Many people nowadays often ask this question “can I eat pizza after wisdom teeth removal? ”
And the answer might differ if the food is other than pizza. But particularly for pizza, the simple and straightforward answer would be no; That is to say immediately after your wisdom teeth removal.
If you want a solution regarding this matter, then first you have to understand & analyse the problem from the core. That’s why I will give you a brief explanation about the problem and what you should do to solve this problem.
Why is it necessary to remove wisdom teeth?
Each year almost 5 million Americans get their wisdom teeth removed and it costs about 3 billion dollars in total medical cost.
A human can have up to 4 wisdom teeth. 25% of people grow up to 1-3 wisdom teeth & 35% usually don’t have any wisdom teeth. And these Wisdom teeth usually appear around the age of 17 to 21.
Wisdom teeth normally grow at an inclined angle unlike other teeth which grow in a vertical order. Because of this odd angle it presses against the back molar causing pain & swelling.
And it also creates a narrow crevice in the gum allowing the food particles to get stuck in there , which makes the crevice zone more habitable for bacteria ; thus causing infection & corrosion to the teeth.That’s why it is necessary to remove wisdom teeth before they can create such problems.
Why can’t I eat pizza after wisdom teeth removal?
After the extraction of the wisdom teeth , it leaves a socket like hole in your gum. And if you eat pizza immediately after your wisdom teeth have been removed, they might give rise to some serious problems.
First of all, you may not eat pizza in the first place because of the numbness and pain in your gum. Even after all of that if you are able to eat, it will cause infection & swelling in your gum.
Pizza has solid particles which will interfere with the healing process after the extraction. And it will be worse if you have dry socket condition. It is normal to feel pain and discomfort after your wisdom teeth removal. But if that pain reaches a certain level where you feel more pain than usual, then you can assume that you have dry socket condition.
Usually blood clot at the tooth extraction place & heal the place over time. But sometimes this blood clot doesn’t form while leaving the place fully open. And solid particles of pizza are trapped in there & causing infection over time.
What can I eat after wisdom teeth removal?
As long as the food doesn’t contain solid particles which may trap inside the extraction site and are difficult to clean, then you can eat it.
Soft food or liquid food is recommended after wisdom teeth removal. Such as:
- Soups
- Broth
- Yogurt
- Mash potato
- Mash banana
- Oat meals
- Pudding
- Smoothie
These types of foods are easy to chew and savour. And they are easy to remove if they get stuck in the extraction site. And you should also check the temperature of the food. If the food is too hot or too cold, they can create problems in the blood clotting process.
Wondering if you can eat your favorite pasta after tooth extraction? Read our detailed guide on “Can I have pasta after tooth extraction?“
When can I eat pizza?
Usually it varies from person to person. There are couple of factors that we need to consider such as:
- Number of tooth that was extracted
- Healing capabilities of the individual
- How clean the extraction was
The blood coagulation happens 24 hours after the extraction. At that time you are only allowed to eat the liquid substances.
After 2-3 days, the swelling in the teeth began to reduce. In that period you can eat semi-liquid foods.
If you remove 1 tooth in the upper jaw , then you can eat pizza after a week. Healing process in the upper jaw happens faster than the lower jaw.
And if you remove 2 teeth in the upper jaw, then you have to wait for at least 2 weeks.
And lastly if you have removed both of your wisdom teeth in the lower jaw, then you have to wait at least 6-8 weeks before you can eat pizza. Because it takes a long time to heal in the lower jaw.
Which food I can’t eat other than pizza?
Other than pizza you should avoid eating the food which are acidic and spicy ; and the food that needs a lot of chewing.
Because this kind of food can cause a lot of pain and discomfort which will result in an infection. Such as:
- Chips
- Meat
- Nuts
- Popcorn
- Raw vegetables
- Seeds etc
These types of food need a lot of chewing which can interrupt the blood clotting process in the teeth extraction site and hamper the healing process of the gum.
- Chilly
- Curry
- Hot pepper
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Salsa etc
These types of foods are very spicy which can cause pain and irritation in the teeth extraction site.
- Lime
- Orange
- Soda
- Pineapple
- Tomatoes
- Grapefruit etc
These types of foods are acidic which can cause inflammation in the teeth extraction site.
How will I know that I am ready to eat pizza?
Before you eat pizza, there are couple things that you need to consider;
First you have to check whether you feel any pain or not in your teeth or in the gum. If you think that pain in the teeth and gum have completely disappeared, then you can start eating pizza.
Next you have to check the stitches in your gum. If the stitches in your gum have completely disappeared, then you can start eating the pizza.
Furthermore you have to check the stiffness in your jaw. Usually after the wisdom teeth extraction, it’s hard to move the jaw. If you think that you can easily move your jaw naturally like before without any constraints, in that case you are ready to eat the pizza.
And lastly you have to go to the doctor after your wisdom teeth extraction to do a checkup. If the doctor gave the green light, then you are ready to eat your pizza.
Epilogue
So the bottomline is that eating pizza or any kind of solid food depends on your immune system, the number of teeth that were extracted and lastly your doctor’s opinion.
And for teeth extraction you should always go to the professional doctors. If you go to someone who is unprofessional, they might create more problems instead of solving them.
And also remember to check up with your doctor from time to time. They will give insight if any problem like dry socket arises. Follow the instructions and you will be ready to eat pizza in no time.
