While your oral surgeon will instruct you on how to maintain good oral hygiene throughout recovery, there are no restrictions on general hygiene. You can shower and bathe as you normally would.
After 24 hours you should start bathing the socket area with warm salt water. Dissolve a level teaspoon of common table salt in a cup of warm water. Ensure that the water is not too hot for your mouth.
After wisdom tooth surgery, you may be wondering if it's safe to use a heating pad. In general, we advise against using a heating pad on the surgical area for at least 48 hours after the surgery. This is because heat can increase inflammation and slow the healing process.
Don't drink with a straw, suck on candy or ice pops, slurp soups or other liquids, rinse your mouth vigorously, or smoke for 24 hours. These things create suction in the mouth. This may dislodge the blood clot. Don't drink alcohol or use mouthwash containing alcohol for 24 hours.
Swelling: apply ice packs to face in area of extraction for 30 minutes on, then 10 minutes off for the first 24 hours following surgery. After the first 24 hours, discontinue ice and use a heating pad or moist heat compress to bring the swelling down.
Pain. It is normal for pain to get worse over the next couple of days. Most discomfort is seen on day 2 and 3. Once you get home and the bleeding has stopped, you should eat (soft foods, pudding, etc.).
It is best to stick to soft foods requiring minimal chewing, such as applesauce, yogurt and pudding. Vitamin C and vitamin A help to support the healing process following a tooth extraction. Therefore, it is a good idea to eat foods rich in these nutrients.
After tooth extraction, it is important to get plenty of rest. People should rest for at least the first 24 hours after the extraction. Avoiding strenuous activity is necessary. This may reduce bleeding and prevent losing the blood clot from the socket.
How Long after Tooth Extraction Can I Drink? You can simply drink normal water after one or two hours but if you are looking to drink any soda, acidic drink or an alcohol, you must wait for at least a week after tooth extraction.
Dairy contains proteins that can encourage the growth of bacteria and increase the risk of infection. This is because dairy provides an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, which can lead to swelling and discomfort in the gums and surrounding area.
If a patient does not have sensitive teeth, ice cream is one of the first things that they should reach for following a tooth extraction. Even the sorest mouths can generally handle ice cream because it is both soft in texture and cool in temperature.
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.
Saliva can be swallowed, even if slightly blood tinged. It is typical to have blood-tinged saliva for a few hours but this does not necessarily require you to have gauze in your mouth continuously. It is unlikely there is active bleeding but the gum tissue may ooze slightly.
The only necessary care will be to wash your hair and face daily and keep ointment applied on the incision site(s) for the first 2 weeks. Avoid excessive sun exposure to the surgical site to prevent visible scaring.
Dislodge the food by gently rinsing your mouth with warm salt water (saline) solution. Avoid swishing the water around and don't spit—this can lead to painful dry sockets. If you received a syringe from your clinician, you can use warm water or salt water to gently flush the socket clean.
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.
Dentists can advise people on the length of time they should refrain from drinking alcohol after tooth extraction. They may suggest avoiding alcohol for at least 24 hours after the procedure to allow the tissues to heal and recover.
It is your body's natural healing process. You can help this healing process by following the simple points below: Do not drink or eat for three hours after tooth extraction. We recommend eating soft food and to chew on the other side of your mouth.
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.
Oral surgery, no matter if it is surgery for periodontal disease, tooth extractions, or dental implant placement, can leave you feeling uncomfortable for a few days. Getting plenty of rest and sleep is crucial for healing properly following surgery.
Most oral surgeons advise patients to avoid physical exertion for the first 24 hours after surgery. Exercise can lead to an increase in blood pressure, which can cause the extraction site to bleed. Worst of all, the blood clot that grows in the extraction area after surgery may be dislodged, leading to dry socket.
While every patient heals at a slightly different pace, most people can begin drinking small amounts of coffee around 5 days after an extraction. If all goes well, within two weeks any swelling should subside and your mouth should be mostly healed. At that point, you can return to drinking your normal amount of coffee.
Tip #1: Salt Water Rinse
After a tooth has been removed, it is possible for small particles of food to be lodged in the socket. We recommend a gentle salt water rinse to clean the area that is healing and prevent food from getting caught. The salt water promotes healing and reduces the risk of complications.
Top Tips for aftercare
with warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water) 3-4 times per day, always after meals. Be very careful not to dislodge any blood clot in the tooth socket. biting down on a clean, rolled up handkerchief placed over the affected area for about 10 minutes.