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.
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.
Many people take 2 days off work, including the day of the operation, while others take 3 days, particularly if they have had several teeth removed at the same time, and/or had a general anaesthetic.
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.
Following any type of oral surgery, including a tooth extraction, you should sleep elevated for the first 2-3 nights. This allows your body to drain more of the fluid away from the extraction site. If you were to lie flat on your back, the amount of swelling is much more likely to increase.
Use two or even more pillows to keep your head elevated while sleeping. Altogether avoid staying up late during the first 48 hours after wisdom tooth removal. Give your body sufficient rest needed for wound healing.
The swelling will build over the first 48 to 72 hours and then plateau for 2-3 days making the 3rd-5th days the worst for pain and swelling. However, the swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs.
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.
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. The higher the degree of impaction, the more difficult the extraction.
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.
When can I have something to eat? About an hour after surgery, you may remove the gauze sponges that have been placed in your mouth and have something to eat. Be sure to eat foods that are soft for the first 24 hours after surgery. Avoid hot foods and drinks for several hours after surgery.
Do: Get Your Fluids. Drinking water helps keep your teeth clean and bacteria free on top of keeping your body hydrated. You should drink plenty of water after your tooth extraction to keep the extraction site clear and prevent infection.
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.
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.
If you're trying to choose between the two options and wondering “which is more painful, a tooth extraction or a filling,” removing a tooth results in a longer period of discomfort compared to a filling procedure.
For at least 24 hours after your tooth extraction, you should consume only soft foods and liquids. You can ease into a more normal diet when you feel comfortable doing so. Try to stick with easy-to-chew foods for a few days. Initially, choose cool foods like yogurt, pudding, Jell-O, and ice cream.
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.).
Expect some soreness from a surgical extraction for at least three days and, in some cases, up to two weeks. Some patients experience a slight increase in pain right around the five-day mark, but in general, you can usually manage this with over-the-counter medications.
It is important to keep your mouth and the extraction site as clean as possible, making sure that the socket is kept clear of all food and debris. Don't rinse for the first 24 hours, and this will help your mouth to start healing. After this time use a salt-water mouthwash, which helps to heal the socket.
By sleeping with your head elevated, you can help to minimize the risk of developing a dry socket and promote faster healing after your wisdom tooth extraction.
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 your procedure, focus on drinking lots of water to facilitate healing and stay hydrated. Beverages like Gatorade, Powerade, and Pedialyte can also be great options to help you stay hydrated and heal up quickly.
What to eat the first 24 hours after tooth extraction: It is usually safest to eat only liquids or soft foods for the first 24 hours. This might include items like yogurt, pudding, soup, applesauce, gelatin, and ice cream without any crunchy pieces.