If you haven’t been living under a rock somewhere, chances are you will have come across some horror stories associated with wisdom teeth removal including details of the excruciating pain and swollen jaw. You may have also heard the tales from people who have had their wisdom teeth removed and have had to hide away from school and work for days on end just to avoid facing the public with their constant complaining about the pain as well as their distorted faces.
Like with any procedure, there will always be a recovery process. What you do during this time will either facilitate a quick recovery process or it won’t.
So what can you do to ensure that the recovery process is a smooth one? Here are our tips:
Medication
If you need to, make sure you take some pain medication as this will help the recovery process more comfortable for you. You can ask your oral surgeon for a prescription but you should be able to get an over the counter pain medication that will work just as effectively.
Rinse
Your mouth will still be extremely sensitive after the wisdom tooth extraction so it is important that you try not to vigorously rinse your mouth out within the first day of having your tooth removed. What is highly recommended is after having a meal, to rinse your mouth out gently with warm salt water by mixing half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.
Brush gently
It is recommended that you continue brushing your teeth but do so gently and ensure you make every effort to avoid the wound. You will know if you are brushing too aggressively because the pain will increase the closer your brush gets to the wound. You will be able to feel when it begins to heal when the edge of the tooth socket disappears.
Food
It seems common sense, but it is important to eat soft food when recovering from a tooth extraction. Your oral surgeon can provide you with a list of food that you can eat whilst your mouth heals from the procedure. You can return to your usual diet once you feel your jaw relaxing and the pain subsides.
Bleeding gums
It is common for your gum to bleed after wisdom tooth removal so when this happens, don’t rinse your mouth out or lie down. It is recommended that you place a handkerchief or gauze on the bleeding gum and allow the bleeding to stop. This may take upwards of 15 minutes but is the best way to treat bleeding gums.
For the most part, you shouldn’t experience anything outside of these common problems however if you are developing more serious symptoms it is best to see your oral surgeon or GP immediately. For urgent wisdom teeth emergencies, it is best to see an emergency dentist promptly.
So if you’re looking for affordable oral surgery in Melbourne or an oral surgeon in Sydney, make sure you visit the highly qualified team at Wisdom Teeth Professionals or contact them on 1 800 WISDOM to book an appointment. They will be there to hold your hand through the entire process so you are confident in getting the right care and attention you need, before and after the procedure.
