Does pineapple juice reduce swelling after wisdom teeth removal

About the author: Dr David Chen, DDS

Hello, I'm Dr Chen and I'm an actively practicing dentist in Long Island City, NY. I graduated from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in 2016 but prior to going to dental school I was already working in the dental field. It's been more than a decade since I first got to know dentistry and let me tell you, time flies by quickly. Since then I've developed a fondness for writing, which is how this all got started!

Association Memberships:

American Dental Association
New York State Dental Association
Queens Count Dental Society

Medical Disclaimer:

This blog is purely meant for information purposes and should not be used as medical advice. Each situation in your mouth is unique and complex. It is not possible to give advice nor diagnose any oral conditions based on text nor virtual consultations. The best thing to do is to go in person to see your dentist for an examination and consultation so that you can receive the best care possible.

The purpose of all of this oral health information is to encourage you to see your dentist and to inform you of what you may expect during your visit. Due to the unfortunate nature of dentistry, there isn't really any true home remedies that will get rid of dental problems. Roughly 99.99% of them require in-person intervention by a healthcare professional.

Hint: That is the reason why you can't eliminate seeing dentists in your life!

How do you separate the myths from the facts with all the online trends on extracting wisdom teeth? Read on!

Getting your wisdom teeth extracted is a necessary rite of passage for many people. It’s not “like pulling teeth”–it is actually removing the tooth. According to some TikTok vloggers, drinking pineapple juice may speed up the healing process. Is there any truth to this trend?

What are the myths of this TikTok trend?

People are posting videos on TikTok about drinking an excessive amount of pineapple juice before surgery in hopes that it will reduce pain and inflammation. One person, @valeriagreenz, said she drank 64 ounces, or half a gallon, of pineapple juice before her wisdom tooth removal surgery. She posted photos the next day to show that she was looking and feeling completely normal. Another TikTokker, Mackenzie Fuhrman, reported that she had “zero pain” and “minimal swelling” right after surgery.

What are the facts of this TikTok trend?

The good: pineapple juice contains Vitamin C and enzyme called bromelain, both of these have anti-inflammatory properties. There have been small studies on the effect of bromelain supplements taken post-surgery and appeared to help with pain and swelling in 28 of the 40 people in the study.

The bad: there is a lot of sugar and acid in pineapple juice. If you drink 64 ounces in one sitting, you might experience nausea, gas, bloating, stomachache, heart burn and diarrhea. The excessive sugar can cause energy spikes and crashes. In addition, there could be damage to the tooth enamel.

The bottomline and real tips

While the TikTok videos are entertaining, there is limited scientific information at this point to make it conclusive. The reality is different factors, such as age, the health of your teeth or other health conditions, can affect how a person recovers after surgery. Here are some general tips:

Take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like aspirin to help reduce swelling after your surgery.
Put ice on the side of your face can also help with the swelling and pain.
Rinse with salt water or hydrogen peroxide can also keep the wound clean and speed up the healing.
Follow your oral surgeon’s instructions as they will be specific to your case.