Having teeth extracted may be necessary to maintain dental health, especially if they are infected or at risk of becoming infected.
Wisdom teeth removal is common and being your very back teeth, their removal won’t affect your smile, but there will be some recovery time after their removal. We have decades of combined experience with extractions and the recovery that follows at Beaches Dental Mona Vale, and we’re happy to share what we know.
Firstly, let’s look at what you can and can’t eat right after getting your wisdom teeth removed.
What To Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal
After wisdom teeth removal, your mouth will be sore and swollen. These symptoms can last for a week or more. At first, there will be some bleeding and you will need to be careful in the days following your surgery to make sure you don’t knock or rinse out the clot (scabs) from the extraction site, as this can lead to a dry socket.
All of this means soft foods are your best option until you’re more comfortable. A few options our patients have used on in the past include:
- Bananas
- Soup (don’t eat anything too hot, though)
- Scrambled eggs
- Porridge
- Smoothies
- Ice cream
- Custard
- Yoghurt
- Baked fish
- Shepards pie
- Mashed potato
What Not To Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal
After wisdom teeth removal, there are no hard and fast rules on what you absolutely cannot eat, but for your comfort and speedy healing, it’s best to avoid the following foods.
Crunchy or Chewy foods
- Chips
- Nuts
- Popcorn
Spicy or acidic foods
- Anything with chilly or citrus could irritate the wound tissue
Foods with rice, grains or seeds
- Anything that could get stuck in your teeth or around the extraction site should be avoided, as the area can be harder to keep clean
What To Drink After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth are extracted under local anaesthesia with or without the assistance of additional sedation, such as IV sedation or a general anesthetic. After surgery it is more important than usual to remember to hydrate, especially if you had to fast prior to sedation. Of course, you should be drinking plenty of water but what else can you drink after your wisdom teeth removal?
Some beverage options after you get your wisdom teeth out include:
- Water
- Juices
- Iced tea (not too cold)
- Milkshakes
- Smoothies
What Not To Drink After Wisdom Teeth Removal
After upper wisdom tooth extraction, it may be important not to use a straw for a couple of days. You should keep things as simple as possible and just sip your beverages and avoid;
- Alcohol
- Fizzy drinks
- Very hot drinks
Infection After Wisdom Teeth Removal: What To Do
If you suspect your extraction site is infected after wisdom teeth removal, you should contact your dentist straight away. If infected they will probably prescribe antibiotics. To minimize the risk of infection, eat soft food, , stay hydrated, rest, and keep the surgical area clean by holding warm, salty water in your mouth after meals. You can start doing this 24 hours post-surgery. Don’t spit the saltwater out after it has been in your mouth, rather let it fall out of your mouth into the basin – don’t swallow it; it might make you feel sick !
Signs of possible infection after teeth are removed include:
- Increased soreness and swelling around the extraction site
- Bad breath or a smell coming from the extraction site
- Pus at the surgery site
- The skin of your jaw may feel warm/hot to touch
- Throbbing pain
- Swollen glands in your neck
- Swelling of the jaw
Wisdom Teeth Removal With Beaches Dental Mona Vale
If you suspect your wisdom teeth are at risk of causing you problems, get in touch with your dentist. Wisdom teeth extractions are carried out in patients of all ages. If something feels wrong, speak up! A dental professional will always be happy to help, and provide you with all your treatment options available. .
We provide our patients with full after-care instructions when we carry out extractions. Reach out if you need more information on what to do post-op, or to make an appointment with one of our dentists to assess whether or not you need your wisdom teeth removed.
