Applesauce to Zucchini: What Should I Eat After Dental Surgery?

If you need dental surgery, you may have a lot of questions and concerns. How much will it cost? How much will it hurt? Who is going to drive me home? And perhaps most importantly, what can I eat? Recovery can seem a lot more stressful if you don’t stock up on acceptable soft foods in advance. Des Moines dentist, Dr. Chad Johnson at Veranda Dentistry, shares a comprehensive list of foods in this article to help ease your mind—at least about one aspect of your procedure!

Types of Dental Treatments

Each type of dental treatment is different, so it’s important to follow post-operative instructions from Veranda Dentistry regarding appropriate foods to eat. Certain surgeries require a strict liquid diet for a certain amount of time before transitioning to soft foods. Types of dental procedures that require soft foods while recovering may include:

• Dental implants
• Extractions
• Periodontal (involving the gums)
• Restorative work (crowns, bridges)

Awesome Post-Op Soft Foods from A to Z

Here we go! And don’t be afraid to get friendly with your blender to make a delicious smoothie or two!

A: Applesauce, avocado, apples (baked)

B: Baby food, beans (black or baked, mashed if necessary), bananas, broccoli (steamed to softness), broth, butternut squash (cooked soft)

C: Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials® (some available in sugar-free!), carrots (steamed soft), soft cheese, casseroles, clam chowder, cottage cheese, canned fruits and veggies, crab cakes, cranberry sauce, chicken salad, curry

D: Deviled eggs, deviled ham, dumplings (steamed)

E: Ensure®, eggs (poached, fried, or scrambled), egg salad, egg drop soup

F: Fettuccine, fish, frozen yogurt, fruit juice, fruit smoothies, soft fruits (not citrus)

G: Gravy, ground meats (turkey, beef, chicken), guacamole, gelato, gazpacho

H: Hummus

I: Ice cream

J: Jell-O®, juiced vegetables, and fruits

K: Kefir, key lime pie

L: Lentils or lentil soup (puréed), lunch meats

M: Macaroni and cheese, Malt-O-Meal®, mangoes, mashed potatoes, matzoh ball soup, meatloaf, meatballs, miso soup, mousse, muffins (no nuts), melons (very ripe), milkshakes (but don’t use a straw!)

N: Noodles (ramen, egg), nut butters (great when added to shakes and smoothies), nutmeg (for flavor)

O: Oatmeal (soft)

P: Pancakes, pasta (cooked very soft), pies, polenta, pot roast with vegetables (cooked to falling apart), protein powder, protein drinks and shakes like Premier Protein®, pudding

Q: Quiche (no crust)

R: Refried beans, ricotta cheese, risotto, rice

S: Sherbet, smoothies, soft bread (soak in soup), soufflé, soup, spaghetti, spinach, spinach dip, steamed vegetables, stew, sweet potatoes

T: Tapioca pudding, tofu, tuna salad

U: Unsweetened herbal tea (hold the lemon—too acidic!)

V: Vichyssoise (chilled potato leek soup)

W: Waffles

X: Xavier soup (Italian dumpling soup)

Y: Yellow squash, yogurt

Z: Zucchini (baked, mashed)

Foods to Avoid

We hope we’ve sparked a little kitchen creativity with the soft foods listed above, but equally important, you should know which types of foods to avoid to ensure your quickest and most comfortable recovery.

• Anything acidic (tomatoes, tomato sauce, oranges, lemons, or any other acidic fruit or juice)
• Seeds, cracked pepper, or popcorn (can become lodged, causing discomfort or infection)
• Spicy foods (may lead to discomfort)
• Crunchy or especially chewy foods (can interfere with postoperative blood clotting)

Over-the-counter mouth rinses should also be avoided during your recovery. Even though they are not technically a food, they are commonly used and interfere significantly with healing. Dentists will usually prescribe a safe mouth rinse for use following dental surgery.

If you have any questions about dental surgery, Des Moines dentist Dr. Johnson, would love to answer them. Get in touch with us at Veranda Dentistry today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.