Tips for Recovering After a Wisdom Tooth Extraction

If you’re planning to undergo a wisdom tooth extraction procedure sometime in the near future, it’s important to be prepared. Dental on Clarendon shares the following tips that can help make the recovery process faster and more comfortable.

Eat Soft Foods and Liquids

Many patients find it difficult to open their mouth during the first two days after their surgery. For this reason, you should consume liquids and soft foods and avoid chewy and hot foods altogether. This is important to ensure you don’t exacerbate the pain around the affected site.

Rinse your Mouth with Saltwater

Two days after the procedure, you should start rinsing your mouth with saltwater at least four times a day. This can help to speed up the healing process, keep the wound clean, and decrease the likelihood of getting an infection. Do not rinse your mouth at any point during the first 24 hours after the procedure, as this can slow down the healing process.

Use Gauze to Control Bleeding

It’s very common for patients to experience some degree of bleeding after undergoing a wisdom tooth extraction. Your dentist will place a piece of gauze over the affected site to stop it from bleeding. You can control the bleeding by tightly biting down on the gauze, but make sure you don’t chew on it, as this could exacerbate the bleeding. Your dentist will tell you how to correctly use the gauze and when you should take it out.

Keep Your Head Elevated

Keep your head in an elevated position when sleeping for the first few days after undergoing the procedure. The volume of blood around the wound will increase if you lie down flat, which can cause you to experience a throbbing pain. You can use pillows to keep your head and shoulders at a 45 degree angle to help you stay comfortable.

Use an Ice Pack

It’s normal for a person’s face to swell up, become inflamed and experience pain after a wisdom tooth removal procedure. If this is the case, you can place an ice pack on your cheek for 20 minutes to help soothe the affected area and numb the pain.

Do Not Smoke or Use Straws

Smoking cigarettes after having your wisdom teeth removed can considerably slow down the healing process by dislodging the blood clots located where the wisdom teeth used to be. Using straws during this time can also cause issues, as the suction action of using a straw causes your mouth to move. Both actions should be avoided during the recovery period.

Learn More Today

Are you feeling any pain around your wisdom teeth? They may need to be extracted. Book an appointment with Dental on Clarendon today by calling (03) 9690 3285 or contact us online.