Top Tips for Fast Wisdom Teeth Recovery
Contrary to what most people believe, not all wisdom teeth require extraction. If your wisdom teeth have enough space to grow normally without affecting neighbouring teeth, extraction is unnecessary. However, troublesome wisdom teeth should be removed to prevent complications, such as shifting teeth or cyst formation. If you are scheduled for wisdom tooth removal at a dental clinic, you should know that everything you do post-surgery determines how well you recover. This article highlights essential tips for fast wisdom teeth removal recovery.
Change Gauze Occasionally
Once a dentist removes a troublesome wisdom tooth, they will ask you to bite down gently on a gauze pad. The pad is impregnated with an antiseptic, which helps stop the bleeding through the formation of blood clots. Additionally, the gauze keeps bacteria away from the wound and the exposed jawbone. While some patients need only one gauze pad, people who bleed a lot require several gauzes. Therefore, it is advisable to change the gauze occasionally rather than regularly. Regularly replacing a used gauze with a fresh one risks dislodging blood clots and triggering the bleeding again. Replacing a gauze pad only when necessary gives an extraction site time to heal properly.
Avoid Using Straws to Drink
A wisdom tooth extraction site often heals after a few days. Therefore, it might be tempting to use a straw to drink beverages so that liquids do not contact the wound. However, using a straw is the last thing you should do when recovering from wisdom teeth removal. Notably, the suction pressure you create inside your mouth as you suck in liquids through a straw can dislodge blood clots that have already formed. Thus, it can cause excessive bleeding or a painful dry socket, requiring emergency treatment. It is advisable to use a cup when drinking beverages.
Do Not Brush the Extraction Site
Oral care is still a crucial part of the recovery process after wisdom teeth extraction. However, some patients prefer to wait a day or two or until a wound is covered with gum tissue to resume their oral care routine. Unfortunately, food particles left on and between your teeth can find a way into an extraction site and cause an infection. Even if you gaggle warm salty water to clean the wound, failure to brush your teeth still exposes the extraction site to decaying food remains. Therefore, it is advisable to maintain your oral care routine by brushing your teeth. However, you must be careful to avoid brushing an extraction site to avoid opening the wound before it heals completely.
If you have questions about wisdom teeth removal, ask your dentist.
Share