• Swelling inside the cheeks and limitations in opening will limit diet for the first 1-2 weeks
  • Start with liquids immediately afterwards. Do not use straws when drinking from a glass for one week. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot.
  • You should prevent dehydration by taking fluids regularly. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake. At least five to six glasses of liquid should be taken daily.
  • You can progress to foods of softer consistency as tolerated
  • Avoid hot liquids or food, spicy foods, and foods with seeds.

Vegetables

  • Soups (smooth rather than chunky) – virtually any combination of vegetables can be made into a soup, or buy readymade ones!
  • Mashed avocado/guacamole
  • Fresh spinach, kale or other greens, cooked very soft
  • Sweet potatoes, baked until very soft
  • Soft-cooked carrots, soft cooked squash (mashed if necessary)
  • Vegetable juice (such as tomato juice

Fruits

  • Fruit juice, Fruit smoothies, Mashed bananas, Baked apples, Baked bananas
  • Applesauce

Protein foods

  • Soup with soft meats
  • Moist, tender meat or poultry that is ground, shredded, finely chopped or blended with vegetables or potatoes, using a food processor
  • Soft-cooked fish, Crab cakes, Scrambled egg or poached egg, Baked Beans
  • Tofu
  • Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta:
  • Mashed potatoes, Pasta or noodles (not firm), Cooked cereal/oatmeal (with or without mashed fruit)
  • Cold cereal which has been left to soak in milk until soft
  • Bread that has been softened in soup, Soft bread rolls
  • Muffins, pancakes, waffles

Dairy products

  • Milkshakes, milk drinks
  • Yogurt
  • Yogurt drinks
  • Yogurt with soft fruits
  • Ice cream!! (without crunchy bits)
  • Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese
  • Cheese in sauces or melted in other dishes

Deserts

  • Custard/Pudding
  • Ice cream
  • Soft moist cake or pie – moisten in milk, coffee or other liquid if necessary

Foods to avoid

  • Tortilla Chips
  • Taco Shells
  • Peanuts
  • Fruit with seeds
  • Popcorn