A toothache is troublesome enough, let alone a wisdom tooth. When it comes to wisdom teeth removal, you are probably a little worried about whether it is painful or has complications. However, when the wisdom tooth hurts, whether you like it or not, you should look for a reputable dental clinic for wisdom tooth extraction. So stay with us to know more about this procedure.
When Is Wisdom Teeth Removal Required?
First, let’s see what happens when wisdom teeth grow in the mouth. Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to grow in the back of your mouth. While they are usually four teeth, two lower and two uppers, some people may only have two of them, and some may not have them at all.
The problem is caused when the jaw is too small to let the wisdom teeth grow. In this case, this tooth cannot grow properly, and it will cause pain. When the tooth is in this condition, it is called an impacted wisdom tooth. If you don’t visit a dentist soon, it can cause more severe dental problems, such as gum disease, tooth decay, or jaw cysts. That’s why it must be removed as soon as possible.
How Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Performed?
You should note that if you visit your dentist regularly, they may diagnose the wisdom tooth growth sooner and remove it with less pain. Therefore, don’t forget to go for annual checkups.
You may wonder if wisdom tooth removal has any special age. Generally, these extra teeth grow at the age of 18 to 24. Therefore, dentists might recommend wisdom tooth X-rays at this age to discover whether the patient needs this surgery. The patient might not feel pain in this stage. Still, if the dentist finds out that there is no space in the jaw to let the teeth grow, it will recommend wisdom tooth extraction to prevent it from growing and causing infection.
Generally, the upper wisdom teeth are more accessible than the lower teeth, and the surgery is usually done using local anesthetics. However, the infected wisdom tooth may have so much pain that the oral surgeon may need to do the surgery under general anesthesia.
Although the procedure is usually done in the hospital, the patient doesn’t need to stay overnight. They can go home right after the surgery, but the surgeon will give instructions about what to do after wisdom teeth removal to feel less pain in the upcoming days.
Dos and Don’ts After Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom teeth removal recovery time may take up to one or two weeks. Therefore, you should follow these instructions to pass this recovery time without pain and prevent infection.
- Avoid chewing food; instead, eat soft foods like yogurt or soup.
- Take the medications prescribed by your dentist. If you feel pain, take over-the-counter painkillers. However, call your dentist if the pain is so severe that you can’t control it with pills.
- The extraction area will swell or bruise after the surgery. Use an ice pack on the swelling area to minimize the discomfort.
- On the first days after the surgery, you may experience bleeding. Therefore, use a gauze or pad to control the bleeding. It is better to change the pad every 60 minutes.
- It is common to feel a bad taste in your mouth. It is mainly caused by bleeding. Call your dentist if you have this taste in your mouth after one week.
- It is better to avoid brushing your teeth the first night after the surgery. The next day, brush the teeth gently and avoid contacting the extraction area.
- Stay hydrated. It is recommended to drink plenty of water during the recovery time.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol during the recovery period.
- Don’t drink hot drinks like coffee for the first few days after the surgery.
- You should not do any physical activity for at least one week.
- Don’t rinse your mouth the day after wisdom teeth removal.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Side Effects
Pain, swelling, bleeding, and bruises are the common side effects after wisdom teeth removal. Other side effects include:
- Dry sockets- After removing wisdom teeth, there is a risk of experiencing a dry socket, which is when the blood clot in the socket comes out too soon, causing pain. It is the most common problem that can happen after the procedure. To avoid this side effect, follow the recovery instructions, especially about smoking.
- Dizziness- you may experience dizziness after this surgery, usually caused by inflammation, changes in blood pressure, or the anesthetic medications. However, it is common for the first few days; if you experience dizziness for over two days, contact your dentist.
It is important to note that wisdom teeth removal is a safe procedure that doesn’t impact your brain. However, it is common to experience dizziness, blurry vision, weakness, and confusion, which are the side effects of anesthesia. Therefore, don’t worry; when the recovery time passes, all these discomforts will disappear. However, it is still recommended to let your dentist know about any discomfort you feel.
Day by Day Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery Timeline
If you want to know what to expect the days after the surgery, here is the complete timeline. Furthermore, you should know that usually the second day after the surgery will be the worst day of pain after wisdom tooth extraction.
Wisdom Teeth Myths
Generally, people may have uncommon ideas about wisdom teeth. Let’s check some of the myths that have been formed over the years:
- Wisdom teeth are useless- This is not true. Despite being removed to avoid infection or teeth deformations; wisdom teeth can help with chewing tough foods.
- Wisdom teeth removal is required for everyone- The truth is that this surgery is recommended when the jaw doesn’t have any space for the new tooth to grow. If there is enough room for the wisdom tooth to emerge, the dentist might not offer the extraction.
- Wisdom teeth removal impacts the brain- Although patients might feel dizziness or blurry vision, that doesn’t mean this surgery has affected the brain. These are the side effects of wisdom tooth removal surgery.
Meanwhile, if you choose the best clinic in your area to do this surgery, you will have more comfort about the side effects and recovery time of this procedure.
Bottom Line
improve one’s oral health. It is crucial to choose a reputable clinic with experienced professionals to ensure a successful and safe procedure.
If you are looking for experienced and professional dentists and dental treatment in Darwin, Coolalinga, Palmerston, Humpty doo, or Howard Springs, check out Acacia Dental.