4 Tips For Recovering After Oral Surgery To Remove Wisdom Teeth

Dentist Blog

Wisdom teeth don't actually make you smarter, and in many cases they have to be removed because they become impacted, infected, or a person does not have enough room in their mouth for them to grow in. If your dentist has told you that you need to have your wisdom teeth removed, don't worry-- recovery from this type of oral surgery may include some pain and discomfort, but most people feel a lot better within a few days. Use the following tips to help with a smoother recovery after oral surgery to extract wisdom teeth:

Take Time Off

After having your wisdom teeth removed you may feel some discomfort and your oral surgeon will likely prescribe a pain killer to keep you comfortable. Surgery is typically done under sedation or general anesthesia in some case, so you may feel groggy and tired immediately after surgery. For these reasons, you should plan on taking some time off from school or work after you have your wisdom teeth removed. If possible, try scheduling your surgery early on a Friday so you will have the rest of that day and the weekend to take it easy and begin recovering.

Keep Discomfort to a Minimum

Wisdom tooth extraction can cause swelling, bleeding, and soreness of the jaws, which is why your oral surgeon will probably provide you with a prescription for a pain killer to use in the first few days after surgery. It is in your best interest to take the medication exactly as prescribed in order to keep pain and discomfort to a minimum. If you skip doses you may find that pain can come on fast, and then you will be stuck feeling uncomfortable while you wait for the pain killers to start working.

Avoid Dry Sockets

Dry sockets is a painful condition where the blood clots in the surgery incision sites fall out and expose the nerves below. Dealing with dry sockets can make your recovery after oral surgery much harder, so you will want to do your best to avoid them. You can help prevent dry sockets by not drinking through a straw, not smoking cigarettes if you're a smoker, and by avoiding foods that are hard or overly chewy.

Keep your Mouth Clean

After oral surgery to remove wisdom teeth, it is important to keep your mouth very clean to prevent infection to the incision sites. After any bleeding has subsided, you can resume brushing your teeth as long as you're gentle around the incision sites. Your oral surgeon may also recommend gargling with warm salt water, and using a syringe of water to wash away food debris from the incision sites after eating. Visit with a dental practice, such as Peak Family Dentistry & Orthodontics, for more information. 

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15 February 2016

Emergency Dental Care

The average dentist takes many client appointments each day and also deals with emergency situations on a regular basis. Dental emergencies are very common because people are likely to put off having tooth pain fixed until the pain becomes unbearable. Some people have anxiety about dental visits, and others are trying to avoid the expense of dental care. In either case, the end result is often a dental emergency. I have worked as a professional dental hygienist for many years and have seen all types of dental emergencies. I hope that this blog will help people identify potential emergencies before they become too serious and will allow people to know when to get help.