▎WuXi AppTec Content Team Editor
Wisdom teeth are also called “third molars”, commonly known as “end teeth”, and they grow in the innermost part of the mouth. Most people’s wisdom teeth generally erupt around the age of 17-21.
If your wisdom teeth are well-aligned and healthy, you’re lucky to leave them alone. However, many people’s wisdom teeth often grow crookedly, and some are “half-covered with a pipa”, or even buried in the gums and jawbones, which can only be seen by X-rays. This is called “impacted wisdom teeth”.
Impacted wisdom teeth can affect surrounding teeth, jaw bones, and nerves. For example, wisdom teeth that are only partially exposed to the gums are more prone to bacterial infections; “trickly angled” wisdom teeth are more difficult to clean around them and are prone to cavities and other oral problems.
In this case, dentists will generally recommend removal of wisdom teeth—a very common dental procedure that many people have done.
Image source: 123RF
Especially the “hidden” wisdom teeth, which are more difficult to extract, require cutting the gums, or even cutting off part of the bone covering the teeth, and dividing the wisdom teeth into small pieces to be pulled out.
After you have your wisdom teeth removed, you may be given a piece of paper with post-op precautions on it.
So, what are the important issues to focus on in the healing process?
Today, let’s talk about the health press in detail↓↓
What is the process of recovery after surgery?
After a wisdom tooth extraction, it may take a day or two to a few weeks, or even longer, for the wound to heal, depending on the person.
Healing speed is related to wound depth, age and other factors.
For example, younger people heal faster than older people because their roots don’t fully grow and their bone density is lower when they’re younger, aka “softer bones.” The longer the time, the longer the recovery time. So once impacted wisdom teeth are found, early extraction is better than late extraction.
Image source: 123RF
After the extraction, the doctor will put a piece of hemostatic gauze in the empty socket for us to bite, about 45 minutes to an hour.
A blood clot forms in the socket within 24 hours of the extraction, both to prevent continued bleeding and to protect the wound area from Infection, giving new tissue room to grow.
You may feel some pain and your face will swell after the extraction, which will take a few days to relieve.
If the dentist stitches the wound, the autolyzed sutures will generally dissolve within 7-10 days.
In short,it may take several weeks for complete healing after surgery.
What should I expect after surgery?
1. Within 24 hours of extraction
If you have been given anesthesia, you must not drive, drink, operate any machinery, or exercise vigorously for 24 hours. If you feel particularly uncomfortable, it is best to take a day off after surgery.
In order to promote blood clotting and avoid clot displacement leading to dry socket, pay attention to:
Drink “cold” instead of “hot”: You can eat ice cream and ice water after surgery, but don’t drink hot liquids , such as coffee, hot milk tea, soup, porridge, etc.
Avoid vigorous movements in the mouth: Do not gargle or spit; avoid sucking, such as smoking or drinking from a straw.
You can brush your teeth: When it’s time to brush, you still need to brush, just avoid the teeth that are next to the extraction site.
2. 24 hours to 7 days after extraction
Eat “soft” over “hard”: Soft foods like pasta, eggs, pudding and yogurt are best, don’t eat hard , crunchy and spicy foods to avoid irritating the wound.
Do not eat and bring seedsSmall or fine-grained foods: These small grains tend to get stuck in empty sockets.
Brush your teeth gently, rinse your mouth gently: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (about 2.5 grams of salt in 1 cup of warm water) after each meal. Rinse off food residue. Because if food debris falls into the socket, it will cause the pain to worsen and last longer. But don’t use too much force when rinsing, do not use commercially available mouthwash, it will irritate the wound.
Image source: 123RF
3.Reduce swelling
Cold compress first: To reduce swelling on the face, apply an ice pack (or a bottle of ice water wrapped in a towel) within 24 hours of the extraction. After every 10 minutes of cold compress, re-apply every 20 minutes, repeat several times.
After heat compress: Generally speaking, the swelling is the most serious on the 3rd day after pulling out, and then the effect of heat compress will be better, every 20 minutes of heat compress For 20 minutes, it helps to promote blood circulation in the swollen area and remove inflammatory substances.
Elevate your pillow while you sleep: Keeping your head higher than your heart can help reduce swelling.
4. Pain Relief
In most cases, pain after wisdom tooth extraction is tolerable and does not require pain relief.
But if the pain is significant, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can also be used to relieve pain.
If the pain is particularly severe, it is advisable to see a dentist, who may prescribe stronger pain relievers.
5. Additional Notes
In rare cases, dry socket can occur if the blood clot in the incision of the empty socket is disrupted or displaced, exposing the bone strong>. This condition can lead to worsening pain and bad breath.
Image source: 123RF
Rarely, infection may also occur, or paresthesias (due to nerve contusion during tooth extraction).
If the pain persists for a few days and doesn’t get better, or if you have a fever and persistent numbness around your mouth, be sure to see your dentist immediately.
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References
[1]What To Do After Wisdom Teeth Removal. Retrieved Oct 8, 2022 from
https:https://health.clevelandclinic.org/wisdom-teeth-recovery/
[2]Dental Health and Wisdom Teeth. RetrievedOct 8, 2022 from
https:https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/wisdom-teeth
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