Do’s and Don’ts after Wisdom Tooth Removal

Wisdom teeth emerge in the late teens or early 20s. Sometimes wisdom teeth are worthy if your mouth is firm and they are correctly aligned. However, they are misaligned in most cases and need removal because they can cause tooth infections.

Wisdom teeth removal requires surgical dentistry and is a relatively standard procedure among teenagers and young adults. However, whenever you undergo any surgery, you must ensure you allow the surgical procedure to heal correctly and quickly. Therefore, it is incredibly essential for you to follow your dentist’s instructions after getting your wisdom teeth extracted.

The Wisdom Tooth Removal Procedure

As mentioned earlier, you require surgery from the dental clinic near me to remove the Wisdom tooth. You might express fear about the surgical procedure but can rest assured you will not experience intense discomfort during the process.

Dental extractions, whether for wisdom teeth or other teeth in your mouth, are always performed under anesthesia, ensuring you don’t have to endure pain during the removal. You might receive intravenous or sedation besides local anesthesia in your mouth to numb the tooth. The dentist makes incisions in your gums to expose the wisdom tooth and any surrounding bone and might even cut the tooth into pieces before extracting it.

You can expect to return home after you recover from the surgical process with a list of dos and don’ts as after-care instructions following the surgery. First, look at the measures dentists recommend to recover quickly without complications.

Dos

• Get Sufficient Rest: for a couple of days following wisdom tooth removal, get plenty of rest without confining yourself in bed.
• Keep Your Head Elevated: elevating your head by using extra pillows when lying down helps alleviate the swelling.
• Use Ice Packs: if you want to minimize discomfort and reduce swelling, using ice packs intermittently for 15 minutes on and off is helpful.
• Bite On the Cotton Gauze: The biting pressure will help stop the bleeding.
• Keep Your Mouth Clean: You can gargle with a saltwater rinse three to four times every day after 24 hours of the removal. You must avoid brushing near the extraction site for fear of dislodging the blood clot, resulting in a dry socket and needing treatment from the emergency dentist in Vancouver.
• Have Soft Foods: Do not consider having crunchy and hard foods following wisdom tooth extraction for a few days. Instead, consider foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, milkshakes, smoothies, et cetera.
• Eat From the Other Side of Your Mouth: It is vital that you don’t disturb the extraction site and allow yourself to heal. Therefore it helps if you eat from the other side of the mouth following wisdom tooth extraction surgery.
• Brush Gently: on the second day after wisdom tooth removal, you can brush your teeth by avoiding the extraction site.
• Take The Medications Prescribed: The dental clinic recommends pain relievers and antibiotics as part of your oral health treatment. Take the medications without skipping a dose because you might find it challenging to soothe the pain later.

Don’ts

• Stay Away from Hard Foods: You must avoid popcorn, potato chips and other crunchy foods for about a week after wisdom tooth removal. You must also refrain from having carbonated drinks, spicy foods, soda, et cetera, as they can irritate the extraction site.
• Avoid Using Straws: Do not smoke, consume alcohol, suck, or spit after wisdom tooth removal. Furthermore, avoid using straws for drinking liquids because the suction can dislodge the blood clot.
• Don’t Consider Taking Aspirin: Aspirin is a blood thinner that can potentially delay blood clot formation and is better avoided.
• Avoid Exercising or Strenuous Activity: Do not consider visiting the gym or lifting heavy objects because it might dislodge the blood clot.
• Do Not Rinse Vigorously: Rinsing your mouth strenuously also helps dislodge the blood clot and results in complications.
• Stop Ice Packs after 48 Hours: 48 hours after wisdom tooth extraction, you can use hot water instead of ice packs over your extraction site. The hot water will help soothe pain and promote healing.

If the bleeding does not subside after 24 hours and you experience severe pain and fever, visit your dentist for assistance. In addition, your situation might indicate an infection that needs attention from your dental healthcare provider.

The Art of Smile Dental Clinic emphasizes your safety and comfort, and their surgeons are experts in wisdom tooth removal. They use minimally invasive techniques to reduce post-surgery discomfort. If you must have a wisdom tooth extracted, kindly schedule an appointment with this practice for the removal.