What Can You Eat After Tooth Extraction?

Making a speedy recovery after a tooth extraction involves short-term dietary changes. It is important to get the nutrients you need to heal without aggravating the treated area. This has the added benefit of reducing pain and discomfort. As the mouth heals, you can slowly return to eating your favorite foods.

What to eat after tooth extraction

Extracting a tooth will likely leave the mouth sore. Further, the treated area will be sensitive and, if pushed, may resume bleeding easily. Eat soft foods for the first few days to avoid irritating the area. Some recommendations include:

• Yogurt
• Applesauce
• Mashed potatoes
• Soups and broths
• Scrambled eggs
• Smoothies (without a straw)
• Fish (salmon, cod, etc.)
• Bananas and other soft fruits

After a tooth extraction, ice cream, pudding, and Jell-O are great food options. However, try to eat a balanced diet, such as with the nutrient-rich foods listed above. The body needs these nutrients to heal the treated area. Patients should stay hydrated and get enough sleep for the same reason.

Note that it can help to stock these foods before heading in to have a tooth pulled. Thus, it is best to rest after a tooth extraction. Patients should not (and likely will not want to) stop at the grocery store on the way home.

Foods to avoid

Patients should avoid hard, crunchy, and tough foods after a tooth extraction. Examples include nuts, seeds, granola, trail mix, candies, grains, tough vegetables, and apples or other hard fruits. Patients should also avoid meats like steak and pork because they tend to require quite a bit of chewing.

Eating these foods will not only hurt, but it will also likely cause the extraction site to bleed. Additionally, spicy and acidic foods may irritate the area. Follow a bland, soft-food diet for at least a few days after having a tooth pulled.

What else to know

Avoiding alcohol and tobacco is generally recommended after any type of procedure. This is due to the fact that both alcohol and tobacco slow the recovery process. Patients who regularly smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products may have trouble stopping for a few weeks. If this concerns the patient, ask the oral surgeon for personalized advice.

Healing and returning to a normal diet

How long it takes to return to one’s regular diet will depend on the patient, how many teeth they had extracted, and where those teeth are in the mouth. On average, an extraction site takes one to three weeks to heal. Extractions that require surgery may take up to six weeks to heal. However, that does not mean the patient must eat soft foods the entire time. Most patients can reintroduce tough foods into their diet a few days after the procedure.