Portrait Of Mature Couple Looking Over Back Yard FenceIf you’re headed into Lytle, Tate and Stamper for dental surgery, it’s important that you are aware of some basic nutrition tips to follow when you leave the dental chair. While that may sound a little strange to you, a healthy diet with the appropriate foods is vital to a speedy and healthy recovery for dental surgery patients. Keep reading to learn more.

Drink Your Liquids!

Immediately following your dental surgery, our doctors will send you home with specific instructions on what you should eat and drink. The day you leave the chair, be sure to drink 48-64 ounces of liquids. This will help keep you hydrated, which promotes healing. Not to mention liquids might be all you’ll be able to tolerate.

Our doctors often find their Pasadena patients often confuse “liquid diet” with “water” – period. But that’s just not the case. While water is the best thing for your body in terms of hydration, you’ll need to be sure you include liquids that contain nutrients. Some examples would be vegetable and fruit juice, soup that has been puréed, smoothies, and caffeine-free tea and coffee. But make sure you to avoid drinking liquid that is too hot or too cold, as your wounds will be very sensitive to extreme temperatures right after your dental surgery.

Since straws are often used will all sorts of liquids, our doctors want to warn their patients against using a straw in the first days following their dental surgery. This is because the sucking action can cause the blood clots that have formed (and that you need) to dislodge. When this happens, it is referred to as dry socket, and it is a very painful complication after dental surgery.

Soft and Chewy

Within a day or two, our doctors will clear you for foods that are soft and chewy. They recommend their Pasadena patients eat foods such as:

● Mashed potatoes
● Applesauce
● Oatmeal
● Rice
● Cooked pasta
● Steamed vegetables
● Bananas
● Baked apples

Remember, a well-balanced diet is key to a speedy recovery after your dental surgery. We’re not saying you can’t indulge in a milkshake or two but be sure to balance your meals with foods that are nutritious as well. This will ensure your body is healthy and well-equipped to heal.

Additional Tips

Within a week or so, our doctors will clear you to eat foods that are firmer, but you should be careful to stay away from crunchy foods for several weeks. Crunchy foods can result in additional pain, or even aggravation of the surgical site, which could result in another trip to Lytle, Tate and Stamper for some post-op help.

For the first week, Pasadena dental surgery patients should avoid foods such as:

● Spicy foods
● Tomato-based foods
● Steak
● Popcorn
● Chips
● Cookies
● Alcohol
● Bread that is crusty or difficult to chew

Call Our Office Today

Don’t wait until after your dental surgery to prepare. Plan ahead and make sure your kitchen is well-stocked with liquids and soft foods so that you will be prepared after your procedure. As always, our doctors are here to help.

If you have any other questions about your dental surgery, or if you need to make an appointment for a consultation, don’t hesitate to call our office in Pasadena today at (626) 249-3862.

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