Eating Right After Surgery

After oral surgery, whether you’re having wisdom teeth removed, getting dental implants or having another type of invasive procedure, it’s important to eat soft, nutritious foods to aid the healing process. Keep foods lukewarm or cold as hot foods might irritate your wound. Here are some good options:

• Applesauce
• Apples, baked
• Avocado
• Beans, refried or mashed
• Bread, soft
• Cheeses, soft
• Eggs, scrambled
• Hummus
• Macaroni and cheese (well-cooked)
• Mashed bananas
• Mashed potatoes
• Meatloaf
• Oatmeal
• Pancakes
• Pasta, well cooked
• Peanut butter
• Pudding
• Smoothies (see ideas below!)
• Soups without chunks of meat or vegetables, like blended pumpkin or tomato, or clear broth
• Tofu
• Tuna salad
• Veggies such as carrots and squash, cooked until soft
• Yogurt without pieces of fruit

Tempting, healthful smoothies

Smoothies are a great post-dental-surgery food. Stick to healthy choices to aid your recovery. Take advantage of this opportunity to get creative and use your preferred ingredients. Here are some ideas to get you started. For the base of your smoothies, try one of these (or mix two!)

• Cow’s milk
• Unsweetened soy milk
• Unsweetened almond milk
• Plain, vanilla or lemon yogurt

Then add two cups of ice cubes, followed by add-ins like:

• Bananas (chill them and add to the blender whole)
• Frozen fruit (mixed berries, strawberries, blueberries)
• Your favorite soft fruit (peeled), fresh or canned (peaches, plums, mango)
• Peanut butter
• Honey for extra sweetness, if needed

Explore more healthy smoothie recipes from Dr. Oz.