How Long After Dental Surgery Can I Eat?
The time after dental surgery is often positive because it generally includes the resolution of a dental issue or challenge: a smile restored, teeth replaced, new confidence, and restored capabilities. Recovery after a dental procedure is important, however, and if you’re considering implants or other prosthodontic procedures, you may be wondering: how long after dental surgery can I eat? And the answer is: it depends.
Recovery is a Team Effort
Generally, once you’ve had a dental surgery, our team will provide you with guidance about how to best facilitate your recovery and ensure that you are as comfortable as possible during that time. Different procedures will require different elements of post-procedure care, but a few questions are common across the board: when can I eat and/or drink after dental surgery? (And, often, what should I start with, in terms of food choices?)
After dental procedures, some discomfort is normal — swelling, bleeding, and sensitivity all follow tooth extractions and dental work to a degree. By taking a recovery-minded approach to eating and drinking, you can mitigate some of these elements and avoid making things worse.
Different procedures have different recovery curves. For example, having a single tooth extracted may have a different recovery timeline compared to implant surgery or the surgical extraction of multiple teeth. Your dental team will likely give you customized guidance tuned to your specific procedure. But in general, you should keep foods soft and simple in the days directly after your procedure, and your hot beverages and soups gently warmed as opposed to super hot.
The Softest Foods Imaginable
For a few days — or as long as a few weeks, depending on your procedure — it will be a good idea to limit yourself to soft foods. This includes liquids like tea and broth, as well as food soft enough not to require any chewing at all, like smoothies, mashed potatoes, yogurt, puddings, pastas, and apple sauce, eventually working your way up to more solid items. A common-sense approach to your diet after surgery is: “If it hurts to eat it… Don’t eat it!”
Things to Avoid (But Only For a Little While)
If you love super-hot coffee, very crunchy corn chips, or extremely spicy foods, you will, unfortunately, need to do your best to avoid them during your recovery period. Seeds, popcorn, hard candy, and many sticky foods are also going to be off the table (literally) for a little while, at least. While healing, it is also wise to avoid highly acidic foods like citrus or pineapple, sour candies, chewing gum, and caramels. Finally, depending on your procedure, your dental team may also recommend that you avoid using a straw until you’ve recovered to a certain degree. Some doctors still do this, but no one really knows why! Besides, how often are you drinking from a straw anyway?
Bellaire Modern Dental: Your Dental Experts in Houston
Bellaire Modern Dental has the expertise and skill to help you with successful dental procedures of all kinds — and the testimonials to prove it. If you’re in the Houston area and have dental needs, contact Bellaire Modern Dental. We’ll give you excellent medical care and the know-how and guidance to help you recover fully and comfortably.
