The reason is simple: solid foods can injure the recovery site provoking pain, bleeding, or even the dislodge of the blood clot. This latter scenario is the one that worries dentists the most.
In addition, firm or sharp solid foods can harm the healing site or potentially dislodge the blood clot, resulting in a dry socket.
You must avoid eating foods that require chewing during the first 24 hours after tooth extraction surgery. Instead, you must exist on liquids like milkshakes, applesauce, smoothies, et cetera.
Bread and crackers
Bread is typically tough to chew after wisdom tooth removal and you are generally recommended to avoid any foods that could get stuck to your surgery site. Crackers and breads are notorious for getting stuck on teeth and stuck in the mouth and that can only cause trouble post oral surgery.
Solid foods that are firm or sharp can injure the recovery site or even dislodge the blood clot, which can lead to a dry socket.
Avoid crunchy, hard, and tough foods for at least 2 weeks. These foods can dislodge the blood clot, damage it, or leave debris behind that will irritate your tooth socket.
To reduce your risk for dry socket, avoid hard, crunchy or chewy foods. These foods can dislodge the blood clot. Instead, choose soft foods like yogurt, applesauce, eggs and pasta.
Additionally, dairy products are harder for your body to digest as they contain casein protein, which slows down digestion significantly and increases inflammation throughout the body. This can delay the healing process and cause more discomfort.
A blood clot normally protects bone and nerve tissue in the extraction site during the healing process. When this area is exposed, contaminants may become trapped in the socket and cause problems. Dry socket can occur anywhere from 2% to 5% of the time with the extraction of a tooth.
In contrast, with a dry socket, the pain will improve and then suddenly get worse, which could be more painful than the extraction procedure. The pain of a dry socket may throb and radiate across a large area of the jaw or up towards the ear.
How will I know if my blood clot fell out? If you develop dry sockets, the pain will let you know that your wound is no longer protected. Swelling is also an indication you have lost your blood clot, as is the taste of blood in your mouth.
When the blood clot from the extraction site falls out prematurely (within the first 4 days after surgery), dry socket causes extreme pain that may radiate to the jaw, face, and ear. It also causes bad breath. The highest risk for this condition is between days 2-3 after tooth extraction.
Dry socket is a painful condition that can easily develop, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk. Make sure to rinse your mouth with salt water several times a day and gently brush your teeth.
For the first 24 hours, you are supposed to take a soft diet that includes well-cooked rice.
Dry socket may be caused by a range of factors, such as an underlying infection in the mouth, trauma from the tooth extraction or problems with the jawbone. The condition occurs more often with wisdom teeth in the lower jaw than with other teeth. You are also more likely than others to develop dry socket if you: smoke.
Pasta is a great choice as a surgery recovery food. But no al dente after the dentist. Cook pasta until it's soft and a little bit mushy for ease of eating. Pasta serves as a great base for many types of blended sauces.
By day 3, your gum swelling should subside and your open wound from extraction will begin to close. In 7 days, your gums should be very close to being completely healed with minimal sensitivity or pain. These are all signs that your gums are healing nicely and in the expected time frame.
Dry socket
It's where a blood clot fails to develop in the tooth socket, or if the blood clot becomes dislodged or disappears. This can happen 3 to 5 days after surgery. The empty socket causes an ache or throbbing pain in your gum or jaw, which can be intense like a toothache.
The first 24 hours - The first 24 hours after extraction are important, as this is when a blood clot will start to form at the extraction site.
The drawing action of sucking in, and the force applied when spitting, can dislodge the blood clot. Sneezing and coughing can also dislodge a blood clot. Hard or crunchy foods can displace the blood clot. Sticky foods can pull the protective clot right out of the socket.
Unpleasant Taste. Another common symptom of a dry socket is a bad or sour taste in your mouth. This can be one of the first signs of infection, so don't let that smell linger without taking swift action.
While molars, especially wisdom teeth, are more likely to cause dry socket, there's still a small chance it can happen even if you get a front tooth removed. To help you avoid this incredibly uncomfortable condition, we've laid out this guide to preventing dry socket in Glenpool.
A dry socket occurs when the blood clot that normally forms to protect the wound after surgery becomes dislodged, exposing the bone and nerves. By sleeping with your head elevated, you can help to minimize the risk of developing a dry socket and promote faster healing after your wisdom tooth extraction.
Dry sockets seem to occur more with lower teeth than upper teeth and more with females rather than males. Dry sockets are significantly more common with smokers. Dry sockets happen more often after difficult extractions. Many believe the cause stems from a reduced blood supply to the healing area.