Practitioners providing oral surgeries as dental services in Kittanning PA want their patients to heal as quickly as possible with minimal discomfort. The surgery might involve removing several infected or seriously decayed teeth, extracting impacted wisdom teeth, or placing rods in the jaw for dental implants. Certain strategies, including being conscientious about which foods to consume after surgery, can help.
Substances to Avoid
The patient will probably be instructed to stick with a soft diet for at least a day or two after oral surgery. The gums are sore in the areas where teeth were removed or rods were placed. Chomping on hard foods like potato chips and peanuts should be completely avoided. Popcorn kernels could become stuck in the areas where teeth have been removed.
Drinking alcohol soon after a procedure completed at a clinic such as Quad County Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery also is inadvisable. Alcohol is irritating to the gum tissue and has a dehydrating effect as well. Also, if the patient is taking prescription pain medication, avoiding alcohol is crucial. Pain may be bothersome enough that the patient will want to take the medication for at least one or two days. Smoking is forbidden.
The First Day: Liquids
Instead, patients may eat a variety of foods that don’t cause gum pain. On the first day, they should focus on liquids like soup, milkshakes, and smoothies. Foods that are nearly liquid or easily melt, like pudding and ice cream, also are acceptable. No straws should be used, however, because patients must avoid suction that could interfere with beneficial blood clotting in the wounds during healing.
Soft Foods
For the next few days, eating soft foods is advisable. Just a few examples include mashed potatoes, well-cooked pasta with sauce, and applesauce. Practitioners providing surgical dental services in Kittanning PA typically recommend avoiding very acidic substances like grapefruit and orange juice, as they can irritate the sore gum tissue.
With the proper care at home after oral surgery, the patient should recover quickly and without any complications. Anyone who may need these types of procedures shortly may contact us at their earliest convenience.