Having a Tooth Pulled - Food Advice?

[Aksannyi]

So tomorrow morning I'm having a tooth pulled (wisdom tooth) and aside from being really nervous since it's been at least a decade since I've had any major dental work done, I need some help regarding what kind of things I can eat tomorrow and in the coming days. I remember when I was 21 and I had a tooth pulled I was back to normal food the next day, but I'm 33 now and I'm not sure if I'll heal quite as readily as I did then.

Already thinking of:
http://static.caloriecount.about.com...ding-26670.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2h7XhASzl0...%2BPeaches.jpg
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/image...lNoodleSou.jpg

I'm sure eating the same things over and over will suck though, so looking for more options.

A few things to note:

1. I have to work after it's pulled tomorrow (yes I know this sucks and I would rather take the day off but I don't have sick time with my employer), so I'll need something microwaveable or portable at least for a day or so
2. 99% sure I can't eat anything too hot or too cold (already thinking that soup will have to cool for quite a while before I eat it).
3. I'm kinda picky.
4. I'm broke.
5. I suck at cooking.

Anyone have any suggestions? Unsure how long the healing process will be so I'm gonna want to stock up tonight and keep a stash of soft foods.

[Demenic]

I recently had my wisdom teeth pulled. Some things I had in addition to what you listed: yogurt, ice cream, applesause, mac & cheese, and eggs. My oral surgeon told me that after 25, it will take a lot longer to heal from wisdom teeth extraction. Personally when I had my two bottom ones removed, I couldn't eat normal food for like 2 weeks. And it took another week after that to gain my appetite back.

Edit: You should have a large stock of pain pills. I personally found Tylenol extra strength worked best for me but everyone is different. Also rinsing with salt water helps every couple of hours and especially after eating. It'll help keep inflammation down.

[Vandalhart]

I would recommend soups that don't have too many noodles or vegetables. It's not a huge deal if you don't but if you don't clean the area well enough food particles could get caught there and cause a bit of infection. Anything that you can swallow without much chewing is probably a good thing to help prevent that also.

When my wife had two of her wisdom teeth removed she ended up with lasting pain that she returned to the dental surgeon to fix. They just packed the area with something and the pain was instantly gone.

A girl I work with had an issue where there was an infection because she hadn't been cleansing the area very well and some particles got caught near the area.

[Aksannyi]

Already dealing with the food stuck in there, as the tooth is basically hollowed out with much of the front part missing. I have to pick food out of there fairly often, so that will be something I'm already well aware of going in.

Not sure how ice cream will do because I'm betting it will be hyper-sensitive to cold, otherwise I would probably eat nothing else for days lol.

[Lucavi]

I recommend apples and carrots.

No, seriously, greek yogurt is good because it'll fill your ass up, though you might have to suck it down more than actually half-chew.

[Aksannyi]

Edit: You should have a large stock of pain pills. I personally found Tylenol extra strength worked best for me but everyone is different. Also rinsing with salt water helps every couple of hours and especially after eating. It'll help keep inflammation down.

I've had pain with this tooth for months, so I've been steadily ingesting Advil on an as-needed basis. I don't think they're gonna give me any of the good drugs, unfortunately. Hadn't thought of the salt water, I'll do that.

[Melena]

How are they pulling it? Do they have to cut it out shatter it, etc or is it just going to be a twist, pull and yank? If it's the latter you should be able to eat whatever you want. Just make sure to rinse your mouth out after every meal.

[Tokitoki]

Seconding applesauce and yogurt. Yogurt can be fairly filling as well since it has a higher protein content (especially greek yogurt).

Stouffer's (sp?) mac and cheese can be pretty soft as well. Beans, baked apples (also delicious!), mashed [sweet] potatoes, white fish (sole, flounder), cottage cheese.

[Aksannyi]

How are they pulling it? Do they have to cut it out shatter it, etc or is it just going to be a twist, pull and yank? If it's the latter you should be able to eat whatever you want. Just make sure to rinse your mouth out after every meal.

Won't know until I get there, since the tooth has changed since the last time I went. I'm hoping for the simple yank, they did that the last time I had one pulled. Definitely the most painless option.

