After having wisdom teeth extracted, it’s really tormenting to look at delicious food but not be able to eat it. When can I eat normally as before? This problem troubles many patients. In fact, resuming a normal diet after wisdom tooth extraction is not something that can be achieved overnight. It needs to be carried out in stages based on the healing progress of the wound. Next, I will explain in detail to you the specific time and precautions for resuming a normal diet after wisdom tooth extraction.
0-2 hours after the operation: Fast and abstain from water to protect the blood clot
The first two hours after having wisdom teeth extracted are the critical period for stopping bleeding at the wound. At this point, the wound in the mouth will continue to bleed, gradually forming a blood clot. Blood clots are like a “protective shield” covering the wound, which can prevent bacterial infection and promote wound healing. Once eating or drinking, the mechanical stimulation of water flow and food can easily damage this “protective shield”, causing the wound to bleed again. So, at this stage, even if one is extremely thirsty, one cannot eat or drink anything.
Some patients may ask, “Can’t just take a small sip of water?” The answer is no. Even a small amount of water entering the mouth can cause negative pressure during swallowing, which may affect the stability of blood clots. If you feel your mouth is dry, you can use a clean cotton swab dipped in a small amount of physiological saline to gently wipe your lips and oral mucosa to relieve the dryness. But be sure not to let the cotton swab touch the wound.
2 to 24 hours after the operation: Mainly consume liquid food and avoid irritation
After the first two hours after the operation, if there is no obvious bleeding from the wound, you can start eating, but only liquid food can be chosen. Liquid food is soft in texture and does not require vigorous chewing, which can minimize the irritation to the wound to the greatest extent. Common liquid foods include cooled boiled water, room-temperature milk, thin porridge, lotus root starch, and fruit juice (avoid overly acidic fruit juice), etc.
When drinking milk, it is important to avoid hot milk as high temperatures can cause blood vessels to dilate and increase the risk of bleeding. It is recommended to choose milk at room temperature. When having porridge, make sure there are no hard particles such as rice grains or beans in it to prevent these particles from entering the wound and causing infection. Each time, the amount of food consumed should not be too much. It is appropriate to relieve the feeling of hunger. The eating speed should be slow to prevent negative pressure caused by swallowing too quickly.
At this stage, it is absolutely forbidden to consume spicy and stimulating foods such as chili peppers, Sichuan pepper, and ginger. Also, hard foods that require vigorous chewing, like nuts, beef jerky, and apples, should be avoided. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid using straws, as using straws to suck water will generate a relatively large negative pressure, which may cause blood clots to fall off and lead to bleeding.
1 to 3 days after the operation: Transition to a semi-liquid diet and pay attention to nutrition
One to three days after the operation, the wound begins to heal initially, but it is still relatively fragile. At this point, one can transition from liquid food to semi-liquid food. Semi-liquid food is more filling and nutritious than liquid food, which can meet the needs of the body’s recovery. Common semi-liquid foods include soft noodles, egg custard, pumpkin porridge, mashed potatoes, and tofu pudding, etc.
When making soft noodles, cook them until they are tender and soft, and try not to add any irritating seasonings. The egg custard should be steamed until tender and smooth, avoiding any hard lumps on the surface. When eating tofu pudding, choose the original flavor and avoid adding spicy oil, vinegar or other irritating seasonings. During this period, it is still necessary to avoid eating spicy, greasy and overly hot food, as these foods can irritate the wound, aggravate pain and swelling.
Although semi-liquid food can be consumed now, it is necessary to gently rinse the mouth with light salt water or mouthwash prescribed by the doctor after each meal. When rinsing your mouth, hold the mouthwash in your mouth, stir your cheeks to ensure the mouthwash fully contacts all parts of your mouth. Hold it for about 30 seconds and then spit it out. This can remove food residues in your mouth and prevent bacterial growth. However, the force used when rinsing the mouth should be moderate. Do not apply too much force to avoid affecting the wound healing.
3 to 7 days after the operation: Mainly eat soft food and gradually adapt
Three to seven days after the operation, if there are no abnormal conditions such as infection or bleeding at the wound site and the pain and swelling have significantly lessened, you can start eating soft food. The range of soft foods is relatively broader. For instance, soft rice, fish, peeled bananas, ripe peaches, steamed pumpkins, etc. can all be consumed in moderation.
When eating fish, carefully pick out the fish bones to avoid them pricking the wounds. When choosing bananas and peaches, pick those that are fully ripe, as they have a softer texture and are easier to chew. When eating soft rice, don’t eat too much at one time to avoid chewing for too long and increasing the burden on the wound. At this stage, you can appropriately increase the variety of food to ensure a balanced diet, but still avoid eating hard-to-chew foods such as pork ribs, corn, and sugarcane.
In addition, pay attention to observing the condition of the wound. If you notice redness, swelling, increased pain, exudation or other symptoms at the wound site, or if you have symptoms such as fever or difficulty opening your mouth, stop eating the newly added food immediately and seek medical attention promptly. At the same time, continue to maintain good oral hygiene habits, brush your teeth on time, and when brushing, be gentle and avoid the wound area.
7 to 14 days after the operation: Try a normal diet and choose carefully
Generally speaking, 7 to 14 days after the operation, the wound has basically healed, and at this point, you can try to resume your normal diet. However, a “normal diet” does not mean that one can immediately eat all kinds of food without restraint. One still needs to be cautious in making choices. You can start with some foods that are relatively soft and easy to chew, such as chicken, duck, green vegetables, tomatoes, etc.
When eating chicken and duck meat, remove the bones, cut them into small pieces, chew them thoroughly before swallowing. When eating green vegetables and tomatoes, make sure they are thoroughly cooked and soft. Avoid eating raw vegetables because the fibers in raw vegetables are relatively coarse and need to be chewed hard, which may pull on the wound. At this stage, it is still necessary to try to avoid eating spicy and irritating foods, as well as overly hard and greasy foods, such as fried foods, nuts, chili peppers, etc.
If no discomfort occurs at the wound during the process of trying a normal diet, the variety and hardness of the food can be gradually increased. However, if you feel pain, bleeding or other abnormalities at the wound site, stop eating the relevant food immediately and consult a doctor’s advice.
Special circumstances: Recovery time varies from person to person
The above is the general time to resume a normal diet after wisdom tooth extraction. However, as each person’s situation is different, the recovery time may also vary. For instance, the extraction of wisdom teeth is rather difficult, with large surgical incisions. As a result, the recovery time will be relatively prolonged, and it may take two weeks or even longer to fully resume a normal diet. However, for some people with strong physical resistance, the extraction of wisdom teeth goes smoothly and the recovery speed will be faster.
In addition, if complications such as infection and dry socket occur after the operation, it will seriously affect wound healing, and the time to resume normal diet will also be delayed. Therefore, patients should closely monitor their recovery and strictly follow the doctor’s instructions for diet. If you have any questions about dietary recovery, do not make a decision on your own. Be sure to consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Conclusion
Returning to a normal diet after wisdom tooth extraction is a gradual process that requires patience to wait for the wound to heal. From fasting and water deprivation after the operation, to liquid food, semi-liquid food, soft food, and then gradually trying a normal diet, each stage has different requirements and precautions. Only by following scientific dietary principles can we avoid wound infection, promote healing, restore oral health as soon as possible and enjoy the pleasure of delicious food again.
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