Food question in relation to teeth extraction

[Android Kaeli]

Yesterday morning I got all four of my wisdom taken out because they really needed to come out like, a million years ago. Didn't have the funds up until recently to do so, was a lot cheaper then I thought it was, so glad it's over and done with. Now I can focus on hopefully getting braces if they aren't too expensive.

So I feel a ton better since yesterday morning, bleeding has stopped and haven't had any gaze in my mouth since about 10 am this morning. No numbness, haven't really needed anything for pain other then Tylenol [haven't used the doctor-prescribed stuff yet other then the antibiotics I'm supposed to take], and I've been eating pretty decently with soft foods. Question is for those who've had teeth removed before: when can I start eating "normal" food again?

[Seanette]

Pretty much when it doesn't hurt to do so .

High protein foods are recommended during the recovery period, according to one dentist who had to wrestle a bad tooth out of my jaw, over-long roots and all.

[Food Lady]

Yeah, whenever you can. For me it was really soon, like a couple of days.

[iradney]

Yeah, what others said. I had all four removed when I was 19, and it took a couple days before I could open my mouth enough to accept a forkful of food.

[paperfiend]

Eat what you want, when you feel up to it. Just be careful to avoid foods that break down into small hard bits (nuts, raw carrots, etc) until after your followup appointment with the dentist or oral surgeon. The small hard bits that don't dissolve can work their way into the sockets and cause irritation or infection. Crunchy foods that dissolve on their own (potato chips, pretzels, etc) are fine.

[EricKei]

As long as you're sure that the blood has stopped completely -- Soft foods for another day won't hurt ya; I had straight chicken broth with spices and a little cheese melted into it. Best to avoid nuts for a few days, though.

Major caveat -- Avoid straws or any other "suction"-generating scenarios. E.g. even with soup, try not to slurp it, just kinda pour it in/put the spoon in yer mouth and turn it over for the next day or so when eating it.

[Android Kaeli]

I am 100% sure the blood stopped completely, as of yesterday afternoon. I'm not going to be eating any pretzels, popcorn, or anything of the like for a while yet, I'm crazy but not THAT crazy. I haven't used straws and won't, that's one thing I've been really good on. Follow up appointment is next Wednesday in the am.

Did have some bread and got me some more chocolate pudding, yay!

Funny thing is, the only pain I really had was the night after and some random bits here and there. The only thing I've been taking is the OTC Tylenol now but that was last night and there's very little pain.

[Ironclad Alibi]

When I had mouth surgery I was given a list of acceptable foods to eat. The bottom line was if I could stand the pain I could eat it. For two weeks I only ate vanilla pudding. Even chocolate pudding hurt too much.

[Greenday]

I ate chicken fingers the same day the last time I had a wisdom tooth pulled.

Matzah ball soup is an easy one. Chicken brother, softened vegetables in it, matzah balls are super soft.

[dawnfire]

another good one to try is conjee. It can be thick or thin as you like and great comfort food.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/3294...+ginger+congee

[BookstoreEscapee]

Funny thing is, the only pain I really had was the night after and some random bits here and there. The only thing I've been taking is the OTC Tylenol now but that was last night and there's very little pain.

I had very little pain when I had mine out. I took the painkillers they gave me twice, and they made me so nauseated I didn't risk it again. The first time I came very close to throwing up (ran upstairs to the bathroom but ended up not actually getting sick, thankfully), and the second time I managed a little more food in my stomach, which helped some but not a lot. After that I decided Tylenol would be just fine (and it was).

That and lots of ice cream.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Whenever you can. I had a tooth taken out cuz it was infected; since I'm mega phobic, I was sedated during the operation. I came home and slept like the dead cuz of the after effects; only woke up around seven. I had macaroni cheese for dinner which was fine. Potato pie is a good choice, also. Don't eat anything like peanuts; if a bit gets stuck in the gap, it will kill. O_o

I was also told not to drink alcohol or smoke; those rules, I broke cuz I just felt so lousy.

[Android Kaeli]

I was completely out for the extraction as well, yea it cost a bit more but at least I didn't have to worry about it. I remember waking up after the procedure and going into the waiting room, I remember my aunt coming in and us leaving not too long afterwards and getting me some mashed potatoes from the chicken place down the road from the oral surgeon. I don't remember going to the pharmacy to drop up the scripts but I DO remember sitting at the window, thing is the drive is probably about fifteen minutes tops one way.

I also don't remember anything after dropping the scripts off until I'm right in my driveway, which is funny because the pharmacy is around a three minute drive away from home. I slept almost the entire day.

I've been able to eat more and more stuff, I've been using salt water to gargle with every time I eat. I ate some flatbread today, yay!

[Seshat]

Until the holes form scabs, make sure anything you eat will dissolve with saliva.

Once your tongue informs you that the holes have formed scabs, you can eat anything which won't get stuck to the scabs or leave pokey bits. Thick peanut paste (peanut butter?) can be a problem because it leaves a residue for a long time. Popcorn is right out, for obvious reasons.
I'd also avoid anything that needs much chewing, because your tongue will push it against the molars - including the place where your wisdom teeth were. Ow.

Once your tongue tells you that it feels healed over (rather than scabbed over), you can eat almost anything. I'd still avoid seriously chew-ish stuff, and the peanuts/popcorn/stabbystuff brigade until the after-action dental appointment; but otherwise go for it.

Make sure to clean the rest of your teeth carefully and regularly during this time, preferably with a flouride toothpaste. Also, make sure you drink water (or at least swill it around in your mouth), and that your mouth generates saliva. Press on the saliva glands under your tongue if you need to.
Saliva is designed - among other things - to help keep oral wounds clean. Or as clean as the oral environment allows. Plenty of saliva in the mouth will help.

[Gizmo]

I did nearly a week on really soft stuff. Tried bread and the jaw movement was way too much.

After that week I stuck to "thin" stuff - nothing needing the mouth opening too much

Even now (a month later) I do have to remember not to eat stuff like corn etc that will get in the holes left as the positioning of mine, whilst stops dry socket issues, means anything that I can't dissolve to get out is stuck for hours if not days... even dental syringes wasn't working with a bit of corn and I was just about to go ask my dentist to remove it when it finally flushed loose.