Care for Your Mouth Appropriately Following Wisdom Tooth Removal

Your wisdom teeth, the third molars appearing between 17 and 21, aren’t wise by any margin. They always emerge incorrectly because of insufficient space in your mouth to accommodate them. Even when the teeth erupt correctly, they are challenging to clean and lead to tooth pain, cavities, and gum disease.

Wisdom teeth removal is standard in the United States, with 95 percent of tooth extractions in America on patients between 16 and 21 involve wisdom teeth removal, according to the American Journal of Public health. Although wisdom teeth removal is standard, dentists provide sufficient instructions on after-care of wisdom teeth surgery for your mouth and the extraction site following the procedure to avoid disastrous complications.

If you are recommended wisdom teeth removal surgery, here is how you must care for your mouth appropriately following the removal.

Expectations after the Procedure

After having one or more wisdom teeth removed from your mouth, you must prepare yourself to experience some side effects. How much discomfort you experience depends on the complexity of the tooth removal process. Some wisdom teeth are not challenging to extract and are plucked from the socket. Unfortunately, the others require a complex procedure needing dismantling of the tooth to remove it in pieces.

Expect some bleeding to occur from the extraction site until 24 hours after the removal. The dentist recommends you use gauze to prevent bleeding and help in the formation of blood cannot and avoid spitting excessively because spitting can dislodge the blood clot forming over the empty socket.

Blood clot formation is essential for healing because it protects the bone and nerves beneath. If your blood clot dislodges or dissolves, you experience severe pain and delayed recovery. Jawbone infections can also affect you if you lose the blood clot.

You may experience bruising, pain, and swelling, typical side effects of any surgical procedure, including wisdom teeth removal. Therefore, our dentist in Globe, AZ, recommends you take over-the-counter painkillers and use ice packs on your cheeks for 20-minute intervals right after returning home from the procedure. Fortunately, the discomfort disappears within a few days if you follow the instructions mentioned herein.

Dietary Restrictions after Wisdom Teeth Removal

Wisdom teeth removal imposes upon you a set of dietary restrictions you must follow without exceptions. Do not worry about what you will eat or drink after the problematic tooth removal but plan ahead of time by inquiring with the dentist to ensure you prepare yourself for the restrictions as required.

Cut out alcoholic beverages and mouthwashes until you have recovered from the procedure and even non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks for the initial 24 hours after the removal. You can rely on water as optimal for you but can also drink juice, milk, smoothies, and protein shakes so long as you don’t use a straw to suck the liquids. The suction created using a straw can dislodge the blood clot.

After making sufficient inquiries with the dentist about your diet, you will help yourself by stocking up with soft foods to last for around 48 hours or longer, depending on how your healing progresses. Excellent options include blended soups, broth, blended yogurt, plain ice cream, mashed potatoes, applesauce, pudding, et cetera. You can add semisoft foods to your diet as your mouth begins to heal and include foods like scrambled eggs, soft cooked vegetables, stewed meat, pasta, and rice. You can return to your regular diet around a week after the surgical process.

Changing Your Everyday Routine

Wisdom teeth removal surgery requires anesthesia, making you tired and groggy after the procedure, necessitating arranging a ride back home and spending the rest of the day resting. Although you can resume most of your regular activities the following day, we must avoid strenuous activities, including exercising or lifting heavy goods for up to a week after wisdom tooth extraction.

Maintaining Cleanliness in Your Mouth

During the initial 24 hours after the procedure to keep your mouth clean using non-alcoholic mouthwash, and avoid brushing your teeth for a day. When you resume brushing, you must be gentle around the extraction site to prevent discomfort and pain or dislodge the blood clot.

Smoking also affects blood clots and delays the healing process. Therefore dentist recommends you refrain from talking for 72 hours or longer to prevent complications.

Wisdom teeth removal requires you to make some modifications to your regular activities and diet. However, the extraction offers long-term benefits to your oral and overall health.