Wisdom teeth removal is common and safe. With that said, it is a surgery requiring care during recovery. Following these aftercare instructions can significantly minimize your risk of ongoing discomfort or infection.

Immediately Following Surgery

  • There will be a gauze pad placed over the incision site. Keep this gauze pad in place for half an hour after surgery. After half an hour has passed, remove and discard it.
  • Avoid touching the wound area or any vigorous mouth washing following surgery. Touching or mouth washing may dislodge the blood clot that has formed, which can cause bleeding.
  • As soon as you start feeling pain or discomfort, take the prescription pain medication as instructed. This will usually happen around the time your anesthesia wears off.
  • Try to rest on the day of your surgery. Take it easy and restrict physical activities. Get back to your normal physical activities when you feel able.
  • Use ice packs on the side of your face where you had wisdom teeth removed. This is an important way to minimize swelling.

Bleeding

Following surgery, some bleeding is normal and can be anticipated. Some slight bleeding, or red saliva, is nothing to worry about. If you experience excessive bleeding, you may be able to control it by rinsing and wiping away any old blood clots in your mouth. Then, place a gauze pad over the wound area, and bite down on it for at least half an hour. If bleeding continues, repeat this step, or try biting down on a wet tea bag for half an hour. You can also minimize bleeding by avoiding physical exercise or excitement.

Swelling

You can expect some swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes, and side of the face. This is the body’s normal response to wisdom teeth removal surgery. Usually, the swelling does not become evident until the day after surgery and will reach its peak on day two or three. You can control the swelling with the use of ice packs. Place them against the side of the face where surgery was performed, and keep them there while awake. Note that, after 36 hours, ice no longer has any beneficial effect. At this point, moist heat (e.g., a warm compress) works best.

Pain

If you experience mild to moderate pain, you may take one or two tablets of Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol or two to three 200 mg of Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) tablets every three to four hours.

For more severe pain, take the pain medications that your surgeon prescribes as directed. Avoid driving, operating machinery, and drinking alcohol when taking prescription pain medicines. 

Following your surgery, pain should become less and less pronounced each day. If the pain persists or intensifies, contact your surgeon.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics can help prevent infection, so take them as directed. Do not continue using antibiotics in the event of a rash or other adverse reactions. Contact the office if you have any questions.

Diet

After anesthesia or IV sedation, you must first resume your diet with liquids. Drink from a glass and avoid using straws. (The sucking motion from the straw may dislodge your blood clot and cause more bleeding.) You can enjoy soft foods, though we recommend chewing on the side of your mouth away from the incision site. 

Seek nourishment regularly, and drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. Over the first few days, your food intake may be lower, so compensate by drinking more liquids. Aim for a minimum of five to six glasses of liquid daily.

Consume plenty of calories and protein. Do not miss any meals. Getting sound nutrition will help you feel better and regain your strength more quickly.

Exercise

If you exercise regularly or play a sport, be aware that your normal nourishment intake will temporarily reduce. Stop exercising if you become lightheaded.

Keeping Your Mouth Clean

On the day of your surgery, avoid rinsing or mouth washing. You may brush your teeth at night, but be very gentle in your rinsing. On the day after surgery, start by rinsing with warm water and salt five to six times daily, especially after eating.

Discoloration

Some patients may experience some slight discoloration of the skin. Any black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration may be caused by blood spreading beneath the tissues. It is normal and may happen within two to three days of your procedure. A warm compress can help manage this discoloration.

Nausea and Vomiting

If you experience nausea or vomiting the day after your surgery, avoid taking anything by mouth for at least an hour, including prescription medications. Then, try sipping on ginger ale, tea, or Coke. Sip slowly for 15 minutes or more. You can try eating solid foods and taking your medications when the nausea subsides.

Sutures

Sutures are used to minimize bleeding and expedite your healing. In some instances, the sutures may become dislodged. It is nothing to worry about. Remove the dislodged suture from your mouth and discard it. The sutures will be comfortably removed about a week after your surgery.

There will be a cavity where the wisdom tooth was removed, and over a month, this cavity will fill with tissue. Use saltwater rinses and tooth brushing to keep this area clean, especially after eating.

A dry socket occurs when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket, causing pain in the mouth or the ear. If this happens, contact our office immediately.

Other Complications

  • You may notice numbness on your lips, tongue, or chin following surgery. It is normal and should prove temporary. However, the numbness may cause you to bite your tongue or lip accidentally, so be careful as you eat.
  • You may have a slight uptick in temperature after surgery. It is normal and can be managed with Tylenol or Ibuprofen.
  • Be careful moving from a lying down position to standing. To avoid lightheadedness, sit for one minute before you stand up.
  • Some patients feel hard projections in the mouth with their tongue. These are the bony walls that support the wisdom tooth. Most of the time, they smooth out on their own. If they cause an ongoing problem, your surgeon can easily remove them.
  • If the corners of your mouth are stretched out, it may result in dry, cracked lips. Use ointments such as Vaseline to keep your lips moist.
  • Sore throats, especially when swallowing, are a common result of post-surgical swelling in the throat muscles and should subside within a couple of days.
  • Stiffness in the jaw muscles may cause difficulty opening your mouth for a few days after your surgery. This stiffness is normal and will resolve on its own.