See the insurances we accept

Preparing for a Tooth Extraction: Foods to Eat

Posted .

If you, a child, sibling or spouse will soon be undergoing a tooth extraction at Algiers Dental Associates in New Orleans, Louisiana, you will probably want to be acquainted with what foods to eat or avoid during your recuperation.

As for what to eat, soft foods are best. These include:

Eggs: Eggs which are scrambled, sunny side up or over easy are a magnificent way to get some enjoyable protein into your diet without exasperating the extraction site with the natural roughness of meat. Hard boiled eggs may be a little too rough to bite into within the first 24-48 hours of surgery.

Smoothies: Integrating fresh fruit like berries, bananas and citrus can offer you a soft and cool treat for your healing mouth and body. Add yogurt or kefir in a blender to fortify your mouth with calcium and probiotics. You can even add some protein powder to make it more of a meal. The yogurt, kefir and protein powder will balance out the acidity of the fruit so it won’t aggravate your gums or teeth.

Ice Cream: Ice cream or frozen yogurt is an excellent choice for patients after surgery. Since this may be the only time that Dr. John Hobgood advocates eating something this sweet, you may want to take advantage of the opportunity. Of course, frozen yogurt or sugar free ice cream is better for your teeth. But whatever of these options you choose, the texture is probably soft enough, and unless your teeth are particularly sensitive, the temperature can even help mollify inflammation. Stay away from any crunchy toppings and use a cup instead of a cone, as these can irritate your gums.

Evade spicy, crunchy and acidic foods, which can hurt the extraction site. Also, keep in mind that you do not want to use a straw; the sucking motion can augment your chance of contracting dry socket, which is a condition wherein the blood clot over the extraction site is loosened, resulting in bleeding and extreme sensitivity.

Do you have any questions or concerns? Please phone Algiers Dental Associates in New Orleans, Louisiana at 504-361-3277. Dr. John Hobgood and our expert staff would love to help you have a thriving extraction and recovery.