The Importance of Patient Delivered After-Care after Wisdom Teeth Removal

After Wisdom Teeth RemovalThe removal of wisdom teeth is a surgical procedure which demands care just as much as any other. So, after wisdom teeth removal the way that you look after yourself is very important.

Do heed the instructions given by your dentist or oral surgeon to avoid unnecessary pain and the complications of infection, as far as possible. That way any additional swelling can be minimized if the instructions given by your dentist are followed carefully.

Always remember that how quickly you heal depends on the extent of the work, and being sensible about when and what types of food you eat after the surgery. Usually, your oral surgeon will give you instructions on what to eat (for example nothing you need to chew) so take care to apply them, and to explain your need to those around you, lest they prepare food after wisdom teeth for you which you cannot eat.

Common Precautions to Take After Teeth Removal

The dentist will usually send you home with a prescription for a strong painkiller and possibly also a course of antibiotics. Do remember to actually take both if they are prescribed!

If the pain still troubles you when you get home, get relief from ice packs and put them on your cheeks to help reduce pain and swelling. Also, be careful to keep the area where they extracted the wisdom teeth clean to avoid infection.

In almost all cases your dentist will tell you to wash out your mouth with a saline solution at regular intervals.

Most people say that the discomfort will diminish daily, and that you’ll feel well again in about a week.

In rare occasions, you can get a condition called a “dry socket”, which the surgeon would need to see before diagnosis and treatment. If you get an infection and the pain persists, after wisdom teeth removal, you may need to see your doctor and he may prescribe antibiotics.

I had both my top and lower wisdom teeth removed recently. I took the day off work, and took medication. I only ate soft foods. I called my dentist again after 48 hours to find out whether exercising would be likely to cause me any harm. I would normally go running and do my body building workout.

He asked me a few questions about how I was feeling. In my case the view I was given was that non-violent exercise would be fine. However, I would just want to be careful that not to get so involved in my training that I might create a strong suction in my mouth while exercising, for obvious reasons. I would also add you don’t want to forget about things and start sucking from any water bottles too soon!

Concern about Swelling after Wisdom Teeth Removal

Quite often people feel self-conscious about going out in public when some swelling may remain. They worry that they won’t look normal. This is natural, and you should recognize that the swelling almost always seems worse to you than it will to others, that’s because you can feel that the inside of your mouth is still quite swollen.

All that can be suggested for this is to keep using an ice pack/ ice cold water for a little longer initially. If it has been over 24 hours since your teeth were removed, you should not apply a cold pack, but instead a warm and moist cloth to the area for about 20 minutes. Then wait for 20 minutes before repeating. Do this for as long as you feel it is needed. You may ask what good that will do. It is said that the warmth opens up your blood-vessels more which allows the fluids causing the swelling to be more quickly dissipated into your bloodstream and the “puffiness” goes.

Other Things to Take Care About

These are things that your dentist may not tell you as they are fairly much “common sense” such as:

  • Be sure to allow your jaw plenty of rest
  • Don’t talk too much!
  • And, as we said earlier – don’t chew anything at all for several days, and take it easy when you do start.

We hope that these suggestions will assist you, but if you have questions about your progress, you should consult your dentist’s office. Usually there is also a 24-hour answering service available for after hours contact with a doctor, if you need it.

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Filed under: Wisdom teeth removal

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