Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth that will come in on your jaws if you’re an adult. For most people, they typically ‘erupt’ when you’re age 17 to 25.
Just like the other teeth, wisdom teeth shouldn’t come with any complications when they grow. In some people though, they can be a nuisance that you will have to contact reputed dental clinics like An Dental to get them extracted.
You’re more likely to experience complications if; when these teeth grow, they get stuck between the surface of the gums. This brings in pain and makes you vulnerable to diseases and infections in the mouth.
Wisdom teeth that grow in this manner are known as ‘impacted wisdom teeth’. Apart from the infections, impacted wisdom teeth may also affect other teeth around them.
You may also have impacted wisdom teeth, but the telltale symptoms like pain and bad breath are not visible. Now, it doesn’t matter if the impacted wisdom teeth don’t have any visible signs.
Your dentist will recommend that you remove them to avoid possible complications in the future.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery
Also known as wisdom teeth extraction or wisdom teeth surgery, wisdom teeth removal is a surgical procedure that’s done to remove impacted wisdom teeth. The procedure can only be done by a qualified oral surgeon or dentist.
Depending on how severe the problem was, your dentists may require stitches to close the wound that’s left after the procedure. You will then book a follow-up visit for the surgeon to remove the stitches.
The recovery periods after wisdom teeth removal surgeries vary considerably among people. Right after the procedure, you may experience a bit of pain, bruising, or swelling, but this will ultimately resolve.
It is important to note that the recovery isn’t a one-time thing but a gradual process that may require a bit of patience. The recovery period after a wisdom teeth removal surgery may take up to 14 days.
Here is a breakdown of the recovery process after wisdom teeth extraction:
- Day 1: On the first 24 hours after the procedure, you will experience a bit of swelling, blood clots, and pain.
- Day 2 to Day 3: The swelling on your cheeks and mouth will reduce. You’ll see gradual progress as you continue with the healing.
- Day 7: Revisit the dentists to remove the stitches that were used in covering the wounds.
- From Day 7 to 10: You’ll experience massive relief from the stiffness and soreness on your jaws.
- Day 14: All the bruising, pain, soreness, and stiffness will have fully healed.
It is worth noting that people are different and your recovery process may be quicker or slower depending on how you care for the wound. One of the most common factors that may delay your recovery is if the open wound gets infected or the blood clots that form on the wound after surgery are dislodged from the wound.
How to Recover Quickly from Wisdom Teeth Extraction Surgery
When you complete the procedure, your doctor may prescribe pain relief medications to help you relieve the pain and discomfort. They may also instruct you to bite on a gauze pad on the surgical area for 30 minutes.
Alternatively, they may also recommend that you use icepacks on your face around the surgical area on the outside for around 15 minutes to minimize swelling.
The blood clots that you will develop on the open wound once the impacted wisdom teeth are removed will be essential in your recovery journey. Importantly, you shouldn’t interfere and avoid anything that may interfere with them because;
- They provide the best conditions for new tissues to develop.
- They work to stop excessive bleeding.
- They give cover to the exposed bone, thus shielding it from infections.
Your doctor will also give you strict guidelines to avoid anything that would dislodge the blood clots from the surgical region. With that being said, you will be advised to:
- Avoid aggressively brushing your teeth, especially close to the area where the impacted wisdom teeth are removed.
- Avoid drinking hot drinks of any kind.
- Avoid rinsing your mouth.
- Keep off foods that require you to chew.
- Not drink alcohol, suck on straws, or smoke for a minimum of 24 hours.
To avoid pain when you go to bed, you can sleep with your head slightly raised. Your dental surgeon will give you the green light to start rinsing the mouth gently after 24 hours. Still, you will only do the rinsing with an approved antiseptic.
Over to You
The discomfort that comes with impacted wisdom teeth does not only lower your productivity. It may also affect your mental health, especially if it comes with bad breath.
If you suspect that your dental teeth are impacted, give us a call today. We will fully examine your teeth structure, and jawbone then only recommend wisdom teeth removal when necessary.