What can I eat after wisdom tooth removal?
In the first 24 hours after wisdom tooth removal, eat only soft, cool or cold foods that need almost no chewing, such as yoghurt, mashed potato, smooth soup or porridge, and do not eat until the anaesthetic wears off. Bring back hard, crunchy, spicy and very hot foods gradually, usually after a few days, once chewing no longer hurts.
In short:
- Wait for the anaesthetic to wear off so you do not bite your cheek or tongue or burn yourself.
- First days: soft, cool, no hot spices and no straw.
- Nuts, seeds, popcorn and crusty bread only once the wound has healed.
Eating after an extraction has one main goal: to protect the blood clot that forms in the wound. It stops the bleeding and is what the gum heals over. This article adds to our "Instructions After Tooth Extraction" and to the description of the procedure on our tooth extraction and wisdom tooth removal page.
When can I eat after wisdom tooth removal?
Wait until the anaesthetic has completely worn off. While your lip, cheek or tongue is numb, it is easy to bite them and you cannot feel whether food or a drink is too hot. Anaesthetic usually wears off after a few hours. After removal of a lower wisdom tooth, where a nerve block is often used, it can last longer.
In the meantime you can sip water, unless the dentist told you otherwise. Do not drink through a straw: sucking creates negative pressure in the mouth and can dislodge the clot.
What can I eat in the first 24 hours?
Choose foods that need almost no chewing and are not hot:
- yoghurt, ayran, smooth custard;
- mashed potato or mashed pumpkin and carrot;
- smooth soup cooled to room temperature;
- well-cooked porridge or semolina, cooled;
- a banana or berry smoothie drunk from a glass, without seeds and without chunks of ice;
- pudding, mousse or jelly.
Cool food is more comfortable for the wound than hot food. Heat can increase bleeding on the first day.
What can I eat from day two to day five?
Once the bleeding has stopped and the swelling is going down, the menu can be more varied. Food should be soft and easy to chew on the other side of the mouth:
- scrambled eggs or an omelette;
- well-cooked pasta, rice or couscous;
- steamed or poached fish, without bones;
- minced meat in sauce, steamed meatballs, soft stewed vegetables;
- cottage cheese, soft cheese, hummus;
- banana, avocado, baked apple.
Cut food into small bites and chew on the other side. If something causes pain, go back to softer food for another day or two.
When can I eat normally again?
Most people are eating almost normally after about a week. The gum can take up to 2 weeks to heal fully, and longer after a more complex removal of an impacted wisdom tooth. Go by how you feel: if chewing does not hurt and the wound is not bleeding, gradually add firmer foods. If you have stitches, the dentist will tell you when to come in to have them removed.
Which foods should I avoid after wisdom tooth removal?
The table below is a guide. The exact timing depends on how complex the removal was and on your dentist's instructions.
| Food or drink | Why to avoid it | When it is usually fine again |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts, seeds, popcorn, flaky cereals | Small pieces get into the wound and irritate it | Once the wound has healed, about 1–2 weeks |
| Crisps, crackers, toast or hard bread | Sharp edges injure the gum | After about a week, if chewing does not hurt |
| Spicy, very sour and salty foods | Irritate the wound and sting | After a few days |
| Very hot food and drinks | Can increase bleeding | After the first 24 hours, letting them cool |
| Chewing gum, toffee, sticky sweets | Stick to and pull on the wound | Once the wound has healed |
| Alcohol | Raises the risk of bleeding and slows healing | After the first days and once you stop your medication, unless the dentist says otherwise |
What should I drink after wisdom tooth removal?
Water is the best choice. Drink enough, especially if you are eating less in the first days. Cool tea, ayran and milk are also fine. You can have coffee and tea once they have cooled, but not very hot. The UK's NHS advises against alcohol and very hot drinks in the first days to reduce the risk of bleeding (NHS: Wisdom tooth removal). Fizzy drinks are best avoided on the first day.
How do I eat without hurting the wound?
- Take small bites and chew on the other side of the mouth.
- Do not touch the wound with your tongue, a finger or a toothpick.
- From the second day, after meals, rinse gently with warm salt water without spitting hard; let the water run out of your mouth.
- Brush your teeth as usual, but very gently around the extraction site.
- Do not smoke, at least in the first days. Sucking and smoke raise the risk of dry socket.
What if food gets into the wound?
Small bits of food in the wound are common and usually not dangerous. From the second day, remove them by rinsing gently with warm salt water. Do not dig with a toothpick or a finger. If a piece stays in and will not come out, and the wound starts to hurt more or smell bad, contact the dentist.
When should you call a dentist?
Call if the pain gets worse after the third day, if there is a bad taste and smell from the wound, if bleeding does not stop after pressing on gauze, if you have a fever or if the swelling is growing. Read more about when wisdom tooth removal is needed and the signs of a complication in "Wisdom teeth: when do they need to come out, and does it hurt?". For an examination or wisdom tooth removal at SF Dent, see our wisdom tooth removal page or call +359 87 666 2785.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drink coffee after wisdom tooth removal?
Yes, but not very hot. On the first day it is better to let coffee cool, because hot drinks can increase bleeding. Do not drink it through a straw. If you are taking painkillers, ask your dentist whether there are any restrictions.
Can I eat ice cream after wisdom tooth removal?
Soft ice cream without nuts, biscuit or hard pieces is usually fine in the first days, because it is cold and needs no chewing. Eat it with a spoon, not through a straw or from a cone you bite into. Rinse gently with water afterwards.
When can I eat bread after wisdom tooth removal?
Most people can eat soft bread without the crust after two or three days, chewing on the other side. Toast, crusty bread and crusts are better left for about a week, until chewing stops hurting and the wound is no longer bleeding.
When can I drink alcohol after wisdom tooth removal?
Alcohol raises the risk of bleeding and can interact with painkillers and antibiotics. Avoid it in the first days and while you are taking medication. If you are unsure, ask the dentist who removed the tooth.
Why shouldn't I drink through a straw after an extraction?
Sucking through a straw creates negative pressure in the mouth that can dislodge the blood clot from the wound. Without the clot the wound bleeds again and the risk of dry socket, a painful inflammation of the socket, goes up. Drink straight from a glass.
