Can I eat chicken after root canal

Have you had a root canal, or are having one in the next few hours or days?

While it is a fairly standard procedure, it does require good aftercare, most of which comprises avoiding hard food and taking care of oral hygiene.

While keeping oral hygiene in check is easy; eating after a root canal can be a little tricky for a couple of days.

So if you are wondering – what to eat after a root canal? We have got plenty of healthy ideas you can easily choose from without causing you any pain.

Following a root canal procedure, you need to intake food that doesn’t trigger pain. But most importantly, the food should be nutritious to help fasten the recovery procedure.

The food that you can take after a root canal should be:

a). Soft – easily chewable and not crunchy or stiff.

b). Highly nutritious – rich in minerals and bone healing properties.

c). Mild or non-spicy – to avoid inflaming the area surrounding the root canal.

But we thought this might not be enough, so we curated an entire ‘Eating After Root Canal Meal Plan’ that will keep you feeling healthy, pain-free, and on your way to a speedy recovery.

The three days following the root canal are crucial. These days can make or break your situation.

If not taken care of, the root canal site may get infected or not heal properly, leading to complications and further damage to your pocket, and well, let’s also not forget the pain. Did you know toothache is one of the worst pains experienced by humans? (1).

In most cases, the pain on day one cannot be felt as much as on the other days. That’s mostly due to the painkillers.

However, it doesn’t mean you can be negligent about your diet after a root canal.

Also, note that not eating is not an option; while you may not feel like having anything at all due to the pain, keeping your energy levels low will hinder the healing process.

So make sure that you are having at least two healthy meals a day, if not four.

Also Read: 15 Reasons Not To Get Braces – Genuine Side Effects Explained

Eating After Root Canal Meal Plan – DAY 1:

Let’s talk in detail about the first day’s meal plan.

Breakfast: Fruit Smoothie

Fruit smoothies are one of the easiest to swallow and digest foods. They don’t require any use from the teeth or gums, making it a highly recommended meal after a root canal.

They also digest well and bring down any heartburn or inflammation caused by the medications used after a root canal. (2)

Finally, the yogurt or milk base in smoothies makes up for the added value of calcium required by our body.

Also, calcium makes the exterior, enamel, and teeth stronger, fighting against any possible damage such as erosion and cavities, making it a must to take after a root canal.  (3)

Fruit smoothies are a complete meal that will give a nice kick start to your otherwise painful day; hence it is the most recommended food to eat after a root canal.

Also Read: What to Eat with Braces?

Important Health Benefits of Fruit Smoothies

• Fruit smoothies are a rich source of antioxidants, which help fight an array of diseases. (4)
• They are rich in immunity-boosting compounds that help prevent minor and major ailments. (5)

Lunch: Vegetable Soup

After the root canal, the hunger usually plunges, you will barely feel the need to eat, but you need to keep the energy levels running smoothly.

In that case, a vegetable soup like a pureed tomato soup, a carrot puree, or a cream of mushroom soups are all light and nutritious choices.

Avoid the side of croutons or fresh vegetables, as anything that requires you to bite hard or chew will cause unnecessary pain.

Make sure the soup is either pureed or clear. Boiled vegetables should not cause a lot of trouble as they are pretty soft and mushy, but you want to save whatever energy you can to keep the healing process running smoothly. So avoid them if need be.

Vegetable soups are light on the stomach and digest quickly, along with keeping you hydrated, making them perfect for eating after a root canal.

Health Benefits of Vegetable Soup:

• They are nutrient-dense food with a low caloric count.
• They are filled with nutritional vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy growth. (6)

Dinner: Fish

This meal is the most crucial, and you dare not miss it. Reason being that this is the first meal of the day, which includes protein. So unless you want to lose your daily requirement for protein and hinder your body’s healing process, (7) make sure you have this meal on time.

Now, most proteins are hard to chew and may not be the right food choice to eat after a root canal, but a grilled tilapia fish is both nutritious and easy to eat.

