Is It Okay to Sit On Your Upright Side After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Wisdom teeth are molars located at the back of your mouth. Unlike regular molars, wisdom teeth tend to grow later, between the ages of 18 to 24. Unfortunately, the teeth may fail to grow properly, causing pain and discomfort. When that occurs, patients turn to wisdom tooth removal for help. Wisdom teeth removal is a common dental procedure with a high success rate and usually involves surgery. Despite the procedure being common, only a few know what comes after the treatment. For example, what sleeping positions are recommended for patients who’ve undergone wisdom teeth removal? This article will discuss wisdom teeth removal and whether sitting on your upright side is okay after treatment.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Wisdom teeth removal is a dental procedure involving the surgical removal of one or several wisdom teeth. When you visit a dentist near you for wisdom teeth removal, they’ll inspect to see if your wisdom teeth need extracting. An impacted or infected wisdom tooth can cause severe dental pain, making it difficult to chew, talk or sleep. Some more things that may cause your dentist to recommend wisdom tooth extraction are:
- A wisdom tooth that has grown at an improper angle
- Dental caries in the wisdom tooth
- Gum disease in the tissue around your wisdom tooth
- Formation of a cyst around the tooth
Procedure
Before going for a wisdom teeth removal near you, you must know what to expect. After consultation, your dentist will use local anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia to make you numb to pain. Using a surgical blade, they will make an incision in the gum tissue to make the impacted wisdom teeth more visible.
If bone blocks access to the tooth root, your dentist will remove it before splitting the tooth into smaller parts for easy extraction. Once done, the wound is cleaned, stitched, and gauze placed on it to control bleeding.
Sleeping Post Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom teeth removal is a simple procedure with a relatively short recovery time. That said, patients must learn the proper sleeping position to avoid complications that may arise when necessary precautions are ignored. For example, a bad sleeping position may result in dental pain, bleeding, and swelling of the wound site. So which sleeping positions are good for patients who’ve just undergone wisdom tooth removal?
We recommend you sleep three to seven days after undergoing wisdom teeth removal. We won’t encourage sleeping on your side since it can send pressure to your mouth and cheeks, which may result in dental pain and cause the wound to bleed and swell more.
When sleeping on your back, use a pillow to alleviate your head. This will prevent you from unconsciously turning and tossing during sleep so you don’t injure your wound. You can tuck in your blanket to secure your body so you don’t roll on your side.
Is It Safe to Sleep Upright Post Wisdom Teeth Removal?
We don’t recommend sleeping upright after tooth removal. Sleeping on your couch or bed upright doesn’t give you enough control over your movements. You may unknowingly slip into a position that stresses the wound resulting in pain and bleeding.
Aftercare Tips Post Wisdom Teeth Removal
Avoid Spitting
Spitting post wisdom tooth removal creates pressure which may interfere with the blood clotting process resulting in bleeding. If you want to get rid of blood in your mouth, tilt your head towards the sink, and the blood and saliva will come out via gravity.
Quit Smoking and Drinking Alcohol
Smoking slows down the blood clotting process, which prolongs recovery. Meanwhile, taking alcohol when on painkillers can be detrimental to your health, so avoid alcohol until you’ve made a full recovery.
Don’t Engage in Strenuous Activities
Don’t carry weights or other heavy objects during recovery. Nerves are affected by dental extraction; thus, engaging in strenuous activities may cause swelling and bleeding.
Avoid Poking the Wound
Tempting as it may be, avoid poking the wound even when it itches. Poking the wound may remove the blood clot that seals the wound leading to infection.
Don’t Use a Straw
The sucking motion exerted when drinking through a straw can dislodge the blood clot exposing the wound’s nerves. This will lead to bleeding, which may later result in a dry socket.
Conclusion
Wisdom tooth removal is a safe dental procedure with a high success rate. Follow all the tips we provided and sleep in the recommended position to avoid complications. Our dentist in Copper Vista Dental Care will give you more instructions to follow during recovery to ensure recovery is fast and void of any problems. Visit our dental clinic today for consultation and treatment.