How Long After Tooth Extraction Can I Drink Coffee?

Going to the dentist is likely not your favorite thing to do. Not only are you leaving there with fewer teeth than you went in with, but you now have to adjust your lifestyle and routine to cope with the oral healing process.

So, how long after tooth extraction can I drink coffee? You should be able to drink cold brew coffee within 24 hours of your tooth extraction, but hold off for at least 48 hours for a regular cup of hot coffee. Drinking hot beverages too soon after surgery can dislodge the blood clot and cause an extremely painful condition known as “dry socket.”

You shouldn’t expect your life to return to a completely normal state once your tooth is extracted. So, we’re going to go over some of the post-extraction beverage guidelines that your dentist might suggest sticking to.

Post-Extraction Beverage Guidelines

After you have your tooth extracted, making sure you’re getting enough fluids is important. But, there are plenty of limitations for what you’re allowed to drink, what temperature the beverage can actually be, and how to actually drink it.

As much as you might think that your dentist is your mortal enemy, they’re really suggesting these guidelines because they can prevent dry socket, pain, and an extended healing process. As long as you stick to these, you should be back to drinking coffee in no time!

Types of Drinks

In the first 24 hours after your tooth extraction, you have to be very careful about what you drink. Most dentists would recommend only drinking water, but you can also sip juice, milk, and even sports drinks. Also, you should try to avoid carbonated beverages for at least four days and alcohol for at least the first 24 hours.

The Importance of Temperature & Dry Socket Prevention

Though you might currently think that all beverages are the same, the temperature really does matter. That’s especially the case when it comes to post-operative care for dental surgeries like tooth extractions.

That’s because of the risk of dry socket.

When you have a tooth removed, there’s essentially a hole that’s left in your mouth where your tooth once stood. In its place, a blood clot starts to form to stop the bleeding and allow the mouth to heal beneath the surface of the gums.

Drinking hot beverages and using a straw can cause the blood clot to essentially dislodge and leave the hole in your mouth wide open. This can prove to be very painful.

Now, not only are the nerves in your mouth exposed and less protected, but there’s a greater risk of getting food particles stuck in the hole.

If you do develop a dry socket, the condition usually lasts for at least a week. So, because you couldn’t wait to drink a hot beverage, you’re now extending your recovery period, discomfort, and pain for another week.

The good news is: The risk of dry socket usually only lasts for about three days! So, you should be able to drink hot beverages by day three or four.

Until then, stick to cooler or room temperature beverages.

The Best Drinking Methods

As much as hot beverages put you at risk for developing dry socket, using a straw is even worse. That’s because using the straw requires a sucking motion within the mouth, which can easily remove the blood clot with one swift motion.

With that said, you should try to gently sip your drinks until your dentist gives you the go-ahead and approves the use of straws!

What to Do if a Dry Socket Develops

Even if you’re following all of your dentist’s guidelines, there’s still a risk of a dry socket developing out of your control. If that’s the case, here’s what you should do.

• Contact your dentist to see if they want you to come in and have it cleaned out.
• Use your dentist’s prescription mouthwash to clean the socket at home.
• Take over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen.
• Apply cold ice packs to your face to reduce any swelling.
• Continue to monitor the area for any changes or signs of infection.

Though you can’t completely prevent dry socket from occurring, there are some steps that you can take to attempt to avoid it. So, avoid using a straw for several days, wait at least 48 hours to drink hot beverages, and don’t drink any alcohol!

How long do you have to wait?

So, you’re still wondering about drinking coffee after an extraction? Well, the time you’ll have to wait really depends on your dentist’s recommendations and how your healing process is going.

You should be good to go within five days, but it could always be sooner. Remember, the entire purpose of holding off on coffee and other hot beverages is to prevent dry socket, which could cause an immense amount of pain and add days or weeks to your healing period.

The Projected Time Frame

For the most part, you should be able to return to drinking hot beverages like coffee within a period of five days. But, the timeline really varies based on how your body is handling the healing process.

You should be able to drink cold brew coffee sometime after the first 24 hours. You might even realize that drinking ice cold coffee helps to relieve some of the pain that’s still lingering within your mouth.

For hot coffee, you might be able to start drinking it again after 48 hours. Because there’s an increased risk of dry socket, here are some things you should consider.

• Your dentist’s recommendations and input
• How hot the coffee is (the hotter it is, the greater the risk of a dry socket)
• Whether you’re experiencing any pain already

At the end of the day, it’s your mouth and your recovery period. If you want to bite the bullet and start sipping some hot coffee after 48 hours, just remember that there’s still a risk of dry socket (which can occur anytime within the first three days).

Your best bet is to wait at least five days before drinking hot coffee. But, consult your dentist to find out what they suggest in your specific case.

When can I start drinking coffee after wisdom tooth extraction?

Wisdom tooth extractions are pretty similar to regular extractions, but they usually involve more teeth! Rather than having one tooth pulled, you might be getting all four of your wisdom teeth out in one day.

That means you have four times as great a risk of developing a dry socket.

You should still be able to drink hot coffee within 48 hours, but you should definitely be leaning more toward the five-day marker since you’ve had more teeth pulled. If you really need your morning caffeine boost, stick to cold brew coffee for a little while.

Conclusion

When you have a tooth extracted, there are quite a few suggestions that your dentist will make about after-care. When it comes to hot beverages like coffee, there are some specific rules that you should definitely be following. Here’s a short guide to coffee post-extraction.

• After 24 hours, you should be able to begin sipping cold brew coffee.
• After 48 hours, you might be able to get away with drinking a little hot coffee.
• Wait at least five days to drink hot coffee if you want to play on the safe side.
• Don’t use a straw!
• Keep an eye out for sudden pain or bare bone.

Sources

• American Dental Association: Tooth Extraction
• Krause OMS: Post-Operative (After) Tooth Extraction Surgery Instructions
• WebMD: Dental Health and Wisdom Teeth
• Mayo Clinic: Dry Socket
• Colgate: Can I Drink Coffee After A Tooth Extraction?
• Dr. Alijanian: Drinking After Oral Surgery – Wisdom Teeth & Dental Implants