Having a wisdom tooth pulled - or any other tooth for that matter – is nothing to be overly concerned about.
Wisdom teeth, despite their lofty title, have no impact on our ability to question reality television. Even without them, we are no more likely to leave the house without an umbrella in pouring rain or make highly personal posts on Facebook about our love life.
How long does pain after wisdom tooth extraction last?
Having a wisdom tooth pulled can be a bit painful, not to mention slightly strange for a few days, maybe even a week. Yet, while having a tooth pulled in this day and age has none of the nasty pain associations of bygone eras, natural healing hasn’t kept up with dental technology.
Healing times vary from a few days to a few weeks and the recovery process is always the same. That means sticking to a fairly rigid yet fluid diet until your mouth has sufficiently healed.
What to eat after tooth extraction or a dental implant surgery?
Normal eating habits need to be curtailed, although only temporarily after a tooth extraction or a dental implant surgery. You may feel anxious about trying to eat the things you normally eat – the things you love to eat – and with good reason; you can’t.
But never fear; while some of your chewier favourites might be off the menu for a short while, you can still enjoy a varied and tasty diet. Here are 10 foods you can still enjoy:
One: Ice cream
Yes, that’s right. If ever you had an excuse to coat your world in soft serve confectionery, this is it. Believe it or not, cold ice cream will soothe your inflamed cavity and speed up the healing process.
Two: Soup
Warm – not hot – broth soup doesn’t come in a cone, but it keeps the nutrients coming until you can get back on the hard stuff. A creamy broccoli, spinach and potato soup works better option than say, chicken noodle soup which has chunks of chicken, making it difficult to chew.
Three: Yoghurt
Avoid the heavily processed yoghurt if you can. More importantly, avoid any yoghurt offering real chunks of fruit as they can be really painful.
Four: Smoothies
As long as there’s fresh food on the supermarket shelves, the options for a healthy, tooth-friendly drink/diet supplement are endless. Just stay away from straws as they can suck the life out of a healing cavity. Sip, don’t suck.
Five: Oatmeal
Or oatmeal of the instant variety. Quick, easy and full of fibre, oatmeal is a great way to get breakfast covered. Just save it for at least the third day as it can cause irritation to raw cavities.
Six: Scrambled eggs
Mix them up, cook them up and mush them up for a soft, tasty meal any time of day.
Seven: Pudding
And here we’re talking anything from custard to mashed rice desserts to a warm and creamy Donna Hay-style mocha pudding.
Eight: Apple sauce
You might want to pour it over a pork chop but don’t. Just enjoy the fact that its apples – sort of – and nutrient-rich for now. You could try out this simple yet delicious three-ingredient apple sauce recipe at home.
Nine: Jelly
Not much to say; jelly is jelly and has never posed much of a challenge for teeth.
Ten: Mashed potatoes
Sour cream and mashed potatoes are about as good as it gets at the best of times. At this ever so slightly worst of times, it’s a great way to get that necessary fibre. Combine it with gravy or sour cream for a tastier fare. For a healthier alternative, you could switch it with sweet potatoes and top it with some butter and a pinch of cinnamon.
