For most people, drinking coffee after wisdom tooth extraction should be fine. However, make sure that you drink cold and not hot coffee. Now, there is a bit more to know about drinking coffee after you’ve had a tooth removed. Keep reading to get the full story on this topic.
Is It Safe for You to Drink Coffee After Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
With wisdom tooth removal, there is always the possibility of developing complications. One of the main issues that dentists get worried about is dry socket. They usually give patients advice to help prevent this.
What is dry socket?
In most cases, you would want to avoid a blood clot at all costs. When it comes to healing from wisdom tooth extraction, a blood clot at the removal site is just what you need. This is because the clot helps to protect the bone during the healing process.
If the blood clot is dislodged before the healing begins to take place, this can generally cause problems. In particular, you can experience a significant amount of pain in your gums and jaw. You may even sense a bad smell or taste from that area.
If you are wondering about the link between coffee and dry socket, here it is:
Hot drinks shortly after your tooth extraction can disturb or dissolve the blood clot that will have formed after the procedure. This is why most dentists will tell you to avoid hot coffee and other beverages for several days after the removal.
It is due to this that you can’t drink coffee after a wisdom tooth extraction.
Can You Have Iced Coffee After Wisdom Tooth Removal?
Sure, hot coffee is off the table but what about iced or cold coffee? Well, it is unlikely that your dentist will deter you from drinking cold drinks after the extraction. Due to this, it should be fine to drink iced coffee after the procedure.
However, remember that the site may be quite sensitive to any kind of extreme temperature. As such, drinking very cold coffee drink may cause you some discomfort. Therefore, you may want to skip the ice cubes and wait until your drink has warmed up a bit before drinking it.
When drinking iced coffee drinks, remember to avoid using a straw. When you use a straw, the coffee enters your mouth at a greater force. This can dislodge the clot where your tooth used to be. Dentists will tell you to avoid straws for several days or perhaps even longer once your wisdom teeth have been removed.
Is Caffeine Harmful After Tooth Extraction?
Is it only the temperature that you have to worry about with the coffee? Or, does caffeine have any kind of impact on the healing process?
The answer isn’t quite so straightforward here.
On the one hand, some experts believe that the caffeine in coffee can cause increased bleeding at the extraction site. This is because caffeine can increase blood pressure and widen blood vessels.
At the same time, there is research to show that caffeine can improve the effectiveness of pain medication. Thus, it can potentially reduce the discomfort that you feel once your tooth has been removed.
Now, which line of thinking should you follow?
This is a conclusion that is best left up to your dentist. If you are concerned about excessive bleeding at the extraction site, it is a good idea to ask your dentist about it. They may be able to look at your medical history and how the procedure went and make a more informed conclusion.
If you want to stay on the safe side, you can always go with decaffeinated coffee instead. Bear in mind that even decaf coffee does have some caffeine in it. If you want to lower any risks or complications, it is best to limit your consumption.
Can You Drink Coffee with Dry Socket?
What if a dry socket has already occurred and now you are being treated for it? Is it still possible for you to drink coffee?
This is something you should speak to your dentist about. You have to be careful with a dry socket as the risk for infection is high. Not to mention, you also have to be concerned with delayed healing. Therefore, your dentist would be the best advisor here.
In general, though, you may want to avoid coffee with a dry socket. This is because the area is going to be quite sensitive to both hot and cold drinks. Drinking even cold or iced coffee may prove to be too uncomfortable for you.
Tips for Ordering or Making Coffee with Tooth Extraction
Here are some tricks that you should remember when making or ordering your coffee after a wisdom tooth removal:
Avoid Black Coffee
As you are aware, black coffee can be acidic. Due to this, it can cause some discomfort in the tooth removal site, even when you drink an iced Americano. Until the area is all healed, you may want to consider adding some milk to your brew so that it will dilute the acidity.
On the same note, you may want to avoid cold brew coffee drinks that contain lemon or anything other acidic addition. This will save you a lot of pain.
Skip Frozen Drinks
It isn’t just ice cubes you have to avoid – it is a good idea to steer clear of frozen coffee drinks in general until the tooth extraction site is all healed up. These frozen drinks contain small particles of ice. These can dislodge the clot at the site which can lead to dry socket.