If cooked properly, it melts in the mouth and requires literally zero effort to chew.

But that’s not all; fish are rich in calcium, necessary for healthy teeth and bones. (8)(9)

Snack: Hummus

If you feel hungry and want a quick snack, don’t look at that bag of chips or even granola because those will cause nothing but pain.

Instead, look for options like hummus, which are both nutritious and not hard to chew.

Hummus is a protein-rich food, which is best for eating after a root canal, as protein is a building block of our body and is known for its part in healing wounds, tissues, and bones. (10) (11)

Health Benefits of Hummus:

• It is a plant-based protein source, which means you get the required amount of protein without eating meat. (12)
• Olive oil in hummus is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, making it the right meal choice for post-op care. (13)

Eating After Root Canal Meal Plan – Day 2:

On day 2, you will experience little to no pain, depending entirely on how you treated the root canal site a day before.

If you were wise with your food choice, chances are the root canal is all set to heal, and you can eat whatever you feel like. Till then, stick with our list of recommended soft foods.

Breakfast: Eggs

Eggs are soft to eat, filling, and highly nutritious. The best way is to eat them boiled, but there is no reason why you can’t have them poached, fried, or even scrambled.

Pssst. Add in a slice of cheese, or a dollop of butter, to fulfill the daily requirement of dairy.

Health Benefits of Having Eggs, Especially After A Root Canal:

• Eggs are a rich source of vitamin D, which is necessary for good bone and teeth health. (14)
• Eggs are an excellent source of protein, which, as discussed earlier, is the building block of our body and is of great help when it comes to healing wounds and other sites of injuries. (15)

Lunch: Pasta

By this time, your body is probably healing well, and you are most definitely craving something more filling to keep your tummy from growling too loud.

Soft and easily chewable, yet oh-so-delicious, pasta should do the trick of filling your stomach at this point.

Just make sure not to spice it too much, or it might trigger the root canal site and may even cause inflammation.

Health Benefits of Having Pasta:

• Pasta provides energy for a sustained amount of time, which means that it keeps your tummy full longer and keeps your energy levels going for a long.
• Pasta is a rich source of folates, which, according to studies, are suitable for gum health. They prevent plaque and the growth of microorganisms inside the mouth, which are known for causing the gravest of dental issues. (16) (17)

Dinner: Bone Broth With Ramen And Eggs

In dinner, you can have the same soup you had on day one of – what to eat after a root canal – diet. Or you can have some bone broth known for its anti-aging, anti weight loss, and immune-boosting functionalities. (18)

Benefits of Bone Broth Especially When Eating After A Root Canal:

• It is rich in gelatine and Vitamin C and is known to repair damaged tissues and even prevent further injuries. (19)

Snack: Fruit Yoghurt

For snacks, it is best to take a cup of fruit yogurt. If fruit yogurt is not what you like, you can replace it with a serving of greek yogurt.

Health Benefits of Yogurt:

• It is rich in calcium, but more importantly, it is rich in magnesium, which helps absorb calcium. (20)
• The trace minerals alongside the probiotics present in yogurt make it an immune-boosting snack. And a strengthened immune system means it can fight off disease and result in quick healing. (21)(22)(23)

With this, day 2 comes to an end, hoping that your root canal is healing well and there is almost no pain. This means you can munch on something other than soups and yogurt the next day!

Eating After Root Canal Meal Plan – Day 3:

Day 3 will be much better, and you will feel less pain than on day one and day two. Let’s start our third day’s meal plan.

Breakfast: Overnight Oats

As the name suggests, the preparation for this meal will begin the night before. While you can have boiled oats, too, overnight oats are healthier and well delicious!

Oats, in general, have excellent antioxidant properties. An element called avenanthramides gives oat their anti-inflammatory properties, which also helps regulate blood flow, which is quite beneficial after a root canal. (24)

Why Eat Overnight Oats After A Root Canal:

• Oats are a starchy food, which tends to keep you full for longer.
• They are easy to chew and can be flavored in 100 different ways.

