Best Foods to Eat When You Have Tooth Pain

Foods to Eat When Your Teeth Hurt

Toothaches and tooth pain can make eating difficult. However, it's important to maintain proper nutrition even when your teeth are sensitive or hurting. There are many tooth-friendly foods you can still enjoy to get vitamins, minerals, protein and calories into your diet during dental discomfort.

Causes of Tooth Pain

There are various reasons you may be experiencing tooth pain or sensitivity when eating certain foods:

• Dental cavities
• Cracked or broken tooth
• Dental abscess
• Damaged fillings
• Wisdom tooth eruption
• Infection or swelling of gums
• Bruxism or teeth grinding
• Sensitive tooth roots due to receding gums

Seeing a dentist promptly for an exam and possible treatment can help resolve the underlying issue. In the meantime, adjusting your diet can make eating less painful.

Tips for Managing Tooth Pain and Sensitivity

Here are some tips to help manage tooth discomfort when chewing and eating:

• Avoid extreme hot or cold foods/drinks which can aggravate nerve pain.
• Choose soft, smooth foods that require less chewing.
• Cut food into tiny pieces to reduce pressure on sensitive teeth.
• Chew slowly and carefully on the side without pain.
• Avoid hard, crunchy, chewy, sticky foods that take more force to chew.
• Try over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen to temporarily reduce discomfort.
• Rinse with warm salt water to clean food debris from affected tooth.

The Best Foods to Eat with Tooth Pain

Focus on consuming these types of tooth-friendly foods when you have dental sensitivity or toothaches:

Dairy Products

Dairy foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, and ice cream are low in fiber and high in protein. Their cool temperature and smooth texture make them ideal for sensitive teeth. Just avoid any sugary flavored varieties.

Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and easy to modify for dental pain. Try soft scrambled eggs, omelets, or quiche. Eggs can be cooked to a soft, moist consistency without chewing.

Soups

Warm broth-based soups contain protein, vitamins, and minerals and go down easy when your teeth hurt. Try smooth pureed soups or well-cooked varieties with soft vegetables and tender meat.

Applesauce

Unsweetened applesauce provides fiber, potassium, and vitamin C without requiring chewing. It has a smooth, mushy texture that won't irritate sensitive teeth.

Mashed Potatoes

Cooked soft or mashed potatoes contain complex carbs, fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Season them with herbs and olive oil if desired.

Bananas

Ripe bananas are naturally soft and easy to chew. They provide key nutrients like potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6. Mash them up to avoid chewing altogether.

Cooked Cereals

Hot cereals like oatmeal, cream of wheat, and rice porridge make comforting breakfast options when your teeth hurt. Cook them extra soft before topping with milk, fruit or spices.

Pasta

Well-cooked pasta turns soft and can be cut into tiny pieces, mashed, or pureed when your teeth are sensitive. Top with a smooth sauce for added nutrition.

Fish

Soft, flaky fish like cod, tilapia and flounder steam up nicely and break apart easily. Canned tuna or salmon are other high-protein options.

Avocados

Blend up some avocado for a creamy, smooth texture. It provides fiber, healthy fats, vitamin C, E, K, and various minerals.

Nutritious Liquid Foods

When solid foods are too difficult, get nourishment from high-protein drinks and smoothies. Some good options include:

• Nutrition shakes and meal replacement beverages
• Dairy-based smoothies
• 100% fruit juices
• Vegetable juices and green smoothies
• Broth or cream-based soups
• Protein shakes
• Milk, milk alternatives, or yogurt drinks

Avoid These Foods with Tooth Pain

Steer clear of hard, crunchy, chewy, sticky foods that will be painful or difficult to eat when your teeth are sensitive. Foods to avoid include:

• Raw vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli
• Fresh fruits like apples, pears
• Hard candies or caramels
• Crunchy chips or pretzels
• Sticky foods like dried fruit, peanut butter
• Hard breads, rolls, bagels, pizza crust
• Nuts, seeds, popcorn
• Corn on the cob
• Tough meats requiring a lot of chewing

Recipes for Meals with Sensitive Teeth

These meal ideas provide nutrition using tooth-friendly ingredients:

Breakfasts

• Creamy oatmeal with milk, mashed banana, cinnamon
• Scrambled eggs with cheese, diced soft vegetables
• Yogurt topped with pureed fruit or pureed vegetable smoothie
• Cottage cheese with tomato sauce or pureed fruits

Lunches and Dinners

• Macaroni and cheese with tuna, salmon, or diced chicken
• Mashed potato bowl with steamed vegetables, ground meat, gravy
• Pureed vegetable or creamy tomato soup with soft bread chunks
• Rice porridge with mixed in scrambled eggs or shredded chicken
• Fish tacos with soft tortillas and mashed avocado

Snacks

• Applesauce or pureed fruit
• Pudding cups
• Ice cream, sorbet, or frozen yogurt
• Jell-O or gelatin cups
• Smoothies or nutritional drinks

Drinks

• Water, milk, tea, coffee (not too hot)
• Hot chocolate, warm cider, room temperature broths
• Juices without pulp or citrus
• Nutrition shakes, yogurt drinks

When to See a Dentist for Tooth Pain

While adjusting your diet can help you manage minor tooth sensitivity or pain temporarily, it's important to see a dentist if:

• Pain lasts more than 1-2 days
• Pain worsens or spreads
• Pain causes difficulty sleeping, eating, functioning
• Swelling in face, jaw, or gums develops
• Tooth becomes loose, cracked or damaged
• You develop a fever, earache, or bad taste/odor from mouth

The dentist can properly diagnose the cause of tooth pain and provide appropriate treatment. This may involve a filling, crown, root canal, tooth extraction, antibiotics, or other solutions to relieve pain and resolve the underlying problem.

Tips for Recovering After Dental Work

Following dental procedures to treat tooth pain, you may need to continue eating soft foods as your mouth heals. Here are some tips for recuperating after dental treatments:

• Stick to a liquid diet the first 24 hours.
• Gradually add in soft, smooth foods after a few days.
• Avoid very hot or cold foods that can irritate mouth tissues.
• Don't eat anything too spicy, salty or acidic.
• Supplement with nutritional shakes if needed.
• Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol.
• Rinse mouth gently after eating.
• Finish all prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection.
• Use any medicated mouth rinse as directed.

Follow your dentist's postoperative instructions carefully to ensure proper healing. With rest and care, your mouth will be back to normal eating soon.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.