Wisdom tooth extractions are common dental surgeries performed by the dentist in Mesa. The term surgery may scare you to think you are undergoing an intensive procedure to remove the tooth. You require more time to recover from wisdom tooth extractions than standard tooth removal. However, you receive help to heal quickly by looking after the wound from the surgery correctly.
Wisdom teeth are large, growing in the back of your mouth. The teeth emerge between 17 and 25 when many people may not have sufficient space for them to appear.
You may not have sufficient room in the mouth for the wisdom teeth to erupt into the correct position in many cases. The teeth may break through the gums at angles or emerge partially. You are left with an impacted wisdom tooth with such occurrences, causing pain and infections in your mouth. How much time it requires to remove a wisdom tooth depends on the tooth and the challenges confronting the surgery.
Recovering from Wisdom Tooth Surgery: How Long Does It Require?
Wisdom tooth extraction recovery varies between patients depending on whether you need stitches to close the wound. Dentist 85204 removes the stitches after about a week. Problems like bruising, swelling, and pain also require time for healing. You recover gradually after wisdom tooth extraction but will notice improvements every day. The healing process continues in the following stages.
- Blood clots will form in the extraction site during the first 24 hours.
- The swelling in your mouth and cheeks should improve in two to three days.
- Stitches removal by dental offices near me happens in seven days.
- Any jaw stiffness and soreness should disappear in seven to ten days.
- Any mild bruising on your face heals in about two weeks.
The healing time varies between everyone. However, if the blood clot dislodges from the wound, you may require treatment from the emergency dentist near me and more time for recovery.
Speeding Your Healing Time
Blood clot formation happens in the extraction site from where the tooth was removed. Blood clots are essential because they prevent excessive bleeding, protect the wound from infection, permit new tissue to grow, and protect the exposed bone.
During the initial 24 hours, you must exercise caution to ensure the blood clots do not dislodge. To succeed in your goal, you must avoid:
- Brushing the teeth next to the extraction site.
- Rinsing your mouth.
- Having hot beverages.
- Having foods that require chewing.
- Sucking on straws, smoking, or consuming alcohol during the first 24 hours.
What to Do Immediately Following the Surgery?
The optimal strategy to adopt following the surgery is to follow the advice of your dentist on how to help recovery. Dentists provide information on any medicines you can take to encourage the healing process.
You can use an ice pack on your cheeks over the extraction site at 20-minute intervals to reduce discomfort and swelling.
Avoiding strenuous activity like exercising or driving vehicles is suggested by dentists, especially if you had general anesthesia during the surgery. If possible, you must stay away from work for a couple of days after the procedure. You can have recommended pain relief medications prescribed by the dentist or purchased over-the-counter for comfort from the pain.
Home Care Tips
You must ensure the wound remains clean during the healing process. However, you must also keep yourself nourished, and food can get trapped in the extraction site. Such occurrences make it challenging to keep the extraction site clean. To avoid them, you can:
Use an antiseptic rinse to prevent infections.
Rinse your mouth with warm water and salt to alleviate swelling and soothe sore gums.
Keep your head in a raised position for comfort.
Foods to Avoid
Following wisdom, tooth extraction must avoid chewy and sticky foods like candy and chewing gum because they may get trapped in the extraction site to cause pain and damage to the healing wound. Hard and crunchy foods are also best avoided besides the spicy variety.
You must stick with soft or liquid foods to prevent damage to the wounds. Some examples include soups, eggs, soft noodles, mashed banana, apple sauce, et cetera.
Taking care of your oral health must be a prime concern when you have a wisdom tooth removed. The procedure is straightforward and is unlikely to cause any problems unless you develop infections and need antibiotics to treat them. Complications are rare after wisdom tooth surgery, especially if you follow proper after-care measures recommended by the dentist.