Soft Foods to Eat After a Dental Procedure

We’ve all been there – wandering into the kitchen, starving, and having no idea what to eat. But after any sort of medical procedure you want to make sure this doesn’t happen, because eating nutritious food will help you heal and help you to feel better. This goes for dental procedures, too! If you have a tooth extraction or other procedure planned, make sure you stock up on some soft foods ahead of time.

Avoid these foods

You probably don’t have to be told to avoid chewy and crunchy foods after a dental procedure. You should also avoid nuts, grains, and seeds that might get stuck in your wound and alcohol and spicy foods that might irritate your gums. When your dentist gives you the go-ahead to return to solid foods, go slowly – don’t start by trying to eat a huge hamburger or a bowl full of almonds.

Prepare for your procedure

After your procedure, you need to go home and rest. That’s why it’s a good idea to prepare the pantry and fridge ahead of time, with some of these soft foods:

• Yogurt (frozen yogurt makes an especially good treat)

• Smoothies or milk shakes

• Cottage cheese

• Mashed fruits and veggies, such as potatoes (of course), bananas, or avocados

• Applesauce

• Jell-O

• Tofu

• Scrambled eggs

• Rice

• Broth

• Soup made from pureed veggies

• Salmon

• Polenta

• Oatmeal

• Hummus

• Ice cream (of course!)

It is important that you don’t go home after a procedure and only eat ice cream and other junk food. Eating nutritious food that has vitamins, minerals, and protein will help your body to heal and will help you to recover faster. And make sure you don’t skip eating altogether, because this will just make you feel worse.

Eating soft foods will give your gums a chance to heal and reduce the risk of any wounds reopening. You don’t want to have to worry about what to eat after you get home from the dentist – make sure you are already stocked up on some soft foods! And when it is time for a tooth extraction or another procedure, contact Pacific Northwest Smiles in Mill Creek, Washington. Call 425-357-6400 today!