Buzz
Most individuals experience the eruption of wisdom teeth between the ages of 17 and 24. However, in some cases, these teeth fail to break through the gum and may cause pain, swelling, or gum infections. Wisdom teeth can also affect neighboring teeth or damage the jawbone. If your wisdom tooth cannot emerge from the gum, a surgical removal may be necessary. With proper preparation and care, you can expect a swift recovery after the surgery.
Steps
Preparation before surgery
Schedule an appointment with your dentist or oral surgeon. Be sure to pick a date that allows you enough time to recover after the surgery. For instance, scheduling it on Thursday or Friday may give you the weekend to rest. If you're a woman on birth control, consider planning the surgery after your menstrual cycle to avoid the risk of dry socket.
- Menstrual cycles can impact nausea and vomiting after surgery. Women using birth control are more likely to experience nausea and vomiting between days 9-15 of their cycle.
Visit the grocery store the night before your surgery. Purchase soft foods such as apple sauce, chicken soup, yogurt, canned fruits, jelly, pudding, or cream cheese. After the procedure, avoid foods that require chewing, as well as anything that's too hot or cold to eat.
- It's best to avoid drinking alcohol, soda, coffee, or hot beverages in the first few days after surgery.
Prepare movies, games, and books. You may feel significant discomfort, so it's helpful to have various forms of entertainment to distract yourself from the pain. You'll need to rest and relax for a few days.
Have someone drive you to the hospital. After the surgery, you may not be able to walk steadily, so it's important to have a companion to take you home and help you with pain medications.
Post-Surgery Care
Keep the dressing on your wound for at least 30 minutes. Do not try to change the dressing yourself, as this could interfere with the clotting process. When you remove the first dressing, keep the wound clean and undisturbed. Avoid frequently spitting out blood, as the pressure changes in your mouth can prevent proper clotting. Instead, use a clean dressing to absorb the blood.
Use tea bags. If bleeding continues after 12 hours, stop biting down on the dressing and instead bite down on a damp tea bag. The tannins in the tea leaves aid in the clotting process, and for some individuals, caffeine helps improve blood circulation. This process helps platelet aggregation, which plays a role in clotting at the wound site, speeding up healing and recovery.
Rinse with salt water. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt in 240 ml of warm water. Hold the solution in your mouth gently for a while before slowly spitting it out into the sink. Avoid vigorous swishing or spitting forcefully, as this may dislodge the blood clot. Salt water will help speed up healing and reduce irritation.
- Be sure to rinse gently on the first day after surgery.
- Use salt water to clean your mouth within the first 24 hours after surgery. Wait until your doctor advises you to start brushing again (typically, it's safe to brush on the second day after surgery).
Use ice packs to reduce pain and swelling. You can apply an ice pack to your cheek to prevent swelling in the first 24 hours after surgery.
- From 24 to 72 hours, ice can still help alleviate pain but will no longer prevent swelling. If you don't have an ice pack, you can use a bag of frozen vegetables.
- After the appropriate time, apply heat to your cheek as instructed by your surgeon. Continued use of ice may cause swelling due to the body's natural response.
Elevate your head. Whether you're sleeping on the couch or in bed, use two or more pillows to raise your head. Keeping the area elevated will help reduce swelling.
Keep essential items within reach. You'll need water, gauze, pain relievers, and antibiotics nearby so you don't have to get up to retrieve them.
Avoid using straws to drink liquids. The suction created in your mouth can dislodge blood clots and slow down the healing process.
Steer clear of cigarettes and alcohol. Both of these can interfere with your recovery. You should wait at least 72 hours after surgery before using tobacco products (but the longer you wait, the better).
Manage your pain. You can take prescribed painkillers, or over-the-counter ibuprofen to help prevent pain, inflammation, and swelling. Avoid aspirin as it can increase bleeding and delay healing.
- Be sure to take pain medication right after leaving the hospital. Take it with a light meal to avoid nausea and vomiting. You may still feel numb due to the anesthesia, and think you don't need pain medication, but once the numbness wears off, you may experience significant discomfort.
- Avoid driving or operating machinery for at least 24 hours. Anesthesia and pain medication can make these activities hazardous.
- Consult your doctor if nausea or vomiting becomes severe. They may recommend a different pain medication that does not cause nausea.
Ask for help. Rely on your spouse, friends, or family to assist with your recovery. Ask them to answer phone calls, help with housework, bring meals, and support your comfort while your injury heals.
Advice
- Keep your lips moisturized as they will likely become very dry after the procedure.
- Stick to soft foods for a week following the surgery.
- Place a towel on your pillow when sleeping at night to prevent blood from staining the pillowcase.
- Continue brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue after surgery, but be gentle and avoid using mouthwash.
- Apply a cold bean bag compress to the painful area as it conforms well to the shape of your face.
- Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to take your medication at the correct times.
- Use olive oil to rinse your mouth. It helps dissolve plaque that may build up since you need to brush more gently than usual.
- Baby food can be a good alternative. Don’t forget to season it to your liking!
- Local anesthetics (injections) typically don’t affect your senses as much as general anesthesia. Ask your dentist about different options and their potential side effects.
- Use antibacterial mouthwash to help prevent infection!
- Avoid hard or crunchy foods (like chips or cereals) and spicy foods for at least a week. These foods can irritate your wounds. Hard foods could also cause injury, so steer clear of them for the duration of the restriction on crunchy and spicy foods.
- Try to avoid foods that can get stuck between your teeth, such as apples and corn. These may lodge in the spaces where teeth were extracted and lead to complications or infections.
Warning
- Contact your dentist or surgeon if you continue to experience bleeding after 24 hours, if you experience severe pain or difficulty opening your mouth, if adjacent teeth have damaged crowns, bridges, or roots, if you develop a dry socket, or if your mouth and lips remain numb more than 24 hours after surgery.
- Make sure to take any prescribed antibiotics if you have a weakened immune system or difficulty fighting off infections. Consider taking antibiotics if you have a heart valve replacement or congenital heart defects.
Things You'll Need
- Soft, easy-to-eat foods
- Movies, games, and books
- Gauze
- Tea bags
- Salt
- Water
- Ice packs
- Heating pads
- Pillow
- Pain relief medication
