Wisdom Teeth Removal Aftercare
Congratulations on having your wisdom teeth removed. Great job! Now here are a some things to consider. Often the recovery from wisdom teeth removal is smooth as long as you follow after care instructions. If you had sedation for wisdom teeth removal, you may experience nausea or vomiting for that day. Later that day, the sedation should be out of your system. If nausea and vomiting persist, contact your dentist for advice. Sometimes an anti-nausea medication might be recommended.
Now that the wisdom teeth are out, what do I do now?
THE FIRST HOUR : Bite down gently but firmly on the gauze packs that have been placed over the extraction areas, making sure they remain in place. Do not change them for the first hour unless the bleeding is not controlled. The packs may be gently removed after one hour. If active bleeding persists, place enough new gauze to obtain pressure over the extraction site for another 30 minutes.
AFTER CARE : Do not disturb the areas where the teeth were removed. Do NOT rinse vigorously or probe the extraction ares with any objects. You may brush your teeth gently. PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE for at least 1 week, since this is very detrimental to healing and may cause a dry socket.
OOZING: Intermittent bleeding or oozing overnight is normal. Bleeding may be controlled by placing fresh gauze over the areas and biting on the gauze for 30-45 minutes at a time.
PERSISTENT BLEEDING : Bleeding should never be severe. If so, it usually means that the packs are being clenched between teeth only and are not exerting pressure on the extraction areas. Try repositioning the packs. If bleeding persists or becomes heavy you may substitute a tea bag (soaked in very hot water, squeezed damp-dry and wrapped in a moist gauze) for 20 or 30 minutes. If bleeding remains uncontrolled, please call your dentist or oral surgeon’s office.
SWELLING : It can be minimized by using a cold pack, ice bag or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel and applied firmly to the cheek adjacent to the extraction area.
Apply cold compresses to your face for the first 24 hours – Ice (in a freezer bag) or a cold pack can be applied to your cheeks for comfort and to help minimize swelling that peaks over the first 3 to 4 days
Avoid spitting for 1 week – Spitting can restart bleeding and lead to pain at the surgical site. If you feel the urge to spit (i.e. after brushing your teeth), take a sip of water and gently rinse your mouth and then let the water gently FALL out of your mouth into the sink.
Avoid using a straw for 1 week – Just like spitting, using a straw can restart bleeding and lead to painful at the surgical site (dry socket). If you want to have a Smoothie or milkshake after surgery, eat it with a spoon or drink it out of a cup, but avoid straws.
Avoid smoking for at least 1 week – Nicotine decreases blood flow to the healing surgical site, and smoke irritates the surgical site. Smoking can result in delayed healing and severe pain.
Diet – Day 1 – start with clear liquids like water, apple juice or Gatorade. If these liquids are tolerated well, then the diet can be advanced to smoothies, milkshakes, protein shakes, ice cream, jello, or other nutritious cool liquids for the first 24 hours. For the rest of Week 1, have a soft diet (i.e. mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, macaroni). Avoid spicy or hot foods (i.e. allow a hot soup or hot coffee to cool down to room temperature) to avoid pain and bleeding. NOTE: Patients with diabetes must stay on an ADA diet that is approved by their primary care physician.
Oral Hygiene – Brush your teeth gently with a soft bristle toothbrush. Avoid flossing around the surgical site. Rinse gently with an alcohol-free mouth rinse and then let the mouth rinse gently fall out of your mouth into the sink. Alcohol-free mouth rinses can be found over-the-counter at any pharmacy.
Activity – Frequent rest is important after surgery. Do not exercise for 1 week after surgery, as exercise can cause painful throbbing or bleeding where the teeth were removed.
For more information visit www.oralsurgicalarts.com or contact our office at (352) 243-5599. Dr. Ronald Achong is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon that specializes in the removal of teeth including wisdom teeth. Serving the Orlando and Clermont areas.
