After a Wisdom Tooth Extraction, your dentist may recommend additional dietary adjustments to be made during your recovery. For the most part these are small, simple, short-term changes that you can make to facilitate and expedite your own recovery. With some time, attention, and patience with yourself, this should not take more than a week or two to get back to normal.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars that erupt later in life, after adolescence. They are considered a vestigial organ, or a leftover appendage or organ from our development that we no longer need. They often erupt in a way that pushes other teeth from their ergonomic spacing. This can lead to tooth loss, infection, or jaw disorders.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
If your wisdom teeth are erupting, or poised to erupt, at a poor trajectory that places your jaw or teeth in peril–your dentist may recommend an extraction. A wisdom tooth extraction is usually an outpatient procedure that takes 4 hours or less. Your dentist may recommend removing any or all of your wisdom teeth. The patient is able to elect for either anesthesia, nitrous oxide, or numbing medication. Your dentist will recommend that someone else drives you home, and provide a list of recommendations for care and recovery.
Recovery after Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Once your Wisdom Teeth are removed you will probably want to relax for the first 24 hours. Take it easy, try not to over exert or lift anything too heavy. You should elect to have soft easy foods. Think of Jello-O, Pudding, soft rice, soup, mashed potatoes, etc. Things that do not have a lot of crunch or spice to them, and are easily swallowed. Avoid anything that will crunch and lead to bits of foods getting stuck in your wounds.
Complications after Wisdom Teeth Extraction
After your wisdom teeth are removed there are several complications you need to watch for. These complications are the primary reason why you may elect to adjust your diet, and select different foods to eat after the procedure.
- Dry Socket- Dry Socket is an infection in the area your wisdom tooth previously occupied. This are of gum tissue is vulnerable to infection. There is a blood clot that forms as the area heals. If anything you eat or suck on disrupts the placement and development of the blood clot, it will leave an open socket behind. Open sockets are vulnerable to food and bacteria entry, which breed and produce infection.
- Gum Infection- Gum Infections are the leading cause of dental disease. They cause you pain, tooth loss, gum tissue recession, and eventually periodontal disease.
What to eat after Wisdom Teeth extraction
Follow your doctors advice. Use thorough dental hygiene all around the area, but avoid brushing the incision sites themselves, to protect the blood clot. After extraction do not use a straw or smoke anything for a week. Drink room temperature drinks, and avoid foods that are too hot or too cold. Stick to whole, simple foods, that do not crunch or flake, and have a mild spice level.