Having a tooth extracted can be really a tough procedure to go through, and it can be even harder to find foods that are easy to eat. But it’s important to choose your food wisely because what you eat can affect how quickly you heal.
Here’s a quick guide to help you choose foods that are good for you after a tooth extraction and can help you heal faster.
What Foods Can You Eat After a Tooth Extraction?
After a tooth extraction, it’s essential to eat only healthy foods. This will help you heal, feel better, and reduce pain.
Your diet should include fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and healthy fats. Right after the procedure, you’ll need to eat a lot of liquids and soft foods.
Liquid Diet
For the first few days after a tooth extraction, your mouth might be too sore to even eat soft foods. If this happens, you should only drink liquids.
Good choices for liquids include:
- Vegetable juices.
- Water.
- Caffeine-free drinks.
- Warm (not hot) pureed soups.
- Gelatin.
- Smoothies.
It’s important to completely avoid using a straw right after having a tooth extracted because sucking on a straw can put too much pressure on the area and dislodge the blood clot, which can slow down your healing.
Soft Diet
As your mouth heals, you can start enjoying a soft foods diet. This diet includes foods that are easy to chew and swallow, like those that have been softened, chopped, ground, mashed, or pureed.
A soft food diet may include:
- Soups with soft vegetables or tender meat.
- Well-cooked pasta.
- Soft grains like oatmeal, rice, or risotto.
- Ripe banana slices.
- Applesauce.
- Baked apples (without the skin).
- Spinach.
- Beets.
- Cooked carrot slices.
- Boiled or baked sweet potatoes or yams.
- Mashed potatoes.
These foods will be gentle on the extraction site while providing the right nutrition it needs to heal quickly.
High Proteins Foods
Protein is important for healing, so you should include foods with protein in your diet after 3 to 4 days of tooth extraction. Some good sources of protein are:
Protein powder.
Cottage cheese.
Tofu.
Yogurt (Greek yogurt is better than regular yogurt).
Lean meats.
Fish.
Scrambled eggs.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats can help your extraction site heal faster. Some good sources of healthy fats include:
- Avocado.
- Olive oil.
- Coconut oil.
- Flax oil.
- Coconut butter.
All in All
It can be a bit scary to undergo a tooth extraction, but you can help your recovery by eating the right foods.
We hope our guide helped you understand what things are beneficial for you after a tooth extraction, but if you’re still unsure about what to eat after your tooth extraction, our dentists can provide personalized guidance.
Contact Saifee Family Dentistry of Spring at (281) 350-5600 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.