TIPS FOR SPEEDY WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL RECOVERY
The wisdom teeth grow out from the back of your mouth. They are the last teeth to emerge from your gums. These teeth appear mainly between the age of seventeen and twenty-one. However, some people do not have wisdom teeth at all.
Unfortunately, many people experience discomfort with the growth of their wisdom teeth. This is because the space on the gums and in the mouth is not enough to accommodate wisdom teeth. If and when they appear, the wisdom teeth begin to put the other teeth under so much pressure that they can lead to tooth shifting and pain.
Your wisdom teeth can also become impacted. This means that they don’t grow upwards like the other teeth. They usually emerge from an extreme angle. Sometimes, they don’t emerge completely. When this becomes the case, surgery becomes the solution because the teeth must be removed. This is a common routine procedure, and it requires some recovery time.
One significant part of the recovery is ensuring that the blood clots formed around the removal site are not dislodged. You should also avoid destroying the stitches applied to the holes left behind by the removal.
In this instance, the blood clot is similar to a scab. It is meant for the protection of the hole. It also allows the wound to heal. The removal of the blood clot can lead to dry sockets. And this exposes the nerves and leads to increased infection risk and increased pain.
The following tips will help you have a complication-free and speedy recovery:
- Manage pain
After the surgery, you will be asked to go home, especially after waking up from the sedation. You may not be able to go home yourself because the effect of the sedation may be long-lasting. So you need someone to guide you home. Driving yourself home will be very dangerous.
Use over-the-counter painkillers to manage your pain.
You can also manage the pain by placing an ice pack on your face. This helps keep you comfortable and reduces swelling. Apply the ice packs every 20 minutes. Take another 20 minutes break before reapplying for them.
- Sip your drinks
Do not be tempted to use a straw when taking fluids. Try as much as possible to avoid straws. Instead of using straws, you can take sips from your cup to keep you highly hydrated. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. To aid your recovery, you must stay hydrated. So water is essential to your recovery.
- Don’t smoke
Please, do not smoke after the surgery. This can disrupt your healing process. If you are an addict, this is your best chance of escaping from the traps of smoking.
After your surgery, you’ll notice blood clots around the socket of the tooth that was removed. Smoking can cause the clots to dislodge, leading to painful and dreaded dry sockets.
- Eat soft food
You might not feel starving after the surgery, but you must eat, and when searching for foods to eat, only select foods that do not require much chewing. Hard foods may interfere with stitches and blood clots.
The soft foods to eat includes:
- Smoothies
- Mashed potatoes
- Soup
- Pudding
- Apple sauce
- Cottage cheese
- Mashed bananas
- Scrambled eggs
- Yogurt
- Broth
- Smooth soups
- Avoid hot foods
To fasten your healing process, you must avoid hot foods. Eating extremely hot foods or drinking hot drinks can put you at the risk of burning your wound.
Other tips include:
- Sticking to the recommended diet
- The slow introduction of new foods
- Avoiding strenuous activities
- Proper care