[Demenic]

When my wife had two of her wisdom teeth removed she ended up with lasting pain that she returned to the dental surgeon to fix. They just packed the area with something and the pain was instantly gone.

That was probably a dry socket. They pack some med/herb in the socket to slowly dissolve if it happens. I've never had a dry socket but my mom and brother have. They said it was some of the worst pain they've felt in regards to dental.

Ice cream was indeed rough when cold, but if you let it sit in room temp for a few minutes I found it alright to eat. Also I forgot to mention, on the scrambled eggs, I didn't start having those until the day or two after the extraction.

[Tokitoki]

Ice cream was indeed rough when cold, but if you let it sit in room temp for a few minutes I found it alright to eat.

ICE CREAM SOUP! Every child's dream dinner.

[Niiro]

Already dealing with the food stuck in there, as the tooth is basically hollowed out with much of the front part missing. I have to pick food out of there fairly often, so that will be something I'm already well aware of going in.

Gross.

If you're going in for full-on oral surgery (not just your dentist hitting you with laughing gas and going at it with a hammer and chisel) there shouldn't be much issue with gaps where the teeth used to be as they'll probably be stitched up tight.

Ice pack wrapped in a towel on your cheek is a nice way to deal with general discomfort, also seconding the saltwater swish on the reg as well.

I'm sure your dentist will stress this too but do not completely close your mouth when using a straw, the negative pressure will make the wounds hurt like hell and can potentially open them back up.

[Aksannyi]

That was probably a dry socket. They pack some med/herb in the socket to slowly dissolve if it happens. I've never had a dry socket but my mom and brother have. They said it was some of the worst pain they've felt in regards to dental.

I'm pretty sure I've already gotten the bulk of the pain out of the way since the tooth has been slowly crumbling away over the past months - if not over the last year even. I can not leave the house without Advil and I've had to use my heating pad in the middle of the night on top of drugs (Advil + Orajel swabs) just to get the pain to subside, so I think having it pulled will be a relief. What pain I endure after it's gone will be peanuts compared to what I've put up with for months.

Yeah, shouldn't have waited this long but when you don't have dental coverage ...

I'm sure your dentist will stress this too but do not completely close your mouth when using a straw, the negative pressure will make the wounds hurt like hell and can potentially open them back up.

I'm just gonna avoid straws in general until it's healed.

[synistar]

I remember eatting a bunch of Spaghetti Os and whatever other Chef Boyardee pastas when I got my wisdom teeth pulled. Course have to wait for it to get closer to room temp before consuming or else burning searing pain. Also nothing from a straw. Uses your jaw muscles and makes the pain even worse. Spoon everything despite the fact a cold smoothie from a straw sounds good.

And I guess now is a good time to use a blender for some fruit smoothies.

[Necronus]

When I had my wisdom teeth pulled (mid 20's, so they were fully in for years), I pretty much had gauze in my mouth the entire rest of the day from continual bleeding. The only solution I came up with for food was I eventually went to McDonalds and got an order of chicken nuggets and ripped them into tiny little pieces.

Next day I was fine, 0 pain and 0 bleeding, but I tried to avoid anything that might get stuck in the holes (like rice or whatever). I think I had nuggets for dinner for a week, but at other meals I just went for the similar idea of "things I won't need to chew, or can rip into pieces I can just swallow"

[Cream Soda]

I have a chocolate stick if you need.

[Aksannyi]

lol I think I'm good bro, thanks for looking out though.

[Laugana]

Just wondering, are you being put under or will you be awake during the extraction? I'd had injections in my mouth when I was a child and absolutely hated it so when I had 2 wisdom teeth taken out when I was 19, I asked to be put under and it was great. I slept as much as I could for a few days after and just had tomato soup I think.

I had to have my wisdom teeth taken out because they hadn't fully pushed through the gum and there were flaps which food kept getting caught in. I would have infections and periods where I could hardly open my mouth for the pain in my jaw.

[Aksannyi]

I will be awake during. When I set up the appointment I made sure I would be okay to drive and go to work afterwards. I might be a bit tired but that's not terribly unusual for driving to work in the morning anyway.

[Byrthnoth]

Obligatory listening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pr8omZImvY

Eat pain meds for the first day. Forget food. ??? Profit.