What to Do After Removing Your Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth removal can seem like a scary procedure for a lot of people, often times it’s their first time having to get proper oral surgery. But there’s little to fear when it comes to wisdom teeth as removing them is one of the most common procedures a dentist will do through their career. To help ease your nerves about things, Maddison Ave Dental is here to provide you with some key points and information about everything you’ll need to know when it comes to wisdom teeth removal recovery.

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Immediately After Surgery

  • After the procedure, your dentist will often place a gauze pad over the surgical area where the tooth was removed. This gauze pad should be kept in place for about half an hour and then the used gauze should be removed and discarded.
  • Any amount of vigorous mouth rinsing such as using mouthwash or touching the wound area directly should be heavily avoided following the surgery. Any unnecessary aggravation or contact to the surgical area may initiate bleeding by causing the blood to clot which could eventually lead to a dislodged or weakened area.
  • Your dentist will prescribe pain medications following the procedure which you should take as you begin to feel discomfort. This will usually coincide with the local anesthetic used during wisdom tooth removal becoming diminished.
  • Plan the day of and after the oral surgery to restrict your activities to the bare minimum, only resuming normal activity when you feel comfortable. You should also plan to have someone else drive you to and from the dental office as you should avoid operating a vehicle even under the lingering effects of local and general anesthesia.
  • If you discomfort and want to avoid swelling, place ice packs to the sides of your face where surgery was performed. Refer to the section on swelling for explanation.

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Common Problems

  • Bleeding
    • Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not uncommon after a wisdom tooth removal surgery. Any excessive or slightly abnormal bleeding may be controlled by first rinsing or wiping any old blood clots from your mouth, then placing a fresh gauze pad over the area and biting firmly for to ten to thirty minutes. Repeat if necessary. If you experience further bleeding after repeated attempts to clot the blood, bite on a moistened tea bag for thirty minutes. The tannic acid in the tea bag will help to form a clot by causing contracting in the bleeding vessels. To minimize further bleeding after clotting, do not become excited or highly active, sit upright for as long as you can, and avoid committing to any physical straining tasks such as lifting heavy objects or exercising.
  • Swelling
    • Swelling is another common effect after wisdom tooth removal that may occur either shortly after the procedure or a few days afterword, usually reaching its maximum within 2-3 days post-operatively. Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes and sides of the face may occur and is not uncommon. This is the body’s normal reaction to surgery and part of the natural repair process. However, the swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs. The ice packs, or similar products such as baggies filled with ice, should be placed and applied to the sides of the face where surgery was performed. The ice packs should be left on continuously while you are awake. After 36 hours, ice will have little to no beneficial effects for swelling. If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction post-operatively to surgery. Thirty-six hours following surgery, the application of moist heat via warm towels to the sides of the face is beneficial in reducing the size of the swelling as this will relax the swelled areas.
  • Discoloration
    • In some cases, patients may see discoloration in their skin in areas of swelling. The development of black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration is due to blood spreading beneath the tissues. This is a normal post-operative occurrence, which may occur 2-3 days post-operatively. Moist heat applied to the area may speed up the removal of the discoloration.
  • Pain
    • As mentioned before, if you begin to feel any discomfort or signs of severe pain, take the prescribed pain medication tablets that your dentist provides as directed. The prescribed pain medicine might make you feel groggy and will slow down your reflexes, so avoid handling machinery while you recover. Do not drive any automobile, work around heavy machinery, or commit to takes that requires motor-skills you would be otherwise used to. Avoid any alcoholic beverages while using your pain medication. Pain or discomfort following surgery is usually at its worst 24 to 48 hours after surgery, after that it should subside more and more every day. If pain persists or worsens, it may require attention and you should contact your dentist or local dental office for further instruction.
  • Nausea and Vomiting
    • If you experience any feeling of nausea and/or vomiting following surgery, do not take anything by mouth for at least an hour including any prescribed pain medication. Keep to only drinking on coke, tea, or ginger ale to ease any feelings of nausea. You should sip slowly over a fifteen to thirty-minute period to avoid. When the nausea subsides you can begin taking solid foods and the prescribed medicine once more.

More Information on Wisdom Tooth Removal in North Las Vegas

When it comes to dental information, you will find no better source among North Las Vegas dentists than Maddison Ave Dental. Discuss any pain you may be suffering from your wisdom teeth today with a trained dental surgery professional by calling (702) 735-9500 or booking a dental surgery appointment with Maddison Ave Dental by visiting our appointment booking page.