It's usually recommended that you take a day or two off work after having a wisdom tooth removed. You won't need a sick note from your doctor or dentist for this.
Will You Be Able to Resume Work Immediately? Resuming your daily activities without downtime after a tooth extraction is a big stretch. Usually, dental experts recommend resting for 48 – 72 hours before resuming daily activities. This period is necessary for rest, allowing your body to focus on healing.
Do you need to take the day off after having a tooth pulled? Yes, that's the ideal situation. Make plans that you can just go on home for the remainder of the day following your extraction procedure. For most routine cases, that may be a little more rest and recuperation time than you absolutely need.
Your dentist can remove most teeth with a simple procedure. The multiple tooth extraction recovery time remains the same for a single tooth or multiple teeth. You can expect to return to normal activities in 7- 10 days. If you need surgery for impacted wisdom teeth, the recovery time may exceed this by a few days.
Vigorous mouth rinsing or chewing in the areas of the tooth extraction should be avoided. This may cause increased bleeding or the blood clot to dislodge. A liquid or soft diet is recommended for the first 24 hours after tooth extraction. Avoid sucking through straws and eating hard or crunchy foods and spicy foods.
After having a tooth extracted, you can expect to heal within 1-2 weeks, but this varies on a case by case basis. In this blog from Woburn Dental Associates, we're detailing the entire healing process following an extraction so read on to learn more.
Always sleep with your head elevated for the first few nights after the wisdom tooth extraction surgery. If you struggle to put yourself in that position, get support from a few pillows. Keeping your head elevated at a 45-deg angle while sleeping ensures faster recovery. It also minimizes swelling in the surgical area.
Allow the area to heal. Don't move quickly or lift anything heavy until you are feeling better. Rest when you feel tired. Your dentist may give you specific instructions on when you can do your normal activities again, such as driving and going back to work.
Always consult your dentist about which medications to take after a tooth extraction. Ibuprofen, for example, can cause side effects, such as an allergic reaction or stomach upsets.
The pain and swelling should subside more and more each day following surgery. The second day following surgery is usually the worst day for swelling. If your post-operative pain or swelling worsens or unusual symptoms occur call my office for instructions. There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed.
Get plenty of rest – Your body needs time to heal after tooth extraction. It is important that you rest for at least the first 24 hours and avoid strenuous activity for at least 48 hours. Rest or sleep with head elevated – Sleeping with your head elevated on extra pillows will help the blood clot and promote healing.
– Day 1. The first day after the extraction, blood clotting begins. It is normal to experience slight bleeding, discomfort, and even some pain. Swelling also reaches its peak in the first 24 hours.
During the first 24 hours after your tooth has been pulled, several things will happen. Blood clots will begin to form, and the sutures in your mouth will help the tissue begin to heal. You will likely experience some minor pain and bleeding during the first 24 hours of your recovery process.
Within the first 24 hours after tooth removal surgery, you should avoid consuming anything that involves chewing. Try to limit yourself to liquids exclusively. If they don't fill you up and you want to consume solid food, go for soft meals that don't need much chewing, like pudding or oatmeal.
Don't do any heavy lifting or move your head forcefully for a few days following treatment. Do not rinse your mouth for 24 hours after treatment. Don't brush the surgical site for the first few days after treatment, but you can gently wipe it with soft gauze to keep it clean.
You Should Not Drive Immediately After Surgery
That is because the drugs used in anesthesia are powerful and can take up to 24 – 48 hours to wear off. Even if you feel normal after your surgery, you may still have slowed reflexes and a delayed thought process. In some cases, the anesthesia can even cause amnesia.
Swelling – Swelling should subside almost entirely within 10 days after surgery. Immediately following your tooth extraction, apply an ice pack to the facial areas near the extraction.
Recommended wait time: If the filling is made of metal it's best to wait 24 hours for the filling to harden. If the filling is resin-based, it hardens instantly so you can eat or drink immediately.
Your body is using energy to heal itself, so you may feel more tired than usual – this is perfectly normal.
You should drink plenty of water after your tooth extraction to keep the extraction site clear and prevent infection. Remember to not drink through a straw, though, since the sucking motion can disturb the extraction site.
Jaw stiffness and soreness is common after oral surgery and may result in limited mouth opening (trismus). This is as a result of the surgery involving the jaw muscles at or near the surgical site. This condition may last for a few days to a week. On rare occasions, jaw stiffness may take longer to resolve.
What is the most difficult tooth to extract? Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that have failed to erupt properly. They are generally considered to be the most difficult teeth to extract.
48 hours after surgery, rinse mouth with warm salt water every 1-2 hours. Avoid using any mouthwash containing alcohol as it can irritate the wound. Keep your mouth clean by brushing areas around the surgical site, but be sure to avoid sutures. Touching the wounded area in any fashion should be prevented.