When & What to Eat After Tooth Extraction

What you eat after a tooth extraction procedure can help or hinder your recovery. In this post, our dentists in Edmonton offer some tips on what to eat in the days following your procedure, and which foods to avoid.

Eating After Tooth Extraction

Before your tooth extraction procedure at Azarko Dental Group, your dentist will explain the procedure to you and give thorough post-op instructions you should follow in the days after to ensure your recovery goes smoothly. Along with keeping the extraction site clean, how you eat (and the kinds of foods you dine on) will be important to your recovery.

We recommend chewing on the opposite side of your mouth from the area that's been treated. Since you'll more likely to drink liquids than consume solids initially, you might have the urge to use a drinking straw. However, we advise against this since the suction that occurs when using a straw can dislodge the blood clot that protects nerve tissue and bone in the extraction site during the healing process. This causes a condition known as dry socket that can cause complications.

Always feel free to contact us if you have questions or experience complications during your recovery.

How soon can I eat after tooth extraction?

For at least 24 hours post-op, you should eat and drink only soft foods and beverages after a tooth extraction procedure.

Most people will also wonder, "When can I eat normally after tooth extraction?" Most people can get back to eating solid foods after a few days, when healing should progress enough for your mouth to handle proper chewing.

Foods to Eat After Tooth Extraction

Wondering what to eat after your tooth extraction? You'll want to stock up on soft foods to eat after your procedure. Foods you can chew easily will be best, as will those you can consume at cool temperatures, such as:

First 24 Hours

Pudding
Jell-O
Applesauce (to add fibre to your diet)
Water (after first hour following the tooth extraction to help hydration)

After First Day

After the first 24 hours, most patients will be able to move on to lukewarm foods (not hot). These might include:

Pancakes
Yogurt
Milk
Ice cream (no chewy or crunchy candy pieces. Eat in bowl, not cone)
Shakes/smoothies
Bananas
Cheese
Broth-based soups (no large chunks of meat)
Oatmeal
Mashed sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes '
Scrambled eggs

Which foods should I avoid after a tooth extraction?

We strongly recommend patients who have had a tooth extraction avoid alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours following their procedure. Also, avoid consuming alcohol if you are on powerful pain medications. While milk is a great source of calcium and yogurt is rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals, we advise against consuming milk products for the first 24 hours or so if you've had anesthesia or are taking pain medication, as nausea may develop.

For approximately one week, we also advise against eating chewy, crunchy, brittle or hard foods such as nuts, chips and popcorn. Spicy, acidic foods are also out as they may irritate the extraction site. Properly chewing tough cuts of meat may also be difficult since these require chomping and grinding - which may be uncomfortable during recovery. That said, dairy products can be a source of protein.