How to take care of your wisdom teeth stitches

wisdom teeth stitchesHaving your wisdom teeth extracted can be painful and discomforting. There are several things that you can expect to experience after the surgery such as swelling and pain in the gums and the tooth socket from where the tooth was taken, bleeding that may last for more or less 24 hours, not to mention the numbness all over your mouth and lips as soon as the anesthesia wears off. After the surgery, there would be wisdom teeth stitches that will need to be taken care of.

Types of wisdom teeth stitches

Absorbable or dissolvable stitches – As the name indicates, this type of sutures dissolve or break down in the mouth as time goes by.

Traditional or non-absorbable stitches – These would require a follow-up visit with the dentist so it can be removed manually. With this in mind, a patient who is having a wisdom tooth extracted should make it a note to ask which kind of sutures the dentist would use for that particular surgery. It is also important to ask if a follow-up appointment would be necessary or not. Although a tooth extraction is just a normal procedure that any dental surgeon encounters every day, there might still be risks and infections that can occur that is why it is essential to know the after-care procedures after it.

How to take care of your wisdom teeth stitches?

Below are some steps you can take to protect your stitches. These can also help in preventing infection and other risks associated with it:

  • Biting gently on a gauze pad can help form a clot on your gums to prevent too much bleeding. If you are still experiencing bleeding after 24 hours, call your dental surgeon immediately.
  • Place an ice pack on the outside of your mouth or cheek for the first 24 hours. On the second up to the third day, a warm compress may be used to reduce the swelling of your jaw.
  • Take a rest. Involving yourself to physical activities may cause bleeding or worst, wisdom teeth stitches rupture.
  • After 24 hours, you can gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water to reduce the swelling and help the stitches dissolve faster.
  • Avoid eating solid food within the first day. Using straw when drinking is also not allowed, as this may open up the stitches which will result to delay healing or dissolving.
  • Smoking should also be avoided at least within the first 24 hours. Aside from the germs and contaminants that it will bring to the mouth, it can also delay the healing of the stitches.

If you notice or experience that the swelling is not getting any better, call or visit your dental surgeon as soon as possible. You should also observe yourself if you are still having continuous bleeding on the surgery area. Some warning signs to watch out for would be chills, redness, fever and difficulty swallowing even after one to two days. It is important to pay attention to this signs, as these may lead into infections or even rare cases of serious complications.

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Filed under: Wisdom teeth removal

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