Wisdom Teeth Removal: 4 Aftercare Tips You Should Do

What should you expect after your wisdom teeth removal? You might already have anticipated recovery time after your dental treatment. After all, it’s just like when you also had your first tooth extraction. 

You may experience the following after the procedure:

• Mild bruising on your cheek
• Swollen cheeks and lips
• Numbness on the face, especially on the lips and tongue
• Stiff, sore or painful jaw
• An unpleasant taste in your mouth

Since tooth removal involves surgery, your dentist will apply anesthesia initially before performing the procedure. As the sedation wears off, you will regain your total consciousness and be sent home. This is why you need a companion after having tooth removal. 

Wisdom teeth removal aftercare at home

At home, you can do these four things to help with your recovery: 

Avoid activities that exert effort

When you just had your tooth removed, remember not to do these things after your surgery:

• Doing exercise, even just for a 15-minute jog
• Lifting heavy objects
• Spitting often
• Smoking
• Use straw as you take beverages

Strenuous activities make you exert force and effort, which pumps your blood more. This might lead to excessive bleeding from your wound.

Pain management

Typically, you’ll notice swelling around the affected site. The best remedy is to apply an ice pack on your cheek until you find relief. 

If there is moderate pain, take Tylenol or Ibuprofen every three to four hours. Your dentist will give you a prescription in case the pain gets worse. You can see your dentist if you can’t seem to tolerate the discomfort. Nevertheless, the pain should lessen each day. 

Eating and drinking after your procedure

It would be wise to store enough soft food to prepare for your recovery. Eat soft food high in protein and try not to miss any meals. To avoid infection, you need to be careful of what you eat or drink after your wisdom tooth surgery.

Any hard foods will only disturb the affected site and could dislodge the blood clot on your wound. This could delay your healing for a couple more days.

Drink a lot of liquids, at least five to six glasses each day. When drinking, you should avoid straws since sucking can also dislodge blood clots.

In case of excessive bleeding

It’s normal to notice red stains as you spit, as this means that your wound is still slightly bleeding. However, if there’s already an excessive amount of blood, it needs the attention of your dentist.

You can manage mild bleeding with a gauze pad or cotton balls. Just place the clean cloth or cotton on the site and then bite down on it. Remove it after 20 to 30 minutes. Replace it and repeat the process until the blood stain becomes lighter.

Remember to stay calm and sit upright when doing this.

Typical recovery time

An extraction can be harrowing and take up to a week of recovery. Focus on your healing and always heed your dentist’s instructions to avoid delays and complications. As you do this, you will be back to your routine in no time! 

If you experience any complications during your recovery, do not hesitate to call our clinic. Our team of dentists in London will be ready to help you.

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