If you're facing oral surgery to have your wisdom teeth extracted, the recovery can be worrisome. After all, if you'll be taking pain medication, you'll want to be able to keep something in your stomach. While your doctor will provide you with some basic instructions to follow post-surgery, you'll still want to be able to plan ahead. Here are a few tips to help you get through each stage of your extraction recovery.

The Day Of Surgery

For at least the first 24 hours of your surgery, you'll be working through the worst of the pain from the extractions. Stock up on foods that don't require chewing so you don't risk getting any particles of food in the sockets.

Opt for foods like soup, ice cream, yogurt and applesauce during this phase. You may also find that you can drink smoothies, but you'll have to drink them from the glass instead of a straw. Sucking on a straw during this time may cause the blood clots in the sockets to dislodge, causing dry socket.

The Next Few Days

In the next couple of days after the extractions, you'll probably experience some swelling in the area of the extractions. As things start to improve, you will probably develop a bit more of an appetite. When that happens, you'll want to look for foods that have a bit more substance. Just remember to stick with soft food like soft-cooked pasta, baked potato, beans and scrambled eggs. Eat in small bites so that you can keep the food out of the sockets left behind after the extraction. While these next few days may still be a bit challenging, just remember that you shouldn't skip meals, because your body needs the nutrients to continue healing.

The Next Week

As you reach the end of the first week following the extractions, you'll find that the pain eases significantly and may even be gone. The less pain you feel, the easier it will be to start returning to your regular diet. Just make sure you take it slow. Don't add anything hard or tough to eat right away. The muscles in your jaw will probably be somewhat sore both from the surgery and from the lack of use during your recovery.

With these tips, you'll be better prepared to face the days and weeks following your wisdom tooth extraction. The more you understand about what you can expect to eat, the easier the recovery is going to be.