Wisdom tooth extraction is a major oral surgery that needs proper healing time and attention. Following the wisdom teeth removal aftercare tips listed below and any other instructions given by your dentist will minimize the recovery time after surgery. Along with that, they can soothe the pain and swelling due to wisdom teeth removal and prevent infections.
How Long Does It Take for Full Recovery from a Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Most of the time, it takes around 3-4 days to recover from wisdom tooth extraction fully, but the time varies from person to person. If you had impacted wisdom teeth, you could expect a whole week for successful healing. You can experience slight pain, bruising, and swelling following wisdom teeth removal that can last a day or two. For an accelerated recovery, follow the post-operative care tips from dental experts.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Aftercare Instructions
The dentists at Pearl Shine Dental recommend the following right after wisdom tooth extraction.
- Minimize your daily activities.
- Stop yourself from touching the surgery site
- Apply a cold pack to the cheeks from where the tooth is removed
- Get rid of the gauze half an hour after the extraction
- If you’re experiencing pain, take the prescribed medicine
Below are a few more wisdom teeth removal aftercare guidelines that can make your recovery more speedy and relaxed.
Minimize Bleeding By Placing A Gauze
Experiencing minor bleeding or red saliva after the surgery is a common thing. If the bleeding is too much, you can minimize and control it by placing a gauze pad over the extraction site for around 30-45 minutes.
However, if the bleeding doesn’t stop, moisten a tea bag and gently bite on it for 30 minutes. Placing tea bags in the tooth removal area is one of the best ways to minimize bleeding and pain. The magic happens because of tannic acid in the tea. The acid helps form a blood clot by tightening the vessels that are bleeding. If you’re still experiencing heavy bleeding, immediately call our office at 281-477-7200 and get a comfortable treatment.
Control The Pain And Discomfort With Pain Relievers
If you’re experiencing slight pain after the surgery, you can take pain relievers such as Motrin or Tylenol after every 3-4 hours. If the pain is unbearable, medication prescribed by your dentist will ease your condition. But if you see any rashes or other weird symptoms, stop taking the medicines. The ache and discomfort will alleviate with the passing days.
Are You Nauseated? STOP Eating
Some patients complain about nausea or vomiting, and if it’s the same with you, don’t eat or drink anything by mouth for 45-60 minutes after the removal. Later on, you can sip on green tea or ginger ale to give your mouth a fresher taste. When you no longer feel nausea, continue with the pain medication.
Do you have swelling around the mouth?
It’s not uncommon to see swelling on the eyes, cheeks, sides of the face, and around the mouth. This is a way your body reacts to surgeries and during the repair. Note that you may not get to see any swelling right after the surgery and will only be most prominent 2-3 days later.
How Long Does Swelling Last After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Three to four days or a week at most is the amount of time your mouth and other areas may remain swollen after the surgery.
To minimize the swelling and discomfort, apply an ice pack to the areas around the cheek. After 36 hours have passed to your surgery, you can also apply a little heat.
Keep An Eye On Your Diet
What you eat and drink after wisdom teeth removal is one of the essential aftercare guidelines. Ensure to keep your mouth and body hydrated and drink around 5-6 glasses of water or other liquids daily. Also, avoid using a straw and any sucking motion as it can dislocate the blood clot and may give you a dry socket.
For the first few days, only eat soft and easy to chew foods that are calorie and protein-rich. Skipping on meals isn’t a good idea and will only make you weaker. Continue eating to strengthen yourself, recover faster, and feel less pain and discomfort.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Gently brush your teeth after the tooth removal but avoid moving your brush around the empty tooth socket. On the next day, rinse your mouth at least 5-6 times and, most importantly, after meals. Slightly swishing your mouth with warm salt water will also help to keep it clean and free from germs.
Prevent Stitches/dry socket
The stitches on your wisdom teeth reduce the bleeding and help in healing. If they move from their place due to rigorous movement or any other factor, remove them without hesitation. Your oral surgeon will eventually remove the stitches a week after the extraction.
If the blood clot at the surgery site is dislocated, you may experience a painful condition – a dry socket. If the pain becomes unbearable, visit your dentist to find some comfort.
Other wisdom teeth removal complications
- Numbing of tongue, lip, or chin is another post-surgery you may experience, but it doesn’t last very long, so there’s not much to worry about.
- A slight fever after wisdom teeth removal is also common, and the aftercare instructions include taking ibuprofen or Tylenol. If the temperature elevates or persists for a few days, get help from our dentists.
- You may have to go through sore throat and pain when swallowing anything but the discomfort will go within a few days.
- You may have stiff jaw muscles, making it difficult to open the mouth. This is not something rare and will go away soon.
- Your lips may be dry and cracked.
Have more post wisdom tooth extraction questions?
If you have any questions about the aftercare of wisdom teeth removal or the healing process, contact our Houston dental office. We’ll be more than happy to answer your queries and guide you on the path to successful recovery.