at Riverside Dental Group.

Keep it Soft

Soft foods should be the basic rule of thumb following any dental surgery. Be sure to avoid foods that are hard or sharp, no matter how hungry you are. You will want to stay away from any laborious chewing for at least a day or two. You may only need a local anesthetic during your dental procedure, but you are likely to still have some residual numbness in your mouth. If you chew vigorously at that point in time, you could end up biting and injuring your inner cheeks, tongue, or gum tissues. You are also risking lodging food debris in the surgical area which puts you at a higher risk for infection.

Alternating Cold and Heat

The good news is that many cold foods are also soft foods. Ice cream, popsicles, frozen yogurt, and jell-o are not only delicious and comforting, but they can help to reduce the natural inflammation that generally occurs in the first 24 hours or so after dental surgery. Cold creates constriction in your blood vessels. You may also want to apply heat instead of cold to the affected area within the first day after your dental surgery. Heat incites blood vessels to enlarge which promotes drainage of fluids. However, be careful of hot foods (though soup or broth are excellent standbys) as you may still be numb and end up inadvertently burning yourself.

Dental Surgery from Riverside General Dentists

If you are in need of an extraction or consultation for any dental needs, schedule an appointment with your Riverside general dentists in our 92504 dentist office. You can contact us by calling (951) 689-5031. We welcome patients from Riverside and all neighboring communities.