Tips To Share Before & After For Wisdom Tooth Surgery

1. Make sure you make your appointment on a day that gives you a couple of days to recuperate after the surgery.
2. Make sure you eat soft foods. (example: porridge.) You won't be able to have hard, cold/hot foods for at least 48 hours after surgery.
3. Leave the gauze on for at least 30 minutes. Do not attempt to change the gauze as it will disrupt the clotting process. Think of it as a band-aid; you wouldn't want to have one stuck to the wound and be pulled off every time it clotted. Once the first gauze pad has been taken off, keep the area clean and leave it be. Do not attempt to spit the blood out as the pressure change in your mouth will affect clotting.
4. Have someone with you the first day you get them removed; you might want some extra help since you may be drugged.
5. Ice may be applied to your cheek(s) to help prevent swelling for the first 48 hours. After 48 hours ice may continue to help ease the pain, but will be useless in prevention of swelling. If the operation was just a simple extraction of erupted teeth swelling may be very minor or not present in which case ice is not necessary.
6. After 36 hours after surgery then you should rinse your mouth with salt water.
7. Within a couple of weeks the gum tissue should be mostly healed and discomfort should be minimal. If a dry socket has developed, healing will take longer.
8. Use bags of frozen peas instead of ice cubes to numb your cheeks--they do not leak moisture and are more comfortable.
9. Do not drive or operate any machinery.
10. Be careful of using asprin as a pain killer as it has anti-coagulant effects (stops blood clotting - promotes bleeding). Ibuprofen/Nurofen are usually recommended as they also reduce inflammation.
11. DO NOT SMOKE. In addition to introducing toxins to the wound site, this can also dislodge clots, leading to a dry socket.