How to Heal Quickly After Wisdom Tooth Surgery
In-depth research shows that about five million Americans undergo wisdom teeth removal per year. In addition to this, dentists and oral surgeons extract about 10 million wisdom teeth in a year.
Moreover, wisdom teeth may take two weeks to recover fully. During this period, you must know how to look after the wound appropriately. In fact, taking care of your teeth and gums appropriately can help speed up the recovery period. Here we discuss ways you can achieve that:
How Long Does a Wisdom Teeth Recovery Take?
There’s a slight chance you may require stitches to help appropriately close the wound. Here you’ll have to wait a week before you can get the stitches off. In some cases, the surgery results in swelling, pain, and bruising, which requires additional time to heal.
Generally, wisdom teeth recovery occurs slowly yet gradually. Here we discuss the healing process in several steps:
- Blood clots form within the first 24 hours
- Swelling of the mouth and cheeks typically improves after 2 to 3 days.
- Your dentist will remove stitches after seven days.
- Jaw stiffness and soreness should disappear within 7 to 10 days.
- Mild bruising occurring on your face should diminish after two weeks.
Keep in mind that the recovery time varies for different people. In case your blood clots dislodge from the wound or an infection occurs, your wound may take longer to heal.
How to Speed Up Recovery Process
The below-mentioned tips can lead to a speedy recovery after wisdom tooth removal:
Follow a Strict Diet
To ensure you don’t irritate your wound or cause an infection, avoid consuming hot foods and beverages for the initial three hours to ensure the anesthetic effects wear naturally.
Your tooth sockets require at least two weeks to heal, whereas you may have to wait a while before the stitches settle in properly. For this reason, experts recommend you stick to consuming soft food items and liquids.
Rinse Your Mouth with Salt Water
Don’t rinse your mouth in the first 24 hours after your wisdom teeth surgery. However, you may start rinsing your mouth with a warm salt solution in the following week. It removes food particles and also kills bacteria, but it also acts as a natural painkiller.
Ice the Wound
One great way to gain relief from wisdom tooth surgery pain is by icing your jaw. That way, you can reduce the bruising and swelling you may be experiencing.
Start by placing an ice pack atop the extraction area for at least 15 to 20 minutes. After that, remove the ice pack and let your face cool down for about 20 minutes. Then repeat the process.
You may continue doing this process multiple times for the 36 to 48 hours following your removal.
The Takeaway
After appropriate aftercare, it takes a mere two weeks for you to recover from wisdom teeth removal. In case you develop an infection, you may need to take antibiotics.
Moreover, you must schedule a follow-up appointment with your oral surgeon to ensure your wisdom teeth are healing appropriately. Book an appointment here in Southern Utah with our expert oral surgeon Dr.Davis to ensure your wound doesn’t get an infection and your recovery process goes smoothly.
