Tips For Recovering From Wisdom Teeth Extraction Surgery

Having your wisdom teeth removed? The process doesn't stop when you leave the dentist for the extraction procedure since you'll have a little bit of a recovery process to go through. You'll likely feel uncomfortable and a bit achy during the days that follow the procedure, which is why you will want to know these tips to help with your recovery.

Know What To Do During The First 24 Hours

The entire recovery process can take as long as a week in some instances, but what you do within those first 24 hours is crucial. You'll likely receive a detailed set of care instructions from your dentist that you need to follow. This is to help blood clots form in the extraction site, which will stop the bleeding, decrease the pain, and help you to avoid getting dry socket.

You should gently bite down on gauze for a while following your extraction since it will help apply pressure to the area and soak up the blood. You may need to change out the gauze after an hour if they are filled with blood. You should also avoid any sort of motion that involves sucking, which puts pressure on the extraction site. This includes using a straw, sucking on candies, or smoking. Rinsing your mouth is also a bad idea since it can dislodge any blood clot that has started to form.

Know How To Keep The Swelling Down

Many people don't know how they help keep the swelling down, wondering if they should use hot or cold temperatures. This is one situation where you want to use cold temperatures, so have an ice pack ready. You want to reduce the swelling, and a hot pad is only going to bring blood to the area and make it worse. Instead, use an ice pack and leave it on for about 20 minutes, then take a break with the ice pack off for about 20 minutes. 

Know When To Call Your Dentist

There are some reasons that are worth contacting your dentist about because they are an indication that something went wrong during recovery. Be concerned if the bleeding is increasing over time instead of decreasing. Pay attention to if you develop a bad taste in your mouth or your mouth has a bad odor that won't go away. The pain should also be getting better rather than worse, and medications should help the pain go away.

Reach out to someone like Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA to learn more.

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