Dealing with any dental treatment, especially wisdom tooth extraction, can be very painful. The most common fear people might experience is the worst day of pain after wisdom tooth extraction. Depending on the individual dental problem and severity of the case, it may take about 1-2 weeks to fully recover, while most of the patients are usually back to their normal routine within five to six days. However, the knowledge and preparation can help people feel less pain, ensuring a smoother and speedier recovery.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction Recovery Timeline
How to Deal with Post-Extraction Pain
The first day of post-surgery can be the worst day of pain after wisdom tooth extraction. It’s quite normal to experience severe pain, mild nausea, and throbbing in the jaw a day or two post-extraction. Don’t wait for the pain to become worse and unbearable. It can be managed effectively by following your dentist’s advice or prescribed medications.
One should also experience minor bleeding after wisdom tooth extraction around the tooth removal sites, but it’s not a matter to worry about. It can gradually decrease in the first 24 hours. Inflammation around the cheeks and mouth is also common due to the body’s natural reaction to treatment. Applying ice packs to the jaws or on either side of the cheeks for some time can significantly reduce pain.
How to Handle Discomfort and Swelling
After 1-2 days of post-surgery, the swelling is at its peak. Don’t get afraid; it’s a natural response to wisdom tooth extraction during the first few days. It can be minimized by using your dentist-prescribed medicine and continue to use ice packs as mentioned above. To avoid discomfort, try to stay at home and limit physical activities during the first few days. Resting on your bed or sofa while keeping your head elevated during sleep can also be effective in reducing swelling.
Oral hygiene also plays an important part during this period. Try to keep your extraction sites clean, but also be careful not to disturb the surgical sites. Gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water or mouthwash as directed by your dentist. Avoid too spicy and hot foods; it can disturb the healing process. Take nourishing and easy-chewing foods like yogurt, protein shakes, cottage cheese, etc.
How to Manage Infection Risk
After 4-5 days, the swelling and soreness would be minimal, but the risk of infection on the extraction site is there. It’s important to take medications to prevent infection. Be sure to complete your entire 7-day course of antibiotics to avoid severe infection as directed by your dentist.
Maintaining oral hygiene is also an important factor in reducing the risk of infection. Use the suggested anti-bacterial mouthwash and salt water rinse regimen to keep your mouth clean. If you continuously have a fever or notice bleeding and signs of pus, call your dentist immediately without any delays.
Precautions to Avoid Complications During Recovery Process
Diet Control: What to Eat and Avoid
After a wisdom tooth is pulled, taking the right foods can affect your recovery process. You should take soft, easy-to-chew foods like yogurt, smoothies, shakes, and soup. This type of nourishment will not harm your extraction site and helps you to heal faster. Taking hard, sticky, or crunchy foods can affect your wounded area and cause bleeding. Similarly, acidic, hot, and spicy foods can also irritate the extraction site, causing discomfort and slowing down the healing process.
Post-Extraction Oral Hygiene Techniques
Maintaining oral hygiene is very important to avoid infections, but it needs a gentle approach. For the first 2 days, avoid brushing near the extraction site and gently rinse your mouth with the recommended saltwater regimen or antibacterial mouthwash several times a day to not disturb the healing process. Then, continue brushing with a soft-bristled brush and avoid harsh contact with the wounded area. These oral hygiene practices will help speedy recovery after wisdom tooth extraction.
Sleeping Technique to Reduce Swelling
Sleeping after wisdom tooth extraction can be difficult, but it’s an important part of the healing process. Sleeping with your head elevated supports healing and minimizes the swelling. Use an extra pillow to elevate your head and shoulders, create a calm environment by softening the light, and minimize noise for deeper and more restorative rest.
Stay Hydrated to Reduce the Other Painful Risk
Water is essential to cleanse the mouth, reducing the risk of severe infections around the wounded site. Don’t get your mouth dried out; stay well-hydrated by sipping water from a cup gently. Don’t use straws or other hard suction things that lead to dislodging the blood clot at the extraction site. Taking foods with higher water content like broth, smoothies, and watermelon that can be consumed by a spoon rather than a straw can also help to stay hydrated and support the healing process.
Follow up on the Appointments
After wisdom tooth extraction, follow-up appointments with an oral surgeon are important to monitor your healing process. It ensures that the wounded site is recovering correctly and also prevents the risks of complications. Ignoring your regular follow-ups can lead to unnoticed infections and longer recovery times.
Tips to Speed Up the Healing Process of Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Every person is different and has a unique recovery process after having a wisdom tooth pulled. Some people will easily recover and get back to their daily routine lifestyle in a few days, while others take time to heal. You can speed up your healing process with these useful tips:
- Take a complete rest during the first 3 days of wisdom teeth removal.
- Apply ice packs to the swollen areas of the cheeks on the first 2 days for 15 minutes.
- Keep your head elevated while resting or sleeping.
- Take liquid, easy-chewing foods and avoid hot, spicy foods, nuts, and seeds for 3-5 days.
- Stay hydrated, and take foods with higher water content to prevent your mouth from drying out.
- Rinse your mouth daily with warm, salted water several times.
- Avoid harsh brushing on the extraction site that can dislodge blood clots.
- Limit your physical activities for 1 week.
- Take your medications properly as directed by the dentist.
- Don’t use tobacco-containing products and avoid alcohol.
- Gently massage your jaw muscles after 3 days.
Schedule an Appointment Today for Pain-free Dental Procedures
If you are frightened by wisdom tooth removal, our skilled surgeons are here to assist you. We are always available to answer all of your concerns about the recovery process following wisdom tooth extraction. Celebrate Dental provides exceptional dental treatments, from regular check-ups to emergency procedures. We deliver the best dental services every time you visit us.
Don’t let your fears hold you back. Contact us today to discuss your dental problem and take the first step toward your healthy smile.
