It’s important to emphasise that a trip to the dentist doesn’t always result in surgical treatment. A simple trip to the dentist for a check-up or oral hygiene doesn’t always require extra care after the appointment. However, in the case of surgery, such as a simple wisdom tooth extraction, there are some precautions to be taken. These are very important post-operative care measures, with nutrition playing a fundamental role in your recovery.
What can I eat after going to the dentist?
Depending on the type of intervention, you should also adapt your post-surgical diet.
In the first few days after surgery, you should drink plenty of fluids (water, cold tea) and opt for a liquid/pasty diet that is cold to warm.
Some examples are: natural fruit juice, ice cream, soup, yoghurt, smoothies, mashed potatoes, minced meat, boiled fish and vegetables, gelatine.
On the other hand, the consumption of acidic or spicy foods and crunchy snacks is not recommended, as they can cause gum irritation and compromise the healing process. You should also avoid using straws, as the sucking motion can impair bone and gum healing.
After immediate/one-day loading surgery, in addition to these precautions, during the first month you should eat a soft diet and chew on both sides so as not to create an unbalanced load. Hard foods should be avoided until the third month, as should biting food with the front teeth.
This process helps the tissues to heal and allows the swelling (oedema) in the area to decrease.
