Did you know that about 5 million people per year in the United States undergo wisdom teeth removal surgery? That’s a lot of people who need to have their third molars taken out.
Wisdom teeth removal is a common dental surgery among young adults, and it’s done for many beneficial reasons. One of the biggest reasons to remove them is because wisdom teeth do not have room to properly grow, which could result in several oral health issues later.
Why You Need To Be On A Soft Foods Diet After Surgery
While you are recovering, you may experience some pain, inflammation and jaw stiffness that could make eating a bit harder than usual. So, you will need to be on a soft foods diet after surgery for your mouth to properly heal. In general, your post-op diet should include lukewarm foods, require minimal chewing and are soft. If you’re looking for more info about soft foods, check out my soft foods blog post.
You’ll likely only need to be on a soft foods diet for a few days. However how long you’ll need to be on a modified texture diet varies, so please be sure to follow your surgeon’s post-operation instructions.
Why Nutrition Matters for Post-Op Healing
Fueling your body with nutritious foods following your wisdom teeth surgery comes with an array of benefits. Specific nutrients help to potentially lessen complications by aiding in wound healing, tissue repair, reducing swelling and inflammation and providing your body with energy. Try to focus on foods that are high in proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants.
By nourishing yourself and helping to lessen complications you may be able to heal faster too. Which in turn, will allow you to get back to chewy foods that you love!
What To Eat During the First 5 Days Post-op
Day 1
As you are just coming out of surgery you may feel tired and a little out of it. You’ll want to focus on the following foods today to start fueling your recovery right away.
- Lukewarm smoothies – make sure you are consuming smoothies that do not contain any fruits with seeds in them
- Lukewarm thin blended soups – make sure the soup isn’t chunky and doesn’t contain any veggies that could get stuck in your teeth
- Lukewarm water
- Applesauce
Day 2
Everything from yesterday plus:
- Greek yogurt with mashed up seedless fruit
- Pudding
- Jell-o
- Hummus, just make sure to not eat any toppings on the hummus such as minced garlic or diced red peppers
Days 3-5
You can eat everything from days 1-2 plus the following:
- Mashed sweet or yellow potatoes
- Scrambled eggs with soft cheese
- Soft fish like salmon that can easily be cut with a fork
- Oatmeal with mushed up fruit and peanut butter
- Avocado
- Soft pasta with pasta sauce
- Stews with soft meat and veggies
- Beans
- Soft cheeses
Foods To Avoid
Now that you have an idea of what foods nourishing foods you can enjoy, here is a list of foods to avoid while you are on the mend.
- Nuts and Seeds
- Alcohol
- Hard, chewy candy
- Spicy and hot foods like chili and buffalo chicken
- Crunchy foods like chips, crackers and popcorn
- Foods that require a lot of chewing like steak
Enjoy Your Recovery: Meal Plan Before Surgery
You may have heard the saying before “failing to plan is planning to fail”. Well, that certainly applies to figuring out a few meals and snacks ahead of your surgery. As mentioned, you may feel tired and groggy after your procedure, so having your kitchen already stocked with food makes keeping your hunger at bay, that much easier!
Here are some snack and meal ideas you can get ahead of time:
Snacks
- String cheese and applesauce
- Vanilla Greek yogurt and blueberries
- Bone broth (I like this one as its made with high-quality ingredients)
Meals
- Scrambled eggs with cheese, 1 cup of milk and mashed up banana
- Spinach, fruit, Greek yogurt, protein powder smoothie
Additional Resources
Blended and soft foods are the main food textures during your recovery process. If you’re looking for a high-powered blender that also has features to make soups too, I can’t speak highly enough of the Ninja Blender. I’ve gone through many blenders and use this one regularly and can say that it stands the test of time and just blends up such a nice consistent smoothie or dip!
If you’re interested in checking it out, click below:
(This is an affiliate link. As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
I hope you found this information useful for your upcoming surgery. If you’re looking for more personalized guidance on nutrition and what to eat pre and post wisdom teeth removal surgery, please contact me and we can discuss services I offer that may meet your needs.
Happy Healing and Cheers to Food for Dental Surgery Recovery
