Beyond Ice Cream: Indulge in These 5 Tasty Foods After Tooth Extraction

Did you recently have your wisdom tooth removed? If yes, then give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve taken a bold step towards good dental health. We understand that having wisdom teeth surgically removed is quite a painful affair, but trust us, it helps strengthen your gums and teeth in the long run. According to the American Dental Association, many times wisdom teeth don’t have enough space to grow properly and often damage the soft tissue of the gum, further causing pain, infection and damaging neighboring teeth. In such cases, tooth extraction may be necessary and recovery takes two to three weeks. This is when you need to be more cautious about the food you eat. Oral surgeons usually suggest eating soft foods that give you less pain, until the region is healed.
Read also: Expert Talk: Foods to Avoid and Other Dietary Practices for Good Oral Health

Why is it important to eat soft foods after tooth extraction?

As mentioned above, it is not possible to go back to a normal diet immediately after a wisdom tooth is removed. But that doesn’t mean compromising on nutrients. According to experts, it is important to choose foods that are healthy and easy to eat to prevent food pieces from getting stuck at the extraction site. Moreover, soft and healthy food also helps speed up the healing process, avoiding any kind of post-surgery infection.

What to eat after tooth extraction?

You’d typically see people indulging in tubs of ice cream after tooth removal. Ice cream helps cool the affected area and reduces swelling. It’s also easy to eat. But too much ice cream can affect your overall health. So, we have carefully curated a list of some healthy and tasty soft foods that you can eat after surgery.
Read also: 5 Everyday Foods That Could Be Ruining Your Teeth – What you need to eat instead

Here are 5 foods to eat after having a wisdom tooth removed:

1. Scrambled Eggs:

Eggs always come to your rescue at any moment. It’s simple, easy to eat, and can load you up with several essential nutrients for healing. Click here for the classic scrambled egg recipe to enjoy a semi-soft meal.

2. Mashed Potatoes:

You can pair your scrambled eggs with a serving of mashed potatoes to put together a healthy meal. While we agree potatoes are starchy, they also have nutrients that can help you heal properly. You can prepare it according to your wishes, but try to avoid adding extra spices. Click here for a simple mashed potato recipe.

3.Lassi:

For those worried about the extra calories in that tub of ice cream, lassi is a great option. It gives you that same soothing sensation and adds some nutrients to your diet, courtesy of the wholesome dahi (curd) in the recipe. Click here for some delicious lassi recipes.

4. Bananas:

It is soft, full of nutrients and also makes for a healthy meal. Plus, it’s available in abundance throughout the year. If you want to turn the simple banana into a treat, add some chocolate sauce to it and indulge.

5. Soup/Broth:

It’s also important to eat good protein. So, we suggest you try making a simple soup or vegetable/chicken/bone stock, with minimal spice and butter, and enjoy. Here are two basic recipes to try: masoor dal soup and chicken broth.
Read also: 5 Delicious and Healthy Dal Soups to Enjoy During the Monsoon (Recipes Inside)

What foods to avoid after tooth extraction:

It is equally important to know what not to eat after surgery. In addition to solid and hard foods, alcohol, nicotine (cigarettes), hot foods and extra spices should also be avoided. While omitting the caffeine is also recommended, some dentists say, you can have a cup of coffee or chai (but no more) after it’s brought to room temperature. You can also enjoy it in the form of iced coffee or iced tea, but as mentioned, in moderation.
We suggest that you always have a detailed diet discussion with your dentist after any type of oral treatment and that you follow it religiously.

Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides general information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical advice. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for further information. NDTV assumes no responsibility for this information.