Wisdom tooth extraction recovery questions. Some help please?!?!
Question: Wisdom tooth extraction recovery questions. Some help please?!?
1) After how many hours or days after the extraction can I start brushing my teeth? Do I avoid brushing the area of the extraction during the first 48 hours of the recovery process?
2) After how many hours or days after the extraction do I start rinsing my mouth with salt & warm water?
3) When can I start eating normal or solid foods? Or do I abstain from eating solids within the first 24-48 hours of the recovery process?
4) I find it hard to sleep sitting. Is it okay to lay on my bed, but prop up several pillows for a bit of elevation to stop the risk of bleeding? Can I sleep flat tomorrow night?
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5) Lastly, my job requires some heavy lifting. I might have to do some heavy lifting in 4 days. Is that alright? Or it's best to wait a bit longer (like say a full week)?
Answers:
Sarah is correct for a lot of answers except when to rinse. Here are my answers.
Following an extraction, there are 4 basic rules, which are meant to help you develop and keep a blood clot in the extraction site, that will protect the jawbone, keeping it for becoming inflamed (a condition known as Dry Socket);
1)Do not smoke. If you can go 5-7 days that would be great
2)Do not spit.
3)Do not rinse for 24 hours. Then you can GENTLY use some warm salt water. Do not rinse vigorously, swish, swirl or gargle it. Just get it in your mouth, tilt your head to the side and let the water get to the extraction site. Then tip your head forward and let the water fall out. Do not spit, or out goes the clot.
4)Do not suck through a straw
1)You can brush like normal. Just stop before you get back to the upper right area with the toothbrush. You don't want to snag the developing clot with the bristles of the toothbrush and pull it out.
2)Again, do not rinse for 24 hours.
3)You really should be able to eat normal foods right away. Just try not to have hard things hit your gum tissue on the upper right. That would hurt. Also, you can drink. Just have it go right down the middle of your mouth. Do not use a straw and do not swish the drink in your mouth.
4)You should have been given some extra gauze. Change the gauze every half an hour for a few hours, until you notice you do not have a whole lot of blood in the gauze. Some oozing is normal. You don't want to keep the gauze in there too long, as you don't want a clot to stick to the gauze and then you rip it out. The gauze just puts some pressure on the gums getting them to stop bleeding, and mops up the bleeding while it is really liquidy.
After several hours you should be able to sleep normally, especially since you only had 1 extraction. But if you want to be sure (since everyone drools) put a towel down.
5)I say no heavy lifting or exercise for about a day. After that you should be ok.
Best of luck!
All of this should have been answered by your oral surgeon prior to leaving. But...
1. You should brush your teeth 3 times a day, as normal. Just be gentle.
2. Immediately
3. Mechanical soft for 24-48 hrs, then normal
4. Lay flat if you want, but it may (very) slightly increase swelling and pain. There is minimal if any risk of bleeding with tooth extraction.
5. 4 days is plenty. Really only matters regarding pain anyway.
RN