Wisdom teeth are your third set of molars that usually come in around age 19. If you’ve been told you don’t have wisdom teeth, don’t worry about it. Some people don’t and it is nothing to be concerned about. It is considered best to have your wisdom teeth removed before problems arise that cause complications. The older you get, the more complicated the procedure gets. If you have the extraction done in your late teens or early twenties, any complications will be milder and less likely to occur.
post operative care with wisdom teeth extractions
- It is very important you get plenty of rest and avoid any physical exertion after your procedure.
- Take any pain medications that have been prescribed. You only have to take them as needed, so if you’re able to tolerate the pain, don’t feel like you have to take the medicine. If, however, the prescribed dosage is not enough to handle your pain, do not just take more pills. Contact your dentist and let him or her know what is going on. They’ll be able to get you on the proper dosage.
- Watch for bleeding. It is normal to have some oozing of blood or blood tinged saliva for the first couple of days. However, if you are seeing dark red clots of blood in your mouth, that is not normal. If you have gauze on hand, use that to put pressure on the site by biting on it while you lie still for about forty-five minutes. If you don’t have gauze, you can use a folded up paper towel, or clean cloth to put pressure on the surgical site. If that doesn’t take care of the bleeding, try it for a second time. If bleeding persists, call your dentist or go to a hospital emergency room.
- Eat soft foods until you can comfortably handle your normal diet. To assure you are getting adequate nutrition, drink milk, fruit juices, and ice cream. They have good healing nutrients.
- To keep the surgical site clean without disrupting the sutures, start by rinsing with salt water. Use a teaspoon of salt per one cup of water. You can use a soft brush to brush your teeth in the front and areas that don’t have sutures. After a couple of days, begin to brush the teeth furthest back, but be careful to not disturb any loose tissue that has been sutured into place. Within a week, the loose tissue should be much firmer.
If you are interested in having your wisdom teeth extracted, you may request an appointment with our office.