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If your dentist suggests removal of your impacted wisdom teeth, you don’t have to be nervous. A toothache can drive you crazy. Having the impacted tooth removed can be an apt decision to get rid of the constant pain. To prevent any complications or infection, you may need to follow all after-care instructions through and through. The post-healing instructions include but are not limited to the following;
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Swelling
SwellingIt is normal for swelling to occur for up to 3 days after surgery. To minimize swelling, firmly but gently use a cold pack of ice or frozen peas on the cheeks adjacent to the surgical area in 20 minutes intervals on and off. An infection prior to the surgery will mean you use warm, moist compress instead of the cold. Make sure you take medications to reduce the swellings if prescribed.
Bleeding
Bleeding should be expected. Try and keep the gauze pad over the surgical area for half an hour after the surgery. Oral Maxillofacial and Implant Surgery Limited suggest rinsing/wiping clots of your mouth then placing a fresh gauze pad over the area and biting down firmly for 30 minutes to stop excessive bleeding. A good alternative can be moist tea bags that can help blood clot set faster because of tannic acid.
Oral Hygiene
Simply put as mouth care. Avoid extreme exercise, smoking, and excessive spitting post surgery. Lay yourself to rest for 2 to 3 hours after the procedure to help you limit eating, drinking or talking. You can gently brush and rinse your teeth 12 hours after surgery. A day later, you can rinse your mouth 5 to 6 times with warm salty water especially after eating.
Diet
Have meals consisting of lots of clear lukewarm or cold fluids to keep you hydrated and soft foods. Eat regular blended meals to avoid dislodging the blood clot. Avoid carbonated drinks or meals that contain husks or particles that can get stuck in the socket. Your food intake may be limited to the first few days post surgery, a lot of fluids can compensate for this. Always chew your food from the side of the mouth that is not affected.
Medication
Ensure you take all medications as directed by the physician. For severe pain, pain medication tablets should be used. Most pain medications can slow down reflexes and make you groggy, don’t handle any machinery when still under medication. Antibiotics will also be given to prevent or treat infections. Dry Socket is the most common post teeth surgical procedure complication but it can be prevented by the aftercare instructions above. When a blood clot is dislodged or dissolved, bone and nerve endings are exposed at the surgery site developing the dry socket. The symptoms are; throbbing pain, halitosis, bad taste in the mouth, the noticeable bone at the socket, swollen nymph and a slight fever.
