Pineapple juice and slices of fresh pineapple. (Photo by: Anjelika Gretskaia/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Health - Wellness
Can Drinking Pineapple Juice Help With Wisdom Teeth Surgery?
By NICOLE LAMARCO
Social media can be a channel for discovery. Examples of this are posts where two Tiktokers discovered how drinking pineapple juice before their wisdom teeth surgery helped with the swelling, but is there any scientific proof of such discovery?
Pineapple stem and juice contain bromelain, a group of enzymes that can help reduce pain and swelling, including after dental surgery. A small 2018 study published in the Journal of Dentistry in Tehran tested the effect of bromelain on patients, who underwent gingival grafting, and researchers found that bromelain can effectively reduce pain and may even aid in healing.
Although more research is needed to prove whether bromelain can effectively and fully treat pain and soreness, it does not mean drinking pineapple juice should be avoided before or after surgery. Drinking it before the fasting window, the day before surgery, and a few days after could help reduce pain and swelling but be sure to follow the surgeon’s instructions.