Recovery after wisdom tooth surgery is relatively straight forward in the vast majority of people. We’ll explain to you what to expect after your surgery and a give you a guide to a speedy recovery.
In the first 48 hours
You’re likely to have some pain, swelling and some jaw stiffness. By about a week or two though, you should be able to do most of the things you were able to do before.
Pain.
As soon as you get home and before the anaesthetic wears off, you should start with painkillers prescribed by your dentist. This allows them to start working earlier since the most pain starts about the time the feeling in your lips come back.
It’ll be difficult to brush your teeth immediately afterwards and maybe even for the first one or two days following surgery. So starting the day after surgery, use the mouthwash that was prescribed, or use warm salty water as an alternative. By day 3, you should start to be able to brush your teeth around the wisdom teeth area and it’s important that you keep this clean. Using a child’s toothbrush can be very helpful.
Swelling.
It’s common for swelling to occur and this gets worse before it gets better. It reaches its maximum around 48 hours where it should then start to get better. Use an ice pack for 20 minutes every hour after your surgery to reduce the swelling. Sometimes you can get a little bit of bruising around the chin and neck area as well, but this will resolve on its own.
Jaw stiffness.
Aside from swelling, your jaw joints can feel quite stiff and it might be hard to open your mouth. Like swelling, it can last a few days but sometimes up to 2 weeks. Chew and eat what you can manage. Soft foods such as custard, ice-cream, soup, purees are good and move onto fish, pasta and other things as you get better.
What else might occur?
Bleeding.
Its normal to get a little bleeding afterwards and if this happens, roll up a hanky or gauze square into a little pad, place it directly over the area and close firmly for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This will almost always stop the bleeding. If it continues later, repeat it. However, if your bleeding doesn’t stop, or if you’re at all concerned, then you should contact your dentist.
Stitches.
You’ll most likely have some stitches around the extraction area. They usually dissolve by themselves after about 2 to 3 weeks but can break much sooner than that. It’s important to start brushing the stitches to avoid food trapping around the stitches.
Bad Breath.
You can get some bad breath if its difficult to brush, but that usually goes away after about a week.
Teeth sensitivity.
Your teeth next the wisdom tooth socket may feel a bit sensitive, especially to cold, which is common and should subside after a few weeks.
Tiredness.
It’s very common to feel more tiredness after surgery as your body uses energy to heal itself.
Complications
Complications are rare, especially in the hands of an experienced and meticulous surgeon. But just so that you are aware, these are some things that can occur after removal of your wisdom teeth.
Dry socket.
This is basically where the blood clot was disturbed during healing and has resulted in an exposed area of bone in the wound. Its easy enough to treat but it can be extremely painful. The pain usually starts around the third day after surgery following some bleeding at home. The pain radiates over towards the temples and can wake you up at night. Contact your dentist immediately if you think you may have a dry socket who can provide pain relief by cleaning out and re-dressing the wound.
Nerve injuries.
Nerve injury occurs on average about 1 in every 100 patients. Nerve injury feels like a numbness, tingling, pins and needles or sometimes pain and altered sensations. In 99% of cases, these feelings are temporary and they resolve by themselves over the next one to two weeks. In very rare cases, it can take much longer and very rarely, can even be permanent. Ask your dentist what your specific risks are.
Tips for a quick recovery
There are a few things you can do to help your body recover more quickly after surgery.
Good oral hygiene.
Brushing your teeth as best you can, gradually brushing nearer to the wound every day is very important. Brush around the wound and also over the stitches as soon as you are able to. Rinse gently with salt water or mouthwash keep the wound free from food debris.
Eat healthy.
Once you’re able to eat, fresh fruit and vegetables will help your body heal. Avoid Alcohol for at least 48 hours after any surgery.
Stop smoking.
Smokers have a much higher risk of getting a dry socket so it’s very important to stop smoking after surgery for at least 48 hours.
Go slowly at first.
Don’t overdo it. Have someone look after you the day of the surgery and if you have small children, have a friend or family member help.
Exercise and Sport
Avoiding strenuous activities includes not engaging in high impact sports, running or swimming for the first 48 hours. Consult with your dentist as to when it might be best to start again. Slowly build up your activity with activities such as walking.
Returning to work
Getting back to work.
Everyone needs time to recover after the surgery, but how soon you return to work depends on how well you’ve healed, the type of anaesthetic used during surgery and the work that you do. Most people take 2 days off work which includes the day of the operation. People who are in office based roles generally return to work 1 – 3 days after the surgery. People with work involving heavy physical activity should commence lighter duty activities for the first 3 – 4 days after the operation, and may resume normal activities after that, depending on how they feel.
Planning for your return –
If you have a physically demanding role or are required to work in remote areas, it’s best to discuss this with your boss to plan your surgery around your work schedule.
Driving.
You will usually be fit to drive 24 hours after the operation if you have had local anaesthetic or sedation, or 48 hours after surgery if you’ve had a general anaesthetic. You should not be taking any painkillers that may make you drowsy whilst driving.
Breastfeeding.
If you are breastfeeding, you will want to express at least 24 hours of breastmilk, or use formula if possible.
Always follow the advice of your dentist or doctor and if you have any questions, we’re here to help.