You’ve had your wisdom teeth extracted and it’s time to prepare your first meal. With all the pain, bleeding and swelling, it’s not easy to get down to cooking. Florence Maire, a nutrition therapist in Cugy (VD), has prepared some easy and tasty recipes for you to enjoy during your convalescence.
What should I eat for the first 2-3 days after wisdom teeth removal?
The hardest part is over, you’re recovering after the removal of your wisdom teeth, but what should you eat? The first two days are often the trickiest. The wounds can be painful and your face swollen. To relieve the symptoms and avoid any pain, Florence Maire advises you to eat cold, nutrient-rich foods:
- Smoothie (based on oat milk, add one or two fruits with almond purée or peanut butter)
- Gaspacho
- Hummus
- Nice cream (an ice cream that’s easy to make without an ice cream maker)
Florence Maire stresses that it’s also very important to take small sips of drinks at room temperature. In fact, to ensure a smooth recovery, it’s important not to eat too hot or too cold.
A word from the expert
Florence Maire
‘It’s best to avoid little things like oilseeds and dried aromatic herbs for a few days. They could get lodged in the wounds under the threads, increasing the risk of infection. Alcohol, cigarettes and all other narcotics should be avoided, as they greatly slow down the healing process.
What to eat 4 to 5 days after extraction
After 2-3 days, your pain and swelling should start to subside. The wounds from the old wisdom teeth are starting to heal: now is the time to move on to more substantial dishes! However, Florence Maire recommends soft foods, which you should eat lukewarm:
- Scrambled eggs
- Fish with well-cooked carrots and well-cooked rice (watch out for the bones!)
- Muffins (sweet or savoury) without chunks
- Sweet or savoury pancakes with soft bits
- Pancakes with applesauce or other fruit
There are lots of easy recipes, ideal for your convalescence. The best thing would be to prepare everything in advance, at least for a few days. That way, all you have to do is take your ready-made meal out of the fridge!
After a few days, you should be able to start eating normally again. But listen to your body. If you see that you’re bleeding or if you’re in pain, it’s probably too early to eat those foods!
A few more tips!
In addition to these recipes to follow after the removal of your wisdom teeth, here are a few tips to help your recovery go smoothly!
- Spices and acidic foods:
There’s nothing like a spicy dish with good spices, but after your operation, leave them out for a while. You’ll be in enough pain without them, and your gums will thank you! - Alcohol and tobacco:
These things are a no-go after your operation! Smoking, in particular, can really slow down the healing of your gums. - Drink through a straw:
While it may seem like a good idea at first glance, it’s actually the best way to cause bleeding! - Hard foods like nuts or sweets
You can probably tell from the recipes suggested by Florence Maire, but avoid anything hard to avoid hurting yourself!
