How Long Does Recovery Take After A Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

The final adult teeth to emerge in your mouth are your back molars, also known as wisdom teeth. They arrive on both sides at the top and bottom, usually between the ages of 17 and 21. Unfortunately, many people don’t have enough space in their jaws to accommodate wisdom teeth without shifting their other teeth.

If this happens, your dentist will almost certainly advise you to have them removed surgically. Although wisdom tooth extraction is a common procedure, recovery time after wisdom tooth removal can take up to a week, depending on the circumstances. If your wisdom teeth are impacted, your recovery may take longer. This means they have not yet emerged from beneath the gums and are not visible. Here is how the recovery time will be following the procedure.

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Immediately Following Surgery

Gauze packs will be placed over your surgical sites to absorb blood immediately after surgery. You may need to swap these a few times as blood clots form in your mouth. After the numbing and sedation wear off, you may feel pain or discomfort. Drink plenty of clear liquids and eat a diet high in liquid foods such as milk, broth, thin soups, yogurt, and other non-chewing foods.

Furthermore, avoid using a straw or spitting forcefully for at least 2-3 days. This may cause your blood clots to dislodge. Finally, brush your teeth normally, but avoid touching the extraction sites. Instead, clean your extraction sites using a prescription oral or salt water rinse.

After 1-3 Days of Surgery

Avoid strenuous exercise and exertion during this time. You can usually begin eating slightly more solid foods like mashed potatoes, applesauce, pudding, and jello after about 2-3 days.

Pain and discomfort usually peak and fade within 1-3 days of surgery. Other symptoms, such as bruising, swelling, and inflammation, may appear around the extraction sites. This is completely normal.

Three Days to One Week After Surgery

Most of your pain, discomfort, and other symptoms will start to fade 3-7 days after your surgery. You will be able to take more solid foods after a week, but you should still avoid extremely hard and crunchy foods. Pasta and rice are acceptable.

After a week, you can also begin gently brushing the extraction sites. First, brush your other teeth normally, then brush the affected area gently to remove any food or debris.

After 2 Weeks of Surgery

Your extraction site should feel almost completely normal two weeks after surgery. It may not appear completely healed and tender and sensitive to touch, but it should not interfere with your daily life.

You can resume eating most of your favorite foods and brushing and flossing your teeth. The underlying extraction site will take a little longer to heal, but this process will continue without you having to do anything special to care for your mouth.

Home Recovery Tips

To help you recover from a wisdom tooth removal, your Phoenix Dentist may recommend that you use the following tips:

• Use paracetamol or Ibuprofen as pain relievers. Ibuprofen is the most effective pain reliever after tooth extraction. For a few days, refrain from strenuous activity and exercise.
• Use an extra pillow to prop your head for the next 24 hours, and avoid rinsing, spitting, hot beverages, or anything else that could dislodge the blood.
• Refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours.
• Eat soft foods and chew with your other teeth for a few days. After 24 hours, gently rinse the extraction site with an antiseptic mouthwash and repeat daily.

Your dentist near you will recommend that you take a day or two off from work. You won’t need a doctor’s or dentist’s note for this. You can drive yourself home after the procedure if local anesthesia is used. Still, you should avoid driving for at least 24 hours if sedation was used and 48 hours if general anesthesia was used

Your mouth and face will return to normal after your wisdom teeth have been extracted and any swelling and bruising have subsided. After some few days, you should be able to brush your teeth normally. Make sure you finish any antibiotics you’ve been prescribed. A follow-up appointment can be scheduled at Brookstone Dental Care about a week after the procedure. Any remaining stitches can be removed at this point.