What To Eat After Tongue Tie Surgery

If you or your child need tongue tie surgery, you may wonder whether your dietary choices will interfere with recovery. The following are some examples of what you should and should not eat after tongue tie surgery.

Foods to Avoid

Anything chewy, hot or spicy should be avoided, as these can all irritate. Likewise, avoid consuming alcoholic beverages, crunchy cookies, crusty bread, bagels, pretzels, popcorn, potato chips and any tough-to-chew meal, such as steak, deli meats or over-cooked poultry and sticky candy. Wait at least a week for the tongue to recover before consuming these potentially difficult foods.

Foods to Eat

The best meals to eat after tongue-tie surgery are cold, soft foods. Within the first 24 hours following surgery, ice cubes, cold beverages and popsicles can assist in reducing swelling when used cautiously. The following soft foods are safe to eat after tongue tie surgery:

• Fruit smoothies
• Herbal tea
• Fish (tender white fish such as trout, sole, cod, snapper, flounder or haddock)
• Cooked vegetables
• Hearty stews and soups (lentil, tomato, chicken and leek, split pea, pumpkin puree, spinach egg drop, creamy asparagus, pureed vegetable, broccoli cauliflower)
• Milkshakes
• Juices (cranberry, apple, grape, guava, vegetables, aloe; however, stay away from citrus juices for the first few days)
• Coconut water
• Protein shakes
• Jell-O
• Popsicles
• Applesauce
• Mashed pumpkin
• Mashed potatoes
• Pureed beans
• Guacamole
• Porridge
• Oatmeal
• Eggs (scrambled, poached, soft-boiled or egg salad)
• Rice
• Risotto
• Pasta
• Soft fruits (banana, mango, watermelon, blackberries, papaya)
• Tofu
• Yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Pudding
• Custard

After surgery, start with clear liquids such as tea, juice and lukewarm broth, then gradually move to solid foods. Keep in mind that healthy nutrition is essential for effective healing.

Quick and Painless Tongue Tie Surgery in NYC

At NYC Tongue Tie, we offer tongue tie and lip tie procedures that are quick and painless. The revolutionary technique, pioneered by Dr. Gregory Levitin, uses no laser or stitches and only a modest quantity of local anesthesia. Seldom are follow-up visits required. For more information on tongue tie surgery recovery, please contact us today or visit our Midtown Manhattan office.