After Wisdom Tooth Removal

Immediately Following Surgery

• The gauze pad placed over the surgical area should be kept in place for 30 minutes. After this time, the gauze pad should be removed and discarded. You can continue to change the gauze every 30 minutes and bite down firmly until the bleeding is controlled.
• Vigorous mouth rinsing or touching the wound area following surgery should be avoided. This may initiate bleeding by causing the blood clot that has formed to become dislodged.
• Take the prescribed pain medications before the numbness wears off, typically 1-2 hours after surgery, then take as directed.
• Restrict your activities the day of surgery and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.
• Place ice packs on the sides of your face where surgery was performed.
• After the first 24 hours, you may use salt-water rinses 3-4 times a day.

Healing

Avoid touching the surgical area with fingers, toothpicks or your tongue. Irritation, bleeding and infection could result. The blood clot that forms within an extraction site is nature?s method of healing and should not be disturbed.

Bleeding

A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following surgery. Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not uncommon. Placing a gauze pad over the area and biting firmly for 30 minutes may control excessive bleeding. Repeat if necessary. If bleeding continues, bite on a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. To minimize further bleeding, sit upright, and avoid exercise. If bleeding does not subside, call for further instructions.

Swelling

The swelling that is normally expected is usually proportional to the surgery involved. Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes and sides of the face is not uncommon. This is the body?s normal reaction to surgery and eventual repair. The swelling will not become apparent until the day following surgery and will not reach its maximum until 2-3 days post-operatively. However, the swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs. Apply ice packs to the sides of the face where surgery was performed. Apply the ice pack for 30 minutes and then remove for 30 minutes. After 36 hours, if swelling or jaw stiffness persists, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction to surgery. You may begin applying moist heat to the sides of the face for 30 minutes.

Discoloration

In some cases, discoloration of the skin follows swelling. This is a normal post-operative occurrence, which may occur 2-3 days post-operatively. Moist heat applied to the area may speed up the removal of the discoloration.

Pain/Antibiotics

For moderate pain, 1-2 tablets of Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours or Ibuprofen, (Motrin or Advil) 200 mg: 2-4 tablets may be taken every 3-4 hours.

For severe pain, take the prescribed medication as directed. The prescribed pain medicine may make you groggy and may slow down your reflexes. Do not drive an automobile or work around machinery. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Pain or discomfort following surgery should subside more and more every day. If pain persists, it may require attention and you should call the office.

If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the medication as directed. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash or other unfavorable reaction. Call the office if you have any questions.

Diet

Drink plenty of fluids and eat soft foods on the day of surgery. Avoid hot liquids and food, and drinking from a straw. High calorie, high protein intake is very important. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days, therefore you should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake to at least 5-6 glasses of liquid daily to avoid dehydration. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if you continue to eat.

Keep the mouth clean

Avoid rinsing until the day after surgery. You can brush your teeth the night of surgery but rinse gently. The day after surgery you should begin rinsing with a cup of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of salt at least 3-4 times a day, especially after eating.

Nausea and Vomiting

In the event of nausea and/or vomiting following surgery, do not take anything by mouth for at least an hour including the prescribed medicine. You should then sip on coke, tea or ginger ale. You should sip slowly over a fifteen-minute period. When the nausea subsides you can begin taking solid foods and the prescribed medicine.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Be aware that your normal nourishment intake is reduced. Exercise may weaken you. If you get light headed, stop exercising.

Other Complications

• If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs there is no cause for alarm. This is usually temporary in nature, but if the numbness persists, call our office for further instructions.
• Slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. Tylenol or ibuprofen can be taken to reduce the fever. If the temperature persists, notify the office.
• You should be careful going from the lying down position to standing. You could get light headed and become dizzy when you stand up suddenly. Therefore, you should sit for one minute prior to standing.
• Occasionally, patients may feel small, sharp bone fragments in the mouth with their tongue. They are not roots. They are the bony walls, which supported the tooth. These projections usually come out by themselves, however, if they do not, they can be removed by Dr. Bennett.
• Your lips may dry out and crack after the surgery. Keep them moist with a lip balm or an ointment such as Vaseline.
• Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon due to the swelling of the muscles. This should subside in 2-3 days.
• Stiffness (Trimus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event, which will resolve in time.
• Your other teeth will possibly ache temporarily. This is called referred pain and is a temporary condition.
• A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket. Symptoms of pain at the surgical site and even pain to the ear may occur 2-3 days following surgery. Call the office if this occurs.

Finally

Sutures are placed the area of surgery to minimize post-operative bleeding and to help healing. Most sutures placed will fall out on their own 3-5 days after surgery. Occasionally, sutures may be placed where the patient will have to return approximately one week after surgery to have the sutures removed. Our office will inform you regarding the type of sutures placed and schedule any appointments necessary.

There will be a hole where the tooth was removed. This will gradually, over the next month, fill in with the new tissue. In the mean time, the area should be kept clean, especially after meals with salt-water rinses or a toothbrush.

The pain and swelling should subside more and more each day following surgery. If your post-operative pain or swelling worsens or unusual symptoms occur call our office for instructions.