What to Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth emerge in the mid-teens or early twenties, and for some people, they grow just like other teeth and cause no problems. If you do need to have wisdom teeth removed, you may have to put up with a diet of soft foods for a few days, but at least you have a variety of options.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
The last teeth to emerge, wisdom teeth, are our third molars. Unlike other adult teeth that arrive in childhood, wisdom teeth do not start to appear until the mid-teens at the earliest. In many people, these teeth do not have enough room to emerge normally, causing a variety of problems.
Why are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Wisdom tooth problems occur often, and most people undergo wisdom teeth removal at some point in their lifetime. Your dentist or orthodontist may recommend this if your wisdom teeth grow at an angle toward the tooth in front of them, sideways, backward, or cannot emerge from the jawbone. Unremoved wisdom teeth can cause pain, gum disease, or even damage to other teeth or the jawbone. Fortunately, wisdom teeth removal can prevent all of these issues.
What to Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Immediately after the removal of your wisdom teeth, you should eat only very soft foods or liquids. This may include soup, yogurt, pudding, applesauce, or similar options. Cold food may help ease some of the discomfort. After about 48 hours, you can begin to add soft foods such as eggs, oatmeal, or pasta. Gradually add other foods as you feel comfortable.
While healing, you should avoid spicy foods, acids like tomato sauce or citrus juice, and any type of seeds, including sesame seeds and popcorn, that could become stuck. You can add these foods back as the area heals, but follow instructions on keeping the area clean and avoiding infection.
How Does Wisdom Teeth Removal Work?
You may have local anesthesia or sedation for this procedure. Although you may feel pressure and pulling, local anesthesia will numb the area and prevent you from feeling any pain. Sedation will leave you mostly unaware of the procedure.
During the wisdom teeth removal, the oral surgeon will make an incision to access the impacted wisdom tooth and the bone trapping it. They will access the tooth root, remove it, clean out the area, and insert stitches if needed. You will receive gauze to bite down on after the procedure, which controls bleeding and helps a blood clot form. This clot helps the healing process.
How Long is Recovery After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Most people feel much less sore after the first two to three days, and most can resume eating regular food within a week. Swelling also looks worse within the first few days and should subside after this. Follow all of the instructions given to you after the procedure to prevent problems like infection or poor healing. For most people, recovery happens uneventfully, and they return to normal activities after a few days.
Take the Next Step
If you have further questions about wisdom teeth removal, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at Faces Fort Worth. Call us at (817) 927-1818 or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to taking care of you.