Avoid Chunky Coffee Drinks
If you are ordering your coffee from a café, they are plenty of frappes that contain bits and pieces in them. This can include chocolate chips, cookies, brownies, etc. It doesn’t matter how finely ground or soft these additions are, they can still do damage.
Remember, you will have to stick with soft food for a while after your wisdom tooth extraction. This extends to anything that would be in your drink as well. So, this is something to keep in mind when placing your order.
The Final Verdict
To wrap things up, here is what you should know about drinking coffee after a wisdom tooth removal.
Don’t drink hot coffee as this can cause a complication known as dry socket. Stick with cold coffee instead, but don’t drink very cold coffee as you may feel some discomfort. You should avoid adding ice cubes to your drink and stay away from frozen coffee drinks.
Never use a straw when drinking your iced coffee as this can dislodge the blood clot. Also, you may want to dilute your coffee with some milk for the first few days to avoid any issues with acidity.
So, there you have it – your answers to whether you can drink coffee once you’ve had one or more teeth extracted. Now that you know the score, you will be able to figure out exactly how to care for yourself after the procedure. In turn, this means that the healing process will go more smoothly and you will feel better that much sooner.
Would it be okay to have a decaf iced coffee instead, or does temperature play a bigger role in healing after an extraction?
Hey Samuel, was wondering about the iced coffee part. Is it because the cold helps with swelling, or is there another reason why it’s safer than hot coffee? Just had my wisdom teeth out and trying to do everything right here.
Really appreciate the tips for coffee lovers going through wisdom teeth recovery. Avoiding hot coffee makes sense, but I hadn’t thought about avoiding chunky drinks too. Makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
Great points about avoiding chunky coffee drinks post-extraction. Smooth textures seem to be the way to go!
interesting take on coffee post-extraction. always thought as long as it’s not hot, it’s fine but the points on texture and type of drink make a lot of sense.
I’m not totally sold on the idea that caffeine is harmful after tooth extraction. I mean, isn’t the main issue the temperature and not the content? Would love to see more research on this aspect.
Was curious about having coffee post surgery, but always thought the heat was the issue not the coffee itself. The dry socket part was new info to me.
I’m curious about the evidence behind avoiding caffeine entirely post-extraction. Is it about caffeine or the temperature and texture of what we’re consuming?
Absolutely loved this guide, Samuel! It’s so important to take care of our oral health after procedures like wisdom tooth extraction. Sharing these tips with my followers!
so, if I have my coffee cold and smooth, am I good to go after extraction or is the caffeine gonna be a problem?
Is the risk of dry socket significantly higher with hot beverages, or is it the sucking motion that’s more harmful? I’ve read conflicting advice on this.
The temperature of the coffee is indeed crucial post-extraction. Cold beverages can help reduce swelling if consumed carefully.
It’s a good point, Jordan. Most advice centers around avoiding hot drinks which can dissolve the blood clot. Caffeine itself might not be the problem but more about how you have it.
Skipping frozen drinks is a new one for me. I guess anything that can potentially harm that area needs to be avoided. Thanks for the insights, really aimed at doing no harm during recovery.
Had no idea about avoiding black coffee after extraction! always thought if it’s not hot, it’s safe. Thanks for sharing this!
Had no idea about avoiding chunky coffee drinks post-extraction but it totally makes sense when you think about it. The risks aren’t worth it. Excellent article!
Interesting article, Samuel. Would’ve liked more on why exactly caffeine itself might be concerning post-extraction beyond just temperature and texture aspects.
question for samuel – does this advice apply to all types of surgery or just wisdom tooth extractions? asking since i have a minor surgery coming up and i love my morning brew.
Curious if plant-based milks in coffee would change any of this advice? I only drink soy or almond milk in mine.
This was an eye-opener. I hadn’t considered the effect of coffee on a healing mouth, especially avoiding black coffee. It’s the little things that matter. Thanks for putting this together!
Totally agree! I learned the hard way that even iced drinks can cause issues if they’re not smooth enough.
Great question! It’s more about avoiding the hot temperature and ensuring the drink’s texture doesn’t interfere with the healing process. Caffeine in moderation is usually fine, depending on individual cases.
It’s usually more about the temp and texture, not the caffeine. But always best to follow what your dentist advises.
had a friend who drank a big iced coffee right after getting his tooth pulled. wasn’t a good idea lol. shoulda read this first.
interesting discussion here. i switched to herbal tea after my extraction. seemed to be a gentler option all around.