another, it’s a good source of protein and other nutrients that you’ll need to help recover after surgery. Yogurt also contains probiotics, which can be particularly helpful in keeping you regular when faced with the one-two punch of taking pain relievers (which can cause constipation) and eating a limited diet.
When choosing yogurt, stick with varieties that are completely smooth. Although options with granola or candy mix-ins are available, it’s best to save those for when you’ve fully healed after surgery.
Soup
While you might not want to eat soup or anything hot during the first few days after surgery, once you’re able to stand a bit of warmth again, soup is a perfect post-surgical meal. You can get all the nutrition you need from a bowl of pureed soup or even from a broth-based soup. Plus, there are so many soup varieties out there that you’re sure to find one that you really like.
Mashed Potatoes
Few things are as comforting as a bowl of mashed potatoes. And what better time to indulge in some comfort than right after surgery? Go ahead and enjoy a serving or two of potatoes as you recover.
Scrambled Eggs
While most breakfast foods, from crunchy cereal to crispy bacon, are off-limits while you recuperate after wisdom tooth surgery, one isn’t, and that’s scrambled eggs. Soft and easy to eat without much, if any, chewing, scrambled eggs are a great way to start your morning off on the right foot. They’re high in protein and can give you enough energy to get your day going.
Milkshakes or Smoothies
Feel free to enjoy a milkshake or smoothie after your surgery, with one big caveat. You’ll need to skip the straw. The pressure created when you suck on a straw can knock the blood clots in the surgical area loose, leading to a complication known as dry socket. Instead, sip the milkshake or smoothie right from the glass.
Dr. Majid Jamali, a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon in New York, can give you more details on the foods to eat or avoid after your surgery. For more information and to learn more about the wisdom tooth removal process, call (332) 244-0554 to schedule an appointment today.