Lunch: Soup

Third times the charm!

Yes, soups are a must if you are looking to get 100% nutrition without causing any damage to the now almost healed root canal.

You can try any recipe you love and even add some vegetables. Just make sure they aren’t too raw or crunchy.

Dinner: Turkey Thigh With Rice

Turkey with rice is a balanced meal that includes both a serving of carbs as well as protein.

While most protein is hard to chew – especially turkey thighs are juicy and, if cooked right, melts in the mouth.

If you aren’t ready to eat rice or turkey thigh at this point, you can switch up the meal and turn it into a minced turkey risotto, using the same ingredients.

Benefits Of Turkey And Rice:

• Turkey is a protein-rich food, along with many nutrients like selenium, folate, and phosphorus. Folate and phosphorus are known for promoting good bone health. (25)

Snack: Milk Chia Pudding

Puddings made using milk are rich in calcium, which is essential for healthy teeth and bones. (26) The only downside of having pudding is that they are high in calories, so portion control is necessary.

Health Benefits of Having Milk Chia Pudding:

• Chia seeds are known for their anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. (27)
• They are also suitable for digestion. (28)

Also Read: What to Eat After Tooth Extraction?

Can You Eat Rice After A Root Canal?

Yes, eating rice after a root canal is permissible. It is one of the few foods that can be eaten hours after a root canal. To be safe, make sure that the rice is well cooked; the mushier the consistency, the better.

Also Read: Soft Foods to Eat with Braces

Can You Eat Pizza After A Root Canal?

Yes, you can eat a thick crust cheese pizza hours after a root canal without having to worry about infecting the area. To make things easier, avoid chewing from the side that underwent the root canal procedure. If you have had the procedure done for more than 24 hours, you can also enjoy and all topping pizza.

Indian Food To Eat After Root Canal

Indian foods like khichdi, idli, kadhi are permissible to eat after a root canal. But any food that is crunchy or hard –  like a samosa, laddu – or spicy such as chutneys and sambhar must be avoided at all costs because they might cause inflammation and unnecessary pain.

Can You Eat Soup After Root Canal?

Out of all foods, soups are the best choice of food after a root canal. They are nutritious and easy to eat. The only problem, though, is that they are hot, which can cause sensitivity.

To avoid unnecessary sensitivity, make sure to drink the soup warm instead of piping hot.

Can You Drink Coffee After Root Canal?

Drinking coffee is not necessarily advised after a root canal because it can cause sensitivity. Anything too hot can cause severe sensitivity in the root canal and cause unnecessary pain and inflammation. Coffee has little to no health benefits, so it’s best to avoid it.

Can You Eat Chicken After Root Canal

Eating chicken requires thorough chewing, which is why it is not recommended to eat chicken after a root canal. Even if you eat it from the other side, it will cause unnecessary pain throughout the jaw, and after the root canal, the most your body needs is rest. So it’s best to avoid chicken or any other form of meat.

Also Read: Which Fast Foods You Can Eat with Braces?

 What to Take Away?

• Avoid eating anything 2 to 3 hours after the root canal or until the numbness subsides.
• Prefer to eat soft, easy-to-chew foods and give rest to your jaw.
• Even when chewing soft foods, use the other side of the mouth, which hasn’t gone through the root canal.
• Avoid hot beverages, which may cause sensitivity.
• Eat healthy foods for faster recovery.

Last but not least, recovery is a slow and steady route, and everybody reacts differently. Listen to your body and its signals, and you’ll be on your way to recovery in no time!

For the past three years, I have been consciously making efforts for a healthy lifestyle, and I must say it has done wonders! From the better appearance, energized body to a peaceful soul, It has helped me attain it all and Now I am here at foodiideas with all my expertise and experiences. Read More…

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