19OctOctober 19, 2016 Blue Tooth Dental2021-07-13T18:28:41+10:00 Did you know that about 5 million people in Australia have wisdom tooth extraction each year? Over 85% of people undergo wisdom tooth removal during their lifetimes. If you ask anyone who has experienced this procedure, they will most likely tell you about their recovery, rather than the actual surgery. Have you got your wisdom tooth extraction procedure coming up? Keep reading this article for 6 handy tips for to help you speed through your recovery. I’m getting my wisdom teeth removed soon – what should I expect in recovery? Your wisdom teeth are your last molars, usually developing by the time you turn 17. If your wisdom teeth don’t grow out well, it may result in misaligned teeth, cysts around the gums, infection, neighbouring tooth damage, and other related issues. If your dentist has recommended wisdom tooth removal because of one of these issues, you may be interested in learning more about extractions and post-operative care. Although it doesn’t take long to remove the wisdom teeth, the recovery process is gradual and can take up to a week. Your recovery time can be influenced by many factors, such as age and the growth of the wisdom teeth. If the tooth was severely impacted and required the cutting of tissue and bone, the healing process might take longer. The good news is that you’ll be well on your way to recovery if you keep our tips in mind!
If you are prescribed a course of oral painkillers, you should take them promptly so that you don’t feel a lot of discomfort after local anaesthesia wears off. Soon after the surgery takes place, the dentist will place a piece of gauze over the affected site to prevent bleeding.
Remove this gauze when you have to (the dentist will tell you when) and make sure you follow a strict oral hygiene routine so that there remains little to no bacteria in your mouth.
Tip #2 – Watch What You Eat and Drink
You might not be able to open your mouth freely in the days that follow the surgery so liquid or soft foods is recommended.
It is important to stay on a soft food diet during recovery so that you don’t aggravate the affected site. Make sure you avoid chewing for the first few days to ensure you are giving yourself the best chances of recovering quickly.
Take care to keep your stomach full as pain killers can make you feel nauseous at times. Also, stay away from hot foods, refrain from smoking and make sure you don’t use a straw.
Tip #3 – Rinse Away
This one can’t be stressed enough. To reduce the risk of infection and speed up healing, you must rinse your mouth with salt water at least 4 times a day.
Watch Out! – Be careful to avoid any sort of rinsing in the first 24 hours as it may dislodge the blood clot and delay the healing process.
Tip #4 – Use a Cold Compress
If the pain or discomfort increases after the surgery, use an ice pack on your cheeks to soothe the area. The cold temperature may also numb your pain so don’t forget to keep ice packs around before you go in for surgery.
Tip #5 – Keep Your Head Elevated
If you can remember to, try and keep your head in an elevated position when you sleep for the first few days following the procedure. Use pillows or rests to help you get comfortable ensuring your head and shoulders are as close to a 45-degree angle as possible.
Tip #6 – Don’t Forget to Rest
Despite wisdom tooth removal being a minor procedure, your body still needs time to recover. As much as possible, you need to avoid anything that may cause interruptions to your mouth during recovery, including loud talking and chewing.
There are certain behaviours or actions that should be avoided following the procedure to ensure you are not disturbing the healing site.
Avoid these actions if possible:
- Smoking for at least 72 hours (or longer)
- Physical exertion for the first 24 hours
- Eating or drinking hot liquids
- Drinking alcohol
- Drinking through a straw
- Excessive spitting or rinsing
- Blowing your nose
Generally speaking, most people take up to a week off work to recover from wisdom tooth extraction. The recovery timeframe looks different for everybody, but you should be able to return to normal activities within 7 days.
Pain, swelling, and slight bleeding are normal in the first few days after surgery. However, here are symptoms that are considered not ‘normal’ during the recovery process:
What’s NOT Normal During Wisdom Teeth Recovery:
- Excessive Bleeding – When bleeding doesn’t stop even when you hold gauze over it.
- Discomfort – When you can’t control or manage the discomfort with medications or other methods, you may want to reach out to your dentist for their professional opinion.
- Extreme Sickness – For example, fever, yellow or white discharge from the extraction site, and continuing pain and swelling may indicate an infection.
- Tingling or Numbness – If there are any tingling sensations around your tooth socket, bring that up with your doctor or surgeon.
- Extreme Swelling – When the swelling of the tooth socket gets worse over time instead of returning to normal.
- Swallowing or Breathing Issues
If you are experiencing these symptoms post-surgery, it would be wise to give your doctor a call to discuss your symptoms and to book a follow-up appointment.
Now you’ve read our wisdom tooth extraction recovery tips, hopefully, they will help in speeding up the healing process and prevent infection from occurring.
Blue Tooth Dental offers professional wisdom tooth removal in Enmore. We also do dental implants, root canals, crowns, and dental fillings. Our experienced visiting dental surgeon performs wisdom tooth extractions on-site and takes care of all your oral health needs. Dr. Briggs administers IV sedation for patients who would prefer or are recommended to be sleeping during the surgery. We also specialise in children’s dentistry and creating customised mouth guards for younger patients.
Our team is committed to offering you professional dental care in Enmore at affordable prices. We service the Sydney area including Enmore, Newtown, and Marrickville – you are more than welcome to drop by our clinic to discuss any concerns.
We promise to deliver the best dental care in Enmore by offering you package deals and limited-time offers. Please visit us online to book an appointment or call us on 02 9519 2691.
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