Of all dental procedures, wisdom tooth removal is one of the most common. The majority of adults struggle with pain and discomfort caused by their wisdom teeth, and extraction is often the best and simplest solution. If you’re booked to go for this procedure and would like to know what to expect and how best to deal with your recovery process, keep reading.
Recovery Time And Healing Phases
How long it takes for you to recover from wisdom tooth removal varies from person to person. Some may require stitches during the procedure, which will need to be removed after a week, while some people suffer from more bruising, pain and swelling than others. How you treat your wounds will also be a significant determining factor in how soon you’ll be back to normal.
Typically recovery takes up to two weeks, with the healing process usually being as follows:
First 24 hours: Expect to bleed and the need to clean your mouth and replace gauze or cotton wool frequently until the blood starts clotting. You will probably have some swelling and feel some pain, so keeping away from hard foods is advisable at first. If you smoke, try to reduce the amount you smoke as the pulling sensation created by smoking can dislodge the clots and cause your mouth to take longer to heal.
Two to three days later: Swelling should have gone down significantly and, while still sore and sensitive, the pain should have subsided.
Seven Days Later: If you had to get stitches, they would be removed by your dentist at this stage.
Seven To Ten Days Later: Most of the jaw pain and stiffness should be gone, and you should be able to eat and drink without much discomfort.
Two Weeks Later: If you have bruising, it will be gone by this stage. The normal function of your mouth should be restored as well.
How To Speed Up Recovery:
1) Sterilise The Wound Often
Give your body the assistance it needs in recovering by rinsing your mouth with salt water a few times a day and making use of a mouth wash. Avoiding infection and keeping the wounds clean is vital throughout the recovery process.
2) Be Soft On Your Mouth
Although the pain and discomfort will initially make eating hard, ease yourself into it and remember you’ve got exposed, raw wounds that are very sensitive. Test what you can and can’t manage to eat, but try to keep friction and stress off the wounds as much as possible.
We hope that the fear of wisdom tooth removal has eased after reading this blog. If you’d like more information or want to book a consultation for wisdom teeth removal Tauranga residents are welcome to contact us for friendly, professional assistance.
