After dental surgery, you need to take various precautions for better site recovery. Eating the right types of foods is one of the most essential steps to ensure a fast and smooth recovery. Solid or hard foods are not recommended at this time for the obvious reason. Solid foods may cause pain and even bleeding. This is why you must consider eating soft foods that are easy to chew and have rich nutritional value, after a dental surgery.
Now, the question arises: Is every soft food safe to eat after dental surgery? There are several factors to consider to decide what to eat after dental surgery, such as safety, nutritional value, and taste of the food. To help you have a balanced diet with a variety of carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products, we have prepared a list of 50 soft foods that are safe, tasty, and rich in nutrition so that you can enjoy your food while getting the required nutritional value. So, stay tuned with us as we disclose our list of 50 soft foods to eat after dental surgery.
50 Soft Foods to Eat After Dental Surgery: Planning Your Meal
Our list of 50 soft foods includes some foods that are rich in carbohydrates, some are good sources of protein, some contain fats along with carbohydrates and protein, and some contain minimal nutrients but enjoyable. In short, we have included a variety of foods to fulfill your daily needs.
We thought it would be interesting to give you different options for different meal types. So, we have classified 50 soft foods into different meal types. Let’s take a look at the below chart and plan your meal easily.
| Breakfast |
| Oatmeal (warm) |
| Cold cereal (soaked until soft) |
| Eggs |
| Smoothies (without seeds, nuts, or ice) |
| Yogurt |
| Greek Yogurts |
| Waffles (soaked) |
| Lunch/Dinner |
| Bread (soaked in soup) |
| Rice |
| Vegetables (steamed or well-cooked) |
| Baked beans |
| Broth (a little warm but not too hot) |
| Deli meats |
| Fish |
| Meatballs |
| Ground Chicken |
| Meatloaf |
| Risotto |
| Soups |
| Salmon |
| Tofu |
| Spaghetti |
| Steamed broccoli |
| Snacks |
| Avocado |
| Bananas |
| Mangos |
| Pumpkin |
| Applesauce |
| Baby food |
| Cookies (soaked in milk) |
| Hummus |
| Cottage cheese |
| Popsicles |
| Jello |
| Pudding |
| Tea |
| Deserts |
| Cheesecake |
| Milkshakes (consumed using a spoon) |
| Sherbet |
| Mousse |
| Tapioca |
| Versatile Foods (foods that you can eat at different times of the day) |
| Clams |
| Macaroni and cheese |
| Mashed vegetables |
| Mashed potatoes |
| Sweetbreads |
| Semolina |
| Creamy Tomato Soup |
| Butternut Squash Soup |
| Polenta |
Important Tips to Prepare Your Soft Food After Dental Surgery
Vegetable Preparation:
You can steam vegetables and potatoes to soften them and then mash them to prepare a soft and consistent food item.
Grain Preparation:
When preparing grains, legumes, and pasta, you must boil them well to get soft food.
Meat Preparation:
To prepare soft meat, you should cook it in liquid slowly and for a long time, ensuring proper moisture is in the food.
Fruit Preparation:
You can eat some fruits easily even after the dental surgery. However, it’s always a better option to prepare a juice of the fruits by mashing them.
Eating Cookies and Bread:
You can easily soften cookies and bread by soaking them in milk or broth and eating them after dental surgery.
Use of Pressure Cooker: One of the best ways to maintain the softness of your food while cooking is by using a pressure cooker. The vapor pressure in the pressure cooker helps to soften the food.
Dos and Don’ts After Dental Surgery or Tooth Extraction
Here are some dos and don’ts that you should follow to boost your recovery after dental surgery.
Do’s:
- Drinking plenty of water will keep you hydrated and promote quicker healing.
- Rinsing your mouth softly with warm and salty water will comfort you from pain and swelling.
- Taking prescribed medications regularly and satisfactory rest are essential for better healing.
Don’ts:
- You must avoid smoking and drinking alcohol for at least two days after the dental surgery.
- Refrain from using a straw to drink anything for more than a week following your dental surgery.
- You should avoid consuming spicy foods, caffeinated, acidic foods, carbonated, beverages, or hot beverages after the dental surgery, as these foods can cause inflammation and irritation in the affected tissue.
Conclusion
Here, we have provided you with a list of 50 soft foods to eat after dental surgery. We have also grouped the foods by meal type so that you can easily decide your food for different meals. This list will also take care of your nutrition. So, you can pick your food from the list. Follow the above-mentioned cooking tips to prepare soft food for you. You should also try to follow each dos and don’ts that we have mentioned to boost your recovery faster.
FAQs:
Soft foods and liquids are easy to consume. Therefore, you will feel more comfortable eating soft foods and drinking fruit juices and water. However, while drinking liquid, you should not use a straw as sucking may cause bleeding and pain in the treated area.
Do’s: Drinking sufficient water, rinsing the mouth with warm and salty water, resting, and taking medications are essential for faster recovery.
Don’ts: Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, roughly rinsing your mouth, using straws, and consuming spicy and acidic foods.
You can take two to three days to relax your body and mind. However, it will take 3-4 weeks to completely heal after dental surgery.
Rinsing your mouth with warm and salty water will certainly help your oral health. Salt water helps to prevent infection and minimize swelling and discomfort.
