Wisdom teeth removal comes with certain diet changes. While the initial few days may seem infuriating, you eventually get used to it. Still, the urge to eat favorite snacks like chips will never go. Therefore, it is essential to understand the necessity to avoid eating chips and the right time to start having them.
Many people wonder if eating chips after wisdom teeth removal leads to healthy recovery or not. Continue reading to find answers to your queries.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth that erupt into the mouth. Usually, they came at the age of 18-25. Most people have four wisdom teeth- two at the lower jaw and two at the upper jaw. The function of wisdom teeth is to chew coarse and rough food such as hard items like nuts, roots, meats, and leaves.
Even though wisdom teeth have nothing to do with wisdom, they are named so as they usually appear between 18 and 25 years, when people used to think wisdom was gained.
What is The Need for Wisdom Teeth Removal?
There is no need to remove wisdom teeth if they are healthy, have grown fully erupted, and are positioned correctly.
However, in certain cases, wisdom teeth cannot emerge normally and remain trapped inside the jaw, leading to infection or cyst development. In other cases, they cause pain and discomfort and disturb the nearby teeth. It becomes necessary to get rid of them before the condition gets severe in such cases.
[Read: Home Remedies for Wisdom Tooth Pain Relief ]
Eating Chips within 24 Hours of Wisdom Teeth Removal
The first 24 hours after wisdom teeth removal are the most crucial. Eating chips, French fries, or anything chewable is strictly prohibited, and there are valid reasons behind it-
- It exposes the nerves to food
- May cause bleeding and further damage
The dentist prescribes a liquid diet for the first 24 hours after wisdom teeth removal. You can have yogurt, milkshakes, soups, and smoothies during this period. Make sure to stay within the prescribed diet for the best results.
Eating Chips within One Week of Wisdom Teeth Removal
Once you complete 24 hours, the jaw gets on its way to recovery. However, you need to stay on a diet that includes only soft food and drinks during this period. If you eat anything chewy, crunchy, or hard like chips, you will put too much strain on the jaw. It can disrupt the clots formed at the site of extraction and make things risky like-
- Forms dry sockets
- Causes pain and irritation
- Prolongs the recovery period
Eating Chips After Two Weeks of Wisdom Teeth Removal
As the second week starts, it is assumed that the wounds have been healed. You may start having harder foods in your diet and get back to your normal routine by this time. Now you can start eating chips.
Even though two weeks may seem long, it is essential to maintain discipline for faster and easier recovery. Risking the health of your gums by eating hard foods may cost you a lot more than a packet of chips. Apart from cost, the pain and discomfort will make things worse.
Reasons for Not Eating Chips after Wisdom Teeth Removal
The first week is when people suffer the most when it comes to eating food. However, it is a very short period compared to what you may have to endure if you eat hard foods for the first week.
When the wisdom teeth are pulled out, empty sockets remain. These sockets require care for a long time. Sometimes it takes around two months for an empty socket to disappear.
Removing the wisdom teeth exposes the vital nerves of empty sockets to the varieties of food you eat. If you chew hard foods, it puts a lot of strain on the nerves, making them fragile. It also increases the risk of developing dry sockets.
Eating Popcorn After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Just like chips, people also often ask about eating popcorn. Even though avoiding popcorn on a movie night is hard, you have to resist it for a better and easy recovery.
Popcorn is considered very hard to eat. They put extra pressure on the teeth and nerves that can cause damage. At the same time, if eating popcorn leaves the socket with debris, it gets very difficult to clean. Therefore, popcorn should be on the top of the list of your banned food items. It is better to avoid eating it for at least two weeks.
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