what to eat after having teeth pulled
Published On: October 3rd, 2023Categories: Dentures6 min readViews: 714

Here’s What to Eat After Having Teeth Pulled for Dentures

Having teeth pulled or having teeth pulled and dentures put in at the same time brings many changes — some of which you probably never thought of experiencing. The biggest worry that most patients have is related to food. They want to know what to eat after having teeth pulled, what to eat after having teeth pulled and dentures put in, and what to eat once you get dentures.

In this article, we will explore these common concerns and offer advice on dealing with the aftermath of dental extractions.

Table of Contents:

What Is a Tooth Extraction?

A tooth extraction is the process of removing a natural tooth from the bone that supports it. This may be performed by non-surgical means or through surgical removal. In either case, a void is left by the removed roots. The empty socket must form a blood clot if the area is to heal properly.

This clot acts as the framework for new tissue formation that will eventually cover the opening and allow the new bone to partly fill the hole left by the tooth.

What Can You Eat After Having Your Teeth Pulled?

Treat any newly-formed wound with care. Avoid solid foods; instead, eat foods that are bland and easy to chew but still contain the nutrition to sustain you and promote the healing process. The best foods are easily mixed with protein powder, like cottage cheese, bone broth, bread yogurt, and even sweets like banana ice cream.

Cut food into smaller than normal pieces to make chewing more comfortable. Don’t eat anything that’s too hot or cold.

It is also NOT advisable to use a drinking straw during the first 48 hours after your tooth extraction procedure because it might cause the clot to loosen, exposing the underlying bone to air. This is called a dry socket and can be extremely painful.

With these basic rules laid out, the question is: what exactly do you eat after having a tooth extraction?

Good Soft Foods To Eat After Having a Tooth Extraction

  • Mashed potatoes
  • Soft scrambled eggs
  • Smoothies
  • Warm soup or broth
  • Yogurt
  • Cooked cereal
  • Flaky baked fish
  • Ripe bananas

What Can You Not Eat After Tooth Extraction?

  • Orange juice or other acidic juices
  • Foods with seeds
  • Popcorn
  • Nuts
  • Spicy foods
  • Hard, crunchy foods and chips

Here’s a bigger list of foods to avoid after a tooth extraction.

How Long After a Tooth Extraction Can You Eat Normally?

Usually, after 48 hours, the blood clot will have fully formed to protect the extraction site. At this point, you can begin to add firmer foods back into your diet while avoiding chewing in the area of the extraction. We answer the most common questions below.

How long until you can eat bread?

Bread is a problematic food to chew. Hard, crusty bread can irritate the sore soft tissue. Soft white bread naturally sticks to the mouth, which can make it difficult to keep the surgical site clean. It is best to avoid bread for about two weeks after having teeth pulled.

How long until you can have ice cream?

Wait a minimum of 48 hours after having a tooth pulled before eating foods in their frozen state. The extreme coldness can be painful to the wound.

How long until you can have pizza?

Pizza is a tough food to eat because it has so many layers and textures. And, it’s generally served hot, which creates a risk of bleeding from a recent extraction site. Wait a minimum of two weeks before attempting this endeavor.

How Long After Dental Surgery Can You Eat on the Healing Side?

If you’ve ever had your wisdom teeth removed, you’ll be familiar with the recovery process. Generally, you will naturally avoid foods that could potentially cause pain or sensitivity to the site, such as chewy foods, hot foods, and spicy foods.

You’ll experience this pain until after the extraction wounds start to heal and the tissue toughens. All it takes is for the wrong thing to touch the sore area, and you’ll know to avoid it. Pain is a natural deterrent.

What Should I Drink After a Tooth Extraction?

After knowing what to eat after having a tooth extraction, let’s talk about beverages. For the first 48 hours after a tooth extraction, avoid drinking hot or cold drinks. Stick to things that are room temperature or lukewarm.

It is tempting to have a milkshake through a drinking straw or with a cup of hot coffee. The pain that you’ll experience will cause you to regret it. In addition, extreme temperature fluctuations might cause the protective clot to break loose, creating a situation that causes much more pain than the drink was worth.

It’s also best to avoid alcoholic beverages as they can interact poorly with your pain medications, among other potential complications. Drinking bone broth, vegetable soup, or a stew with minimal chewing is also a great way of getting your liquids.

What Should You Eat and Drink Once You Get Your Dentures Put In?

After you get your dentures, you can stick with all of the food and drinks on the list for a single tooth removal. There is really no difference in how you care for multiple extraction sites other than the fact that your mouth is tender and in recovery mode over a much wider area.

Wondering what to eat after having teeth pulled and dentures put in immediately? The number of foods you can tolerate might be greater with immediate dentures because the denture itself covers and protects the extraction sites.

Discomfort From Tooth Extractions Will Resolve

The caring professionals at European Denture Center understand how life-altering the loss of teeth can be for the patient. Not only is it more difficult to chew, but recovery from treatment is also a slow process that takes time, care, and patience.

Please know that tooth removal is a temporary setback. We have many tooth replacement solutions available to help you live your best life. Get in touch with us today for a consultation.