Food List
Food List: What to Eat After Oral Surgery
Are you planning to have your wisdom teeth extracted, or are you considering dental implants? As you prepare for dental surgery, you may wonder what you’ll be able to eat during the recovery process.
After your surgery, it is essential to stick to a soft food diet and eat foods that are easy to chew and swallow.
Also, drink lots of water to stay hydrated and help reduce swelling after your oral surgery. Try sipping on water or juice throughout the day, or enjoy a smoothie for a nutritious way to get all the liquids you need.
Before you head to the store to stock up on your post-surgery groceries, take a look at our recommended foods to eat after dental surgery and our list of foods to avoid.
Start by Eating Soft Foods After Surgery
Here are some soft foods to eat as you go through the initial healing process:
- Hearty soups (cream of asparagus, lentil, minestrone, split pea, chili)
- Non-Citrus juice (cranberry, apple, grape)
- Jell-O
- Greek yogurt (soft or frozen)
- Cottage cheese
- Pudding/custard
- Soft fruit (banana, papaya, berries, canned peaches, or pears)
- Applesauce
- Popsicles
- Ice cream or milkshakes
- Freshly cooked vegetables
- Fruit smoothies/protein shakes
- Oatmeal/cream of wheat
- Scrambled eggs (or soft boiled eggs, omelets, egg salad)
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice, risotto
- tofu
- pasta (plain or with sauce)
- fish (soft white fish, sole, trout, snapper)
Foods to Avoid Immediately After Dental Surgery
It’s important to avoid certain foods and drinks immediately after your oral surgery, as they may irritate the surgery site or dislodge blood clots.
Please avoid eating the following foods the first seven days after surgery:
- Piping hot beverages (if you drink coffee or tea, drink let it cool down before drinking)
- Spicy foods
- Foods that are difficult to chew
- Popcorn and chips (avoid for a month)
- French bread loaves and baguettes
- Alcohol
- Citric foods and juices (oranges/orange juice, pineapples/pineapple juice, etc.)
Other Food-Related Tips to Keep in Mind After Dental Surgery
- On the day of surgery, begin with clear fluids (juice, broth, tea) and progress slowly to more substantial soft foods. Remember, it is important to maintain nutrition for optimal healing to occur.
- Make sure you’re still getting plenty of protein after your dental surgery. If needed, mix some protein powder into a milkshake or smoothie.
- Don’t drink through a straw. This could cause a blood clot to come loose.
- Be sure to rest and take it easy for the first few days. You can usually return to a regular diet after about a week.
If you are planning to have your wisdom teeth extracted or need dental implants or another type of oral surgery, review this list carefully or even print it off so you have it handy after your dental work is complete. It’s essential to watch what you eat after dental surgery in order to ease pain and heal as quickly as possible.
And of course, if you have questions about what to eat after dental surgery, please give us a call. Our team is always happy to help!
