If you are trying to lose weight, you know that progress happens with daily healthy decisions. In the days following your wisdom tooth extraction, you will need to alter your eating habits and your workout regimen. Here is what you should know about eating healthy and working out during your recovery period, and when you should turn to your dentist for guidance. You need not sabotage your weight loss goals because of your wisdom tooth extraction.

Your Diet

If you are trying to lose weight, the days following your wisdom tooth extraction can wreck your healthy diet.

Your extraction will significantly limit your eating habits for at least four or five days. If your mouth becomes infected, your recovery time will be even longer. If your dentist used non-resorbable stitches, your dentist will need to remove them after about a week; this can also extend your recovery time.

The First 24 Hours: During the first 24 hours, you should avoid all solid foods. Some of the most common liquid foods that people turn to include milk shakes, soups, pudding, and ice cream; however, if you are currently dieting, you know that these food items are high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt. Healthier options, like orange juice, are high in acid and will irritate your surgical wounds. You can survive the first 24 hours without wreaking havoc on your diet by replacing these items with protein drinks, low-sodium soups, and smoothies. If you have a juicer, you can make some healthy smoothies before your surgery so that you can relax during your recovery.

The Following Week: If you survived your first recovery day, congratulations! If your mouth feels better, you can switch to soft solids. Soft foods that patients frequently turn to are mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, soft breads, and rice. These foods are starchy and high in carbohydrates, so they are not the best choices for you if you are trying to lose weight. Keep in mind that during your recovery period, you will need to sideline your exercise regimen; since you are moving less, you will not need as many carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes, yogurt, soft fishes, and tofu are better diet-conscious choices.

After One Week: About a week after your surgery, see your dentist for a follow-up appointment. If your dentist confirms that your mouth has recovered and no infection is present, you can return to your normal diet. If your healthy hard foods, like crispy vegetables and whole grain breads, are irritating you, schedule another appointment so that your dentist can determine why you have not fully recovered.

Your Workout

Your wisdom tooth extraction will also interfere with your exercise regimen. Your dentist will give you an anesthetic before your surgery to ease your pain levels and anxiety; if your dentist gives you a stronger anesthetic method, you can remain "out of it" for the rest of the day. Side effects of stronger anesthetics, like nausea and grogginess, can keep you sidelined for 48 hours. Ask your dentist about the anesthetic used and when you can safely resume athletic activities. If the anesthetic is still in your system, working out prematurely increases your chances of injury.

Your dentist will probably prescribe painkillers for your recovery period, as well. Ask your dentist to explain the side effects and risks associated with the medications prescribed; like anesthesia, prescription drugs can endanger your ability to work out. Your pain threshold increases and your alertness may be compromised.

Finally, exercising temporarily decreases the amount of saliva that your mouth produces. This puts your oral health at risk because saliva helps fight against bacteria buildup. After a wisdom tooth extraction, your mouth is at a greater risk of infection; working out can further handicap your body's ability to fight off bacteria. Check with your dentist before you exercise to make sure that your wounds are healed. If you need to schedule your wisdom tooth extraction, call Olympia Dental and Implant Center.