You can feel pain at the end of your mouth, but you dismiss it as a sporadic toothache episode. However, the pain doesn’t subside, and on top of that, you can feel your jaw becoming stiff. Now, there is prominent swelling in the gums near your molars. Hence, you give your dentist a visit, and it turns out you have a wisdom tooth infection. You decide to get rid of your wisdom tooth once and for all. This article will discuss wisdom tooth removal recovery and some self-care tips.
What To Expect Immediately After Surgery:
If you are given local anesthesia or sedation, you will be conscious during the whole surgery but unable to feel anything. However, if you are operated on under general anesthesia, you will take some time to gain consciousness. Therefore, the dentist will move you to the recovery room, and that’s where you are likely to wake up.
For some time, you can still feel the numbness in your mouth. However, as the anesthetic effects start to wear off, pain and swelling will take their toll. However, that will be bearable. Once you feel alright, no longer toppling on your feet, you can drive home, but dentists strongly advise that someone else relieve you of your driving duties.
Days Following The Surgery:
You should expect pain and swelling during the first week, and it will be the worst during the first few days after surgery. Bleeding is also a normal part of the recovery progress. However, the pain will subside, and bleeding will pause within a week. Although this is a standard time scale, you can expect slower recovery for complicated wisdom tooth extraction surgery. Along with pain, swelling, and bleeding, the upcoming week will also be riddled with these symptoms:
- Stiff or sore jaw undermining your ability to open your mouth to the fullest.
- Unpleasant taste in your mouth.
- Slight bruising of your cheek.
Caring For Yourself:
Your dentist will prescribe you some painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain management. Moreover, you can try your hand at cold compress to relieve swelling. For oral care, follow your dentist’s instructions that may include the following:
- Using saltwater rinse because of its anti-microbial properties.
- Gently dab the wound with gauze to absorb excess blood.
You need to avoid strenuous activity in the upcoming days to mitigate the risk of dislodging the stitches. Not only strenuous activity, in the meantime, you also need to give up alcohol, smoking, coffee, and scorching beverages. You may need to use two pillows at night to support your head.
As for food, you don’t have much luck here, due to stiff jaws and pain, you can only have some soft foods. This may include the following:
- cottage cheese
- apple sauce
- pudding
- soup
- mashed potatoes
- smoothies
Conclusion:
You are most likely to recover within three to four days. You can easily go back to your work after two days, and your life will be pretty much normal except for a few restrictions. You can rely on Brookshire Family Dental for top-notch surgery, and you can call us at 281-934-1010 for inquiries.