N.B. I am not a dentist nor a doctor. This blog post stems from my own experiences as a dental hospital outpatient who has required 6 surgeries (and counting!) due to a genetic condition I have that affects my teeth (severe hypodentia). So, this list does not come from a licensed professional, but from my own trials and errors as someone who has been put on soft food diets many a time!
And of course, if your dentist has told you to stay away from a particular food that I’ve listed here, then listen to your dentist – not me!
Dental surgery can take a lot out of you, and after especially intensive surgeries, you may be put on a soft food diet for a few days or even weeks. Here is a list of easy meals and snacks to see you through your recovery period!
Snacks
Yoghurt, kefir, mousse, ice cream, tinned peaches, bread (without seeds and, if needed, with the crusts cut off) with your spread of choice, avocado with balsamic vinegar, smoothies, milkshakes
Low-effort meals
Easy-to-prepare meals, for when you’re really low on energy: porridge, instant noodles, cup-a-soup, tinned soup, gazpacho, microwave meals (such as lasagne or moussaka), crumpets, smoked salmon
Easy-to-prepare meals, for when you have a bit more energy: poached/scrambled eggs, macaroni cheese, mashed potatoes, potato salad
Meals that require a bit more cooking
Following surgery, it can take a whole week to feel normal again, energy-wise. During this time, even when I feel up to cooking, I prefer to keep my meals as simple and easy to make as possible. So, for this portion of the blog post, I’ve compiled meat/fish/vegan alternatives and vegetables/carbs to pair these with, so you can mix and match as you please.
Meat/fish/alternative:
- Meat: lardons, liver, pulled pork, mince, meatballs, frankfurters
- Fish: salmon (tinned or fried – but if you do fry it, be sure not to make it too crispy), tuna (tinned or steak)
- Vegan: tofu (the marinated tofu by Cauldron is really tasty and easy to prepare), Quorn pieces, Quorn mince
Vegetables: mushrooms, peas, corn, beans, spinach, tomatoes, leek, courgette, carrots (tinned or boiled)
Carbs: pasta, noodles, rice
Misc.: soft cheeses (mozzarella), grated parmesan, avocado
Sauces: If you find that you’re repeating a lot of meals for the sake of simplicity and getting bored, try switching it up by swapping the sauce or equivalent. Here’s a list of possibilities: lemon juice, soy sauce, hoisin, chicken or vegetable stock, tomato pulp, hummus, sesame oil, guacamole
Tips
Cooking your meal in sauces like gravy will help make the food even softer and easier to chew.
When you move onto food that is more solid, take care to cut the pieces up small.
Foods to avoid
Spicy food: this can cause irritation
Chewy foods: especially if you are only allowed to eat on one side of your mouth!
Crispy or crumbly foods: such as biscuits, crisps, toast – these can get lodged in the wound area
Grains and seeds: such as pine nuts, couscous, seeded bread – these can also get lodged in the wound area and, if you have them, get tangled in your stitches
Good luck on your recovery!
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