RECOVERING FROM A WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION: THINGS TO KNOW

Once your wisdom teeth are removed, you can look forward to relief from the pain they were causing. However, like with any kind of surgery, it will take some time to recover from the extraction process. Your oral surgeon will give you more specific instructions for wisdom tooth recovery in Denver based on your unique situation, but it’s helpful to know a few things about the process beforehand so that you can start preparing right away. How long will recovery take? And how can you make sure it goes as smoothly as possible? You can find out more by reading on.

How Long Does It Take to Recover After Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

The healing process is gradual. Generally speaking, you should see a little bit of progress every day as the bruising, swelling, and pain subside. Recovery usually begins with blood clots forming in the sockets where the teeth used to be; this happens within the first 24 hours. Swelling should go down after 2 or 3 days. If you received stitches to close your wound, they should normally be removed after a week. Soreness should be largely gone after 10 days, and any bruising that occurred is normally healed after two weeks. All of these time frames are just general estimates though; individuals all have different recovery times.

How Can You Speed Up the Healing Process?

One of the most important things you can do to make sure that healing doesn’t take any longer than it needs to is protect the blood clot over the wound. This clot helps prevent infections and excessive bleeding while also giving the surrounding tissue a chance to repair itself. For the first 24 hours, you should avoid behaviors that could potentially dislodge the clot, such as brushing near the extraction site, rinsing, eating food that requires any amount of chewing, and drinking through straws. Once the 24 hours are up, you can use antiseptic mouth rinse to further lower the risk of infection.

How Can You Take Care of Your Mouth During Recovery?

The following tips can help you remain comfortable while your mouth is healing:

• Use an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time to reduce swelling.
• Take ibuprofen or another kind of pain relief medication.
• Limit yourself to soft foods at first; you can slowly introduce heartier meals back into your diet as you feel comfortable.
• Keep your head raised whenever you sleep.
• Periodically rinse with warm water and salt; this helps relieve soreness and swelling.

With the help of the above tips as well as the instructions of your oral surgeon in Denver, you can avoid the potential complications of wisdom tooth recovery and look forward to having a pain-free, healthy smile again in a couple of weeks.