You love those fiery red-sauce-loaded tacos, but just had your wisdom teeth removed! As you are recovering, the dentist suggested cold broth and apple juices. But, your heart stings and you are busy searching out when can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal. We’ll tell you. The general guideline states – not before 1 week, but that comes with conditions.
While you feel that stinging pain in your teeth, let us inform you of the reasons why spicy foods are restricted for you, how long must you wait to eat them, and some alternatives to those spicy chicken wings. Here’s what we suggest –
Table of Contents
When can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal procedure?
For all those of you eager to kickstart your spicy food routine, here’s how long you have to wait –
| TIME | WHAT TO EAT |
| 1 week after operation | Absolutely no spicy food for you! Stick to liquid diets or soft foods and allow your mouth to heal completely. |
| On the 8th day | You have just started having solid food. Try adding a little bit of black salt to your food. This will give you an idea of how your mouth is reacting to any tinge of spice (though black salt is not a spice). As an alternative, you can try Himalayan pink salt as well. |
| Within 10-14 days | If you have been healing well, start with gentle spices in your food. Black pepper is a great way to kickstart your old eating routine. Add a bit of cinnamon as well for variety.
Note: Desperate to know when can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal? Well, after a week, you should be in a better place and able to tolerate mild spices. But if you feel even the slightest of irritation, immediately stop and consult your doctor. |
| 2-3 weeks post tooth removal | Assuming you are healing well, try increasing the quantity of gentle spices in your food. This will help your mouth adjust to the old routine. At the end of the week, you can start going high in terms of spices. Ensure that you feel no irritation while eating. |
| 1 month after the procedure | You are ready to get back to your normal life! Its time to check out the spiciest of dishes on your menu, that you have been missing all this while.
Note: Though in most of the cases, it is found that the person has healed completely, however, exceptions exist. In certain cases, a mild irritation may persist. Connect with your doctor for the same. |
Signs that show you must wait longer
You have seen for yourself, the ideal period you have to wait before you can consume spicy fare. However, at times, even after the mandatory waiting period is over, certain symptoms persist.
For the unversed, you may have visible open wounds, sudden swelling or inflammation, bleeding while eating food, sudden and sharp pains at the extraction site, and overall pain in the mouth. All of these are more than enough signs that your surgery has not healed completely. You must immediately consult a dentist, and hold up for a couple of more days before you gorge on a hot chilly!
How to re-introduce spices into your diet?
Once your surgery is over, it is only common for you to ask – when can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal? The timelines have been mentioned before. However, in more than a single scenario, it has been found that – dental problems have re-occurred the moment you started gorging on spicy dishes. What’s the way out in this case? Well, go for gentler spices.
You must understand that your dental health is still recovering. Rather than going back to your normal ‘spice’ range, it is better if you let your mouth go a little softer for the time being. Hence, opt for spices like –
Black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, thyme, curry powder, and rosemary.
These spices are comparatively lighter and will help your mouth to adjust to the spice range. Once your system is accustomed to these (since you have been having bland food only), you can then move on to advanced spices like red chilly, coriander, paprika, ginger, cayenne, bay leaves, and more.
What are the alternatives to spicy foods?
Assuming you are bored of the Jell-O’s and juices and are busy wondering when can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal – let us give you some alternatives.
- You could kickstart your breakfast with – oatmeal, plain avocado toast, or scrambled eggs. Just sprinkle a bit of black pepper or thyme leaves to enhance the flavor.
- For your primary course, you could do well with – baked/mashed potatoes, squashed butternut, pureed vegetables, and protein shakes.
- During that period, you can snack on – popsicles, mashed bananas, cottage cheese, and milkshakes.
Some tips to heal further
Given that you are looking forward to having that spicy dish, it is time you take extra care of your teeth. Here are some of the ways –
- Follow the prescribed dental medications. This will accelerate your recovery process.
- Have a soft and nutritious diet, to enhance your recuperation process.
- Avoid smoking/drinking alcohol or caffeine during the healing period.
- Take ample rest, and keep your body hydrated.
When you follow these tips, you will be able to heal better than before.
Last thoughts
Now that you know when can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal and also have a fair idea about the alternative spices, you are supposedly in a better place. Though wisdom teeth surgery takes close to a week and a little more to heal, at times, due to certain conditions, it may take longer.
Therefore, doctors advise that you must follow the healing steps carefully to ensure a better recovery. In case you still have further queries, we have tried answering that in this post. Did you like this blog post? Would you like to know more about such conditions? Keep following He And She Fitness for more exciting recovery posts.
FAQ
1. What foods can I eat after the surgery?
After your dental surgery, you can have foods like – cold soups, smoothies, puddings, milkshakes, protein shakes, mashed fruits, and ice cream.
2. How soon can I eat after the wisdom tooth surgery?
Within 24-48 hours, you cannot eat anything solid and have to depend only on a liquid diet. However, after 48 hours, you can slowly start consuming soft solid food. Continue with that, until the doctor recommends resumption of solid food.
3. What not to eat after a wisdom tooth extraction?
You must avoid – crunchy foods, meat, roasted vegetables, and acidic foods after your wisdom tooth extraction until permitted by the doctor.
4. When can I eat spicy food after wisdom tooth removal?
Normally, you can start eating gentle spicy food after a week. However, it takes a minimum of 15-20 days before you can go back to gorging on traditional spicy food.
Monalisa Mukherjee is a content writer, copywriter and editor with 4 years of experience. She has written for websites like Biography Talk, The Rich Net Worth, Contour Cafe, He And She Fitness and Fiction Pad. She is currently associated with a noted Digital Marketing Agency and specialises in writing press release, guest posts, articles on travel, entertainment, food recipes, celebs, lifestyle, tech, health, and fashion.
