Having your wisdom teeth removed has become a part of growing up. We’ve all seen those hilarious videos of people after wisdom teeth removal. Remember Chaddy? There are several factors that determine whether or not a patient needs to have their wisdom teeth removed. If you are planning to have them removed, knowing how to care for your mouth afterward is very important.
You will probably walk away from surgery with a laundry list of things you need to do to help yourself recover. Thankfully, you will most likely not be alone, and the person with you will be responsible for remembering the instructions—and possibly holding the video camera. But hopefully, you are finding this information before your procedure, and it can help prepare you for what is coming after wisdom teeth removal.
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- Remember rest – The number one piece of advice is to rest. Don’t assume you will be up and around and having fun again within 24 hours. That will not be the case. Give yourself a few days to get back to normal, and make sure you have someone with you who can look after you, keep track of your meds, and help get you ice cream and pudding.
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- Ice, ice, baby – Use an ice pack on the outside of your cheeks to help reduce swelling during the first 24 hours. Keep it in place for 15-20 minutes, then take a break before you apply again. This can also help to relieve any pain from having your wisdom teeth taken out.
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- Drink lots of water – You will have to stay away from pretty much anything else during the first 24 hours after wisdom teeth removal. And stay away from using straws for at least a week after surgery, as sucking can cause the blood clots to dislodge from the sockets where your teeth were.
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- No brushing – As you may have noticed, the first 24 hours is a pretty critical time in your recovery. This may seem counterintuitive advice coming from the dentist, but don’t let a toothbrush near your mouth during the first 24 hours after surgery. That’s right—no brushing, flossing, rinsing, or spitting. After 24 hours, you can start brushing your teeth again.
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- Only soft foods – More on this later, but only eat soft foods for a little bit until your healing adequately progresses.
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- Saltwater – In order to help the healing process after wisdom teeth removal, you will need to rinse with warm salt water after meals, and ever couple of hours for a week post op. Of course, this is all (say it with us) after the first 24 hours. To make your own saltwater solution, mix 1 tsp. salt with 8 oz. of warm water
- Blood! – A little bit of bleeding is normal for a couple of days, but if you continue to bleed or there is a lot of blood more than 24 hours after wisdom teeth removal, you need to call the dentist or oral surgeon.
Doing your homework ahead of time, and having someone with you who can remember details is essential in good care after your surgery. You will be pretty out of it afterwards. Resting and taking it easy is so important. The biggest thing is not to do anything that might dislodge the clots in your teeth sockets so that they can heal well and you can get back to normal. Most people schedule their wisdom tooth removal surgery on a Thursday or Friday so that they can get back to work or school on Monday and have the weekend to rest. Consult with your dentist to find out if you need to have yours removed. They will be able to tell you if it’s something you need and could benefit from, and whether or not you need to have a referral to an oral surgeon, or if the procedure can be done right in your dentist’s office.