Did you recently get your wisdom tooth removed? If yes, then pat your back as you have taken a bold step towards good dental health. We understand, removing wisdom teeth surgically is quite a painful affair, but trust us, it helps strengthen your gum and teeth in the longer run. As per the American Dental Association, many a times wisdom teeth don't get enough room to grow properly and often hurts the soft tissues of the gum, further leading to pain, infection and damaging the nearby teeth. In such cases, tooth extraction may become necessary and the recovery takes somewhere between two to three weeks. This is when you need to be extra cautious about the food you eat. Oral surgeons usually suggest eating soft foods that give you less pain, until the region gets cured.
Also Read: Expert Talk: Foods To Avoid And Other Dietary Practices For Good Oral Health
Why Is It Important To Eat Soft Food After Tooth Extraction?
As mentioned earlier, it is not possible to get back to your normal diet just after wisdom tooth removal. But that doesn't mean you compromise on the nutrients. As per experts, it is important to pick food that is both healthy and easy to eat to prevent food chunks from getting stuck in the extraction site. Besides, 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 would usually see people indulging in tubs of ice cream after tooth removal. Ice cream helps cool down the affected area and reduces swelling. Besides it is easy to eat too. But too much of ice-cream can affect your overall health. Hence, we carefully curated a list of some healthy and tasty soft foods that you can eat after the surgery.
Also Read: 5 Everyday Foods That May Be Ruining Your Teeth - What You Must Eat Instead
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Here're 5 Foods To Eat After Removing Wisdom Tooth:
1. Scrambled Eggs:
Eggs always come to your rescue at any given point. It is fuss-free, easy to eat and can load you up with several essential nutrients for healing. Click here for the classic scrambled eggs recipe to enjoy a semi-soft meal.
2. Mashed Potatoes:
You can pair your scrambled eggs with a portion of mashed potatoes to put together a wholesome meal. While we agree potatoes are starchy, but they also have nutrients that can help you heal properly. You can prepare it as per your wish but try to avoid adding extra spice to it. Click here for a simple mashed potatoes recipe.
3. Lassi:
For the ones worried about the extra calories in that tub of ice cream, lassi is a great option to go for. It gives you the same soothing sensation and adds some nutrients to your diet, courtesy of the healthy dahi (curd) in the recipe. Click here for some delicious lassi recipes.
4. Banana:
It is soft, loaded with nutrients and makes for a wholesome meal as well. Besides, it is available in abundance throughout the year. If you want to turn the simple banana into a treat, then top it with some chocolate sauce and indulge.
5. Soup/Broth:
It is important to eat some good proteins as well. Hence, we suggest try preparing a simple soup or vegetable/chicken/bone broth, with minimum spices and butter and enjoy. Here're two basic recipes for you to try - masoor dal soup and chicken broth.
Also Read: 5 Delicious And Healthy Dal Soups To Enjoy In Monsoon (Recipes Inside)
Photo Credit: iStock
What Foods To Avoid After Tooth Extraction:
It is equally important to know what to not eat after the surgery. Besides solid and hard food, one must also avoid alcohol, nicotine (cigarettes), hot food and extra spices. While it is advised to omit caffeine as well, some dentists state, you can have a cup of coffee or chai (but not more than that) after bringing it down to room temperature. You can also enjoy it in the form of cold coffee or iced tea, but as mentioned, in moderation.
We suggest, always have a detailed diet discussion with your dentist after any kind of oral treatment and follow it religiously.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
About Somdatta SahaExplorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day.