Wisdom tooth surgery – or wisdom tooth extraction – is when your dentist or oral surgeon removes your wisdom teeth, the last teeth in your upper and lower jaw. After the procedure, you may have some swelling, bleeding, discomfort, and bruising for a few days as you recover.
Pineapple juice should not be a good choice to help with recovery – even though it has vitamin C, which is helpful for wound healing. Research has not suggested that pineapple juice will relieve pain during the recovery period after wisdom teeth removal.
However, a 2021 TikTok hack had people drink pineapple juice before surgery, hoping it would reduce post-surgery pain and inflammation. It’s possible that this was made a choice based on an enzyme found in pineapples called bromelain, which helps with inflammation. Here’s what you need to know, including what can help with recovery and when to see a health care provider.
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Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which is anti-inflammatory. Based on this, people claimed that drinking lots of juice should help reduce swelling and pain after surgery.
How effective is bromelain?
One study compared the use of 500 milligrams (mg) of bromelain (twice a day) with 50 mg of diclofenac sodium (three times a day) to treat swelling and pain for five days after participants’ wisdom teeth surgery.
The study researchers found that those using bromelain initially had higher degrees of pain, swelling and cramping – also known as lockjaw. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments for surgical outcomes.
There is one caveat to consider: “Studies Looking at Bromelain for Reducing Pain and Swelling After Wisdom Tooth Extraction [showed bromelain has] it was in supplement form and not from food sources.” Jessica Cording, RDsaid a New Jersey-based registered dietitian and health coach Health.
In other words, these people didn’t have pineapple juice: They had bromelain extract. Additionally, most research has focused on the effects of bromelain after wisdom tooth surgery, not before it.
What about pineapple juice as a whole?
Another study found that fresh pineapple juice before and after facial surgery helped with postoperative pain, skin discoloration, and swelling. However, wisdom tooth extraction was not noted as one of the surgical procedures.
“There is some evidence that bromelain may act as a weak anti-inflammatory agent,” said Jamie Alan, PharmD, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. Health. “However, get this context. Pineapple juice is really acidic. This will actually cause a cascade of inflammation in your mouth.”
This means that the juice won’t make your mouth feel great before you go into surgery. It can probably cause more pain in your mouth.
Alan explained that if you try this hack after surgery, you could be in for a world of pain, with the acid in the pineapple reacting to the sores in your mouth.
While drinking pineapple juice is mostly harmless, there are a few things to consider. One is that TikTokkers recommended you drink 64 ounces of pineapple juice before your wisdom teeth surgery—that’s a lot.
“I would be more concerned about the glycemic impact — impact on blood glucose — of drinking large amounts of fruit juice that is detrimental to the healing process,” Cording said. Your body needs to quickly process a lot of sugar in the juice. As a result, you could experience high-energy spikes and crashes afterwards, leaving you feeling awful.
“There’s also the potential for digestive distress,” Cording added. For example, fruit juices that contain a lot of sugar can lead to diarrhea.
Finally, if you decide to drink pineapple juice, you could be putting your oral health at risk. Both sugar and acid can damage your teeth, causing cavities and weakened enamel (the hard part of your teeth).
That’s why it would be necessary to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth with water after drinking pineapple juice or similar drinks — no matter how much.
You can do things other than using pineapple juice because of its bromelain content to help with recovery. Consider doing the following:
- Drink liquids without using a straw.
- Avoid using tobacco products.
- Rest and avoid excessive physical activity after surgery.
- Take medication prescribed by an oral surgeon if you experience discomfort.
- Use a cold compress to help with swelling.
Gargling with salt water or hydrogen peroxide can also help with swelling, Alan added, noting that you shouldn’t swallow them. You may consider rinsing your mouth for a few days after surgery or as directed by the provider who completed the surgery.
The time it takes for the areas around the extracted tooth or teeth will vary for each person. However, contact a dentist or oral surgeon if you develop new symptoms or any of the following symptoms:
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Continued pain or excessive bleeding later after the procedure
- Cough
- Difficulty swallowing
- Signs of infections, such as fever or chills
- Pain caused by the blood clot falling out of the socket after the procedure
- Rash or hives
- Severe swelling at the extraction site or pus
Having your wisdom teeth removed is a common procedure that can cause pain, discomfort or swelling. Some people have suggested that drinking pineapple juice before wisdom tooth surgery can reduce swelling.
However, there is no concrete data to confirm that this treatment will be useful for anyone and everyone. So those willing to try it should be aware that there are risks—and that there are better ways to recover from wisdom tooth surgery.
