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We all love those hilarious, viral videos of moms driving their kids home from a wisdom tooth removal procedure. They are loopy off the laughing gas, mumbling ridiculous nonsense through their gauze-filled mouths. You may have even seen a few after-pictures of chipmunk-cheeked patients. Social media has given wisdom teeth removal an almost comical reputation, but it is a serious oral surgery, and even more intimidating if you are the one in the operating chair.
Wisdom teeth are called third molars, and according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, around 85% of wisdom teeth need to be removed. They usually develop in our late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth are extracted to prevent future or existing problems with your teeth. Here are a few ways that wisdom teeth can cause issues:
- They can crowd your other teeth, especially in the back with your other molars.
- Your wisdom teeth may break only part way through your gums, leaving a flap of gum tissue where food and germs can become trapped, leading to red, swollen and painful gums.
- If your jaw cannot accommodate the wisdom teeth coming through, they will be unable to break through the gum and can become impacted, which can cause infection, damage to other teeth and bone, or cause cysts.
Now that we know why wisdom teeth removal is so important, we want our patients to be aware of the best practices to follow in the two to four weeks it takes to recover from the surgery, and also what things to avoid:
After your Wisdom Teeth Removal, Do:
- Elevate your head and ice your face.
- Elevating your head on pillows will help reduce your swelling, as will icing your jaw for the first 24-48 hours. Switch to using a heat pack after the first 48 hours.
- Keep your mouth clean.
- Wait until the next day to rinse your mouth with saltwater at least 5-6 times a day, especially after meals. You can also begin brushing your teeth as well, but be sure to avoid the extraction sites.
- Bite down on gauze and tea bags.
- The pressure of biting down on the gauze will help the bleeding to stop. Tea has tannic acid which helps contract blood vessels to reduce bleeding, so try biting on moist tea bags for around 30 minutes.
- Watch your diet.
- Eat soft and liquid foods for the first few days, and slowly transition to more solid foods as you heal. Cold foods such as ice cream, yogurt, smoothies, or pudding would be great for the first few days. Make sure you are also staying hydrated by drinking lots of water.
- Take your medicine as prescribed.
- Take the medicines your doctor prescribes, and be sure not to skip a dose or it may be harder to soothe the pain later. Don’t take aspirin as this is a blood thinner and can prevent clot formation.
- Do jaw exercises.
- Painful as it may be, a day or two after the procedure, do some jaw exercises by slowly opening and closing your mouth.
After your Wisdom Teeth Removal, Don’t:
- Don’t use straws, and avoid rinsing too vigorously.
- These actions could dislodge any blood clots formed and could cause more pain, bleeding, and even a painful side effect known as dry socket where the clot is dislodged and underlying bone and nerves become exposed.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
- Avoid smoking or alcohol for at least the first 48 hours, but preferably for the first week.
- Avoid hard-to-chew foods.
- Leave out the hard or sharp foods like popcorn, chips, or pretzels for at least a week. Also avoid carbonated drinks and sodas during this time.
- Don’t poke at the socket.
- Don’t poke at the healing site with your tongue, finger, or any object. This could delay healing or cause bleeding and result in dry socket.
- Don’t blow your nose.
- For the first two weeks, gently wipe your nose without actually blowing.
We hope these lists of do’s and don’ts for recovering from a wisdom teeth removal help you heal faster and with minimal pain. If you ever have any concerns or specific questions regarding your recovery from this procedure, please do not hesitate to call our office. Do you have any fun foods or recipes that you have enjoyed when recovering from a past wisdom tooth extraction? Tell us about it in the comments!
Sources:
https://westrydedental.com.au/6-surprising-facts-about-wisdom-teeth/amp/
https://www.fidleronthetooth.com/blog/after-wisdom-teeth-removal/
https://www.mdcenteroms.com/wisdom-teeth-extractions-dos-donts/
https://www.oakforestfamilydental.com/wisdom-tooth-extraction-aftercare-dos-and-donts/