Care Tips to Speed Post-Operative Recovery After Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Removing impacted teeth is a serious surgical operation. Post-care tips are very crucial. If you follow the instructions carefully, you can minimize unnecessary pain and complications from swelling and infection.

After a wisdom tooth extraction, our dentists at King and Weston Dental recommend that you do the following after your surgery:

• Minimize your activities
• Refrain from touching the surgical area
• Rinse your mouth softly
• Ice should be applied on the cheeks outside the surgery area
• The surgical gauze pad should be removed 30 minutes after surgery
• Prescribed painkillers should be taken as soon as you feel discomfort

You’ll recover with these aftercare tips below.

Bleeding

In most cases, you will experience slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva. A gauze pad is placed over the surgical area and bit for 30 minutes to avoid excessive bleeding.

Biting on a moistened tea bag for another 30 minutes is recommended if bleeding persists. The acid present in tea facilitates the formation of a clot by contracting blood vessels. You can also minimize bleeding by avoiding exercise, staying calm, and sitting upright.

Pain

For severe pain, take painkillers as prescribed. Prescription pain medications may make you feel groggy and slow down your reaction. Do not drive a car or work around a machine.

The discomfort after the operation is usually severe within 48 hours post-operation and gradually decreases every day thereafter. It’s always important to seek medical attention if pain worsens or persists. You should contact the Dentist’s office for further guidance.

Swelling

Swelling after any surgical operation is normal, including removal of wisdom teeth. The degree of swelling depends on the degree of surgery and each patient. Swelling of the chin, cheeks, under the eyes, and mouth is common.

The swelling usually reaches its maximum of 24 to 72 hours after the wisdom tooth extraction operation. Using ice packs immediately within the first 24 hours can reduce swelling.

In addition, sitting upright and minimizing activity on the first day will help reduce the amount of swelling. You may have been given anti-inflammatory drugs. It’s important to follow the prescription to avoid any complications.

Oral Hygiene

It would be best if you did not rinse your mouth on the day your wisdom tooth is extracted. On the second day, gently rinse with warm saline water after each meal. You can brush your teeth after the wisdom tooth is extracted or the day after tooth extraction, but be careful not to cause trauma to the surgical area.

Diet

If you had general anesthesia or intravenous sedation during your wisdom tooth extraction, you should take fluids at first. Then, your diet can gradually have solid foods that you can tolerate. Take adequate nutrients and fluids to prevent dehydration.

Avoid soft drinks, alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and foods that risk getting stuck in the extraction site. For example, don’t eat popcorn, nuts, and candy.

Be sure to avoid the following foods:

• Spicy foods- these foods can cause inflammation and irritation.
• Crunchy foods- such as potato chips or biscuits may break in your mouth, causing harm.
• Grains or seeds- these foods may get stuck at the extraction site, for instance, corn and beans.

Nausea

After anesthesia and IV sedation, you may feel vomiting. To avoid this, take medicine after meals. If possible, do not take medicine until nausea subsides. Hydrate with liquids. Sometimes, you may feel nauseous from taking prescription pain relievers, especially strong painkillers. Halt the medicine and see if nausea subsides. If nausea and vomiting persists, please call our office.

Discoloration and Bruising

After surgery, you may notice discoloration or bruises or around the surgical area. This is a normal post-operative phenomenon, and it will subside after a few days.

Jaw Tightness

After extraction, this is normal, and it will improve over time. You may require jaw exercises to help increase jaw opening.

Smoking

Smoking hinders healing and causes more pain after a wisdom tooth extraction. Refrain from smoking if you want to ensure the best recovery after surgery.

Reasons for Removing Wisdom Teeth

Your Dentist may recommend wisdom teeth extraction in Weston, Toronto, ON, due to:

• Wisdom teeth are usually located in the back of the mouth, where there is little room for growth. Lack of space leads to irregular growth; removing them prevents skewed growth.
• To treat an infection. Due to the location of wisdom teeth, it would be hard to treat a localized infection in the gums.
• To avoid overcrowding and damage to healthy teeth.