7 Foods To Eat After Your Oral Surgery in Asheville
If you are coming in for oral surgery in Asheville, it can be helpful to have some information about what to expect. One question that many of our patients at BRO have is “what can I eat after oral surgery?” This is a very good question as you will need to make some adjustments to your eating habits after having impacted teeth removed.
For anyone who is coming to Blue Ridge Orthodontics for oral surgery (or anywhere else), we have compiled a comprehensive list of foods that are safe to eat after your procedure. Keep in mind that you will get more specific instructions from after your surgery and some procedures may require patients to stay on a liquid diet for the first few days.
Proper Nutrition is Very Important After Oral Surgery
If you have wisdom teeth that have come in at an odd angle, this is called an impacted tooth. Your dentist has undoubtedly taken note and informed you that impacted wisdom teeth can cause significant problems if left alone. This is the reason why many in Asheville end up coming to BRO for oral surgery.
After impacted wisdom teeth are removed, getting the proper nutrition becomes a concern. Your mouth is going to be in serious recovery mode and chewing on your favorite foods probably won’t seem very appetizing. By reading this post, you will get a clear idea of what is safe to eat and what will provide you with the right nutrition and expedite the healing process.
Recommended foods following oral surgery are going to be soft and easy to chew. That probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but you also shouldn’t take this as an excuse to subsist on milkshakes for a week. This may be a childhood dream, but you need to work in foods that are high in minerals, vitamins and energy boosting protein. These are the keys to a speedy and complete recovery after your procedure in Asheville.
Here are foods we highly recommend you eat after oral surgery.
1) Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a great food to stock up on if you’re getting oral surgery. It’s healthy, high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals (an excellent source of zinc and calcium)! On top of that, the smooth and creamy texture of Greek yogurt can be very soothing to your recovering mouth.
Studies have shown that high protein foods like yogurt can speed up the recovery process. In fact, these studies also linked low-protein diets to slower rates of healing. So please make sure you are getting plenty of healthy protein in your diet after having oral surgery.
2) Blended Soups
Are you a fan of tomato soup and grilled cheese? Well, classic blended soups like pumpkin and tomato soups are highly recommended food options after your procedure. They’re great to eat, because they don’t contain any solid foods and it should be easy to find blended soups that are rich in minerals and vitamins.
These make for an excellent lunch option that will help you meet the recommended daily nutrition levels after your oral surgery. Unfortunately, most whole fruits and vegetables will be too irritating to consume while your mouth is recovering. Blended soups can also help to keep your body hydrated!
Just be careful to avoid consuming soup that is piping hot! This can be extremely irritating and even damaging. We recommend consuming your blended soup at a lukewarm or even cold temperature. Here are 21 blended soups that are delicious when served cold!
3) Mashed Potatoes
Here’s another classic staple that makes for a perfect food to eat after you have gotten impacted wisdom teeth removed. The potato is a spectacular root vegetable that can be prepared in many, many delicious ways!
We recommend serving them up mashed while you are recovering from your surgery. It will make for a comfortable meal that is also rich in needed nutrients and calories. Please note that your body is going to require a little more energy than normal after oral surgery.
With the right mashed potatoes, you are able to get significant energy in just a few bites. This is super important, as you will be eating less than normal during the recovery process. We also recommend eating your mashed potatoes lukewarm or cold.
4) Scrambled Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein and this makes them one of the best things to eat after oral surgery (unless you are vegan of course). A plate of scrambled eggs will provide abundant protein, vitamins and minerals.
If you aren’t one who buys eggs often, we recommend looking for pasteurized or omega-3 enriched varieties. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can aid in the healing process.
This may not be your favorite way to prepare eggs, but scrambled eggs are easier to chew and swallow.
5) Banana Ice Cream
Ice cream is a common treat after you have had impacted teeth removed. Unfortunately, ice cream is not nutritious. The coolness is very soothing, but that doesn’t outweigh the unhealthy amount of sugar. Fortunately, there is banana ice cream…
Banana lovers should be rejoicing as this is a form of ice cream that is actually healthy and delicious. You can also make this amazing ice cream alternative at home with ease!
At-Home Recipe for Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients
- Milk (or your favorite milk alternative)
- 3 to 4 fresh bananas
Make Banana Ice Cream in 4 Steps
- Place peeled bananas in the freezer overnight (or at least for 4 hrs).
- Take out the frozen bananas and cut them up into neat chunks.
- Place frozen banana slices into a blender and then add the milk or non-dairy alternative.
- Blend up this tasty mixture until consistency has thickened and smoothed out.
That’s super easy and it is going to be very tasty!
6) Avocado
The staff at BRO loves avocados! This unique fruit is an excellent source of healthy fat, low in carbs and rich in vitamin K, vitamin C and potassium. The smooth and creamy texture also makes them an excellent food to eat after getting impacted teeth removed.
You may be able to enjoy some fresh avocado with a little seasoning and a spoon, but you can also serve them whipped into a puree or mashed. These preparations can be very soothing to consume for a mouth in full recovery.
7) Smoothies
Here is a food recommendation that also comes with a warning. Smoothies can be a great meal replacement for someone who is unable to chew whole food. That being said, a lot of popular brands serve up smoothies with more than their fair share of sugar.
Smoothies are so popular due to how versatile they can be. There’s a nearly endless variety of combinations and ingredients that can be turned into a healthy smoothie. We recommend smoothies with a scoop of Greek yogurt (or protein powder) to aid in your recovery. You should also pick a few of your favorite fruits or vegetables to round out this healthy meal replacement.
Conclusion
After you have gotten oral surgery in Asheville, it is really important to have a gameplan for your recovery. There are many popular foods that are only going to irritate your mouth and could cause other complications.Take this list as a starting point for your recovery grocery list.
Since smoothies are on this list, you should also know that using a straw is not recommended while recovering from oral surgery. Using a straw generates suction in the mouth that could increase your risk of developing a dry socket. This can be very painful and you’d likely need to come back in for an additional appointment.
If you have other questions about oral surgery, or you’d like to schedule an appointment at BRO, please call (828) 585-6045. We are available to answer any of your questions.
