Removing wisdom teeth is a serious surgical procedure. Following the post-operative care tips listed below can minimize recovery time from wisdom tooth extraction. In addition, they can reduce unnecessary pain and swelling and help you avoid complications in removing wisdom teeth, such as infections.
After wisdom tooth extraction, Now Care Dental’s experienced dentists recommend the following on the day of your surgery:
Here are some additional follow-up instructions for wisdom tooth removal that can make your recovery more comfortable.
Light bleeding, dripping or redness in the saliva is not uncommon. Excessive bleeding can be controlled by placing a gauze pad over the surgical area and biting it firmly for 30 minutes.
If the bleeding continues, bite into a moist tea bag for another 30 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea bag helps to form a clot, compressing the blood vessels. You can also minimize bleeding by staying calm, sitting upright and preventing movement.
If you experience moderate pain, take Tylenol, extra strong Tylenol or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) every three to four hours. If the pain is severe, take the prescribed painkiller as instructed. Stop taking if you develop a rash or have other side effects. Painkillers can make you dizzy, so get up gradually. The pain or discomfort after surgery should subside each day.
If you experience nausea and / or vomiting, do not take anything by mouth for at least an hour after the operation. Then take a sip of cola, tea or ginger ale slowly. As soon as the nausea is gone, you can start taking the prescribed medication.
There may be swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes and sides of the face. This is the body’s normal response to surgery and any repairs. The swelling does not appear until the day after the operation and only reaches a maximum of two to three days after the operation.
Apply ice to relieve swelling. Switch to moist heat thirty-six hours after surgery. In some cases, black, blue, green or yellow discoloration occurs as the blood spreads under the tissues – this is the normal, moist heat that helps.
Drink plenty of fluids – at least five to six glasses a day. Do not use straws, as the suction movement can remove the blood clot from the surgery site. We recommend eating soft foods that are high in calories and protein. Try not to miss any meals. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if you continue to eat.
You can brush your teeth on the night of the operation, but rinse gently and be careful at the surgery site. The day after wisdom teeth are removed, you should start to rinse at least five to six times a day, especially after meals. We recommend keeping your mouth clean with a salt water rinse or toothbrush.
Wisdom tooth points minimize bleeding and promote wisdom tooth healing. Sometimes the stitches can come off – don’t worry, just throw them away. The stitches are removed about a week after the operation.
After any type of surgery, you need time to heal and recover. The restoration of wisdom teeth is no exception. Summit Facial oral surgeons take your comfort seriously and strive to put you on your feet as quickly as possible. However, without proper care and rest, you not only prolong the healing process, but you also run the risk of further complications. To ensure quick recovery, refer to this wisdom tooth care aftercare guide.
After finishing the operation, you need to keep the wound covered with gauze for 30 minutes. If bleeding persists after removing the gauze, replace it with a new one and let it sit for another 30 minutes or until the bleeding subsides. Avoid rinsing, spitting or cleaning, as this can make the wound worse or tear the sutures. If you have received a prescription for pain reliever, take it as instructed and get enough rest. Limit your activity until you feel rested.
To avoid complications like dry escape or infection, stay away from solid foods until the wound has healed sufficiently. As you recover, you can slowly reintroduce solid foods into your diet. If you experience additional discomfort when eating, give the wound more time to heal. It is also important not to use straws. Suction actions can reopen the wound and cause possible infection. In the days immediately following wisdom teeth removal, choose soft or liquid foods (purees, smoothies, jams) and drink straight from a glass.
You can expect mild to moderate pain or discomfort in the days after the operation. For most patients, over-the-counter Tylenol or Advil over-the-counter will be effective enough to relieve pain. To reduce swelling, be sure to put ice frequently on the affected area for the first 48 hours. Apply and remove the ice in 20 minute increments. Eventually, it is common for the wound to bleed for a day or two until it clots completely. If moderate bleeding persists, rinse your mouth to remove any clots and then apply a tight gauze pad for 30 minutes. To help clot, chew a tea bag to release tannic acid, a natural coagulant.
It is important to maintain good oral hygiene practices when recovering wisdom teeth removal. You can continue brushing the same day as the operation, but be careful with the seams. Avoid cleaning and spitting during rinsing. The day after the surgery, you should gently wash your mouth with warm water and salt five to six times a day to keep the wound clean.
Your oral health is too important to be left out. As always, ask your doctor before starting treatment. Request an appointment at Summit Facial today for more information on wisdom teeth removal, wisdom teeth monitoring, or planning an exam.
If you’ve never done an extraction before, the prospect of removing wisdom teeth can be daunting. Knowing what to expect and what to do during wisdom teeth restoration can help to demystify the process. Unfortunately, the information you receive from well-meaning family and friends can be conflicting or confusing. Below is a reference guide to help you solve some of the main common problems after surgery. However, your primary source of information about the recovery process should be the oral surgeon.
This can vary depending on the patient and the procedure used to remove the tooth. For example, if wisdom teeth have already exploded or are close to the surface, the recovery time may be shorter. However, if they were reached below the gum line, it may take more time for you to recover from the surgery.
The way you follow your surgeon’s follow-up instructions for wisdom teeth removal can also affect the duration of your recovery. Infections and other complications may take longer to recover, but following your post-operative protocol will reduce the risk of developing them.
On average, the recovery process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The procedure can be characterized by side effects of swelling, bruising and pain, and recovery can be divided into phases based on when they are most likely to decrease:
During the first few days after wisdom teeth removal, you are more susceptible to certain complications. The first is bleeding from loose stitches and the second is a dry pan that loosens the blood clot or crust that forms on the surgical wound, exposing the bone. To avoid these potentially serious complications, your dental hygiene routines will need to be changed temporarily.
Dentists disagree about the need to brush your teeth in the first 24 hours after wisdom tooth extraction. Some say it’s okay, as long as you keep your toothbrush away from the surgical sites. Others recommend that you avoid brushing in the first 24 hours after surgery. However, everyone agrees that brushing should be resumed on the second postoperative day, being very careful with the surgical sites. The same goes for floss.
Regardless of whether you choose to brush or not in the first 24 hours after surgery, you should not rinse your mouth. The day after the operation, you can rinse your mouth with warm salted water, but do not clean or spit for a few days afterwards.
It is important that you stay hydrated after surgery. Even when you’re not in the mood to eat, a sip of cold coconut water can help fill you up, keep your electrolytes in balance, and numb the pain in your mouth.
You should avoid solid foods for at least a few days after surgery. Instead, choose soft foods that don’t require you to chew a lot. Good examples of wisdom tooth removal foods include the following:
Fruit smoothies are another great option, but drink straight from the glass instead of drinking through the straw. The suction movement can loosen blood spots or blood clots. If you choose hot foods, such as mashed potatoes or soup, make sure they are not so hot that they can burn your mouth at the surgery site.
Gradually incorporate solid foods back into your diet. Even so, watch out for seeds or nuts that can get into the holes that wisdom teeth have made and get stuck there. The WHO Summit is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. We have been offering excellent service for over 30 years. Please contact us if you have any questions or to make an appointment.
If you are looking for “wisdom tooth extraction near me”, you have come to the right place at Summit Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. We are a leading practice in oral and maxillofacial surgery, specializing in wisdom tooth extraction, with units in Warren, Grosse Pointe, Rochester, Clinton Township and Romeo / Washington, Michigan. Our dentists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of facial and dental injuries, as well as in various cosmetic procedures. We want to be one of the best in Warren’s oral surgery and all of our oral surgeons have dental, surgical and anesthetic training. From caring for wisdom tooth extraction to BOTOX injections, our office hopes to become your first oral surgery practice.