What You Should Not Eat Following a Tooth Extraction?
Posted on 8/23/2021 by Dr. Chad Rebhun |
 If you plan to have a tooth extraction, some foods are clearly off bounds. If you eat the wrong foods, you can dislodge the blood clot at the surgery site, and cause dry socket. This painful condition is not something you want to experience, so you need to plan your after-surgery menu carefully.
Avoiding Dry Socket by Eating the Proper Foods
Although dry socket only affects about 200,000 people per year, you don't want to be included in the mix. Usually, the blood clot that forms at the extraction site dissolves or breaks away about 4 days after surgery. If you spend that time eating foods that are crunchy, chewy, or hard, you can trigger dry socket. When foods cause a blood clot to dislodge, the underlying bone and nerves become exposed - something that can only be relieved by taking pain relievers or flushing the area.
Planning an After-Surgery Menu
The key to a quicker recovery is to eat foods that are both soft and nutritious. Choose soft foods, such as soft boiled eggs, tuna, cottage cheese, cheese, applesauce, soup, yogurt, smoothies, mashed potatoes, soft stews, and pudding. Do not eat anything where you have to work your jaw. Stay away from foods, such as chips, popcorn, peanuts, gummy candies, caramels, and hard mints. Also, do not eat foods that are too acidic or spicy, as they can irritate the surgery site.
Rinse with a Salt-Water Gargle
Brush and floss, as normal, avoiding the surgery site. Rinse with a salt-water gargle, adding one-half teaspoon of salt to an 8-ounce glass of water. Swish the saltwater in your mouth before rinsing. The salt will neutralize the acids in the mouth and promote healing of the gums at the surgery site.
Would you like to know more about tooth extractions? If so, give us a call today. Arrange an appointment for an exam and consultation.
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