Apply heat packs to reduce swelling
Expect swelling after your wisdom tooth surgery. Ice packs can help during the first 24 hours, but then use hot packs for 10 minutes every 30 minutes to help reduce swelling. Any swelling should reduce in 3 days, but please come into our dentist’s office in Lakeway for a thorough exam if swelling persists.
Ice packs work during the first 24 hours by constricting the blood vessels to reduce the amount of blood going to the tooth extraction site. Once bleeding has stopped, heat pads are much more useful to help open the blood vessels and allow blood flow again.
Begin rinsing after 24 hours
After the first 24 hours, you’ll need to rinse your mouth regularly with a prescribed mouthwash to eliminate bacteria near your extraction site to keep it clean. If not prescribed, you can also use an at-home salt solution. Mix a ¼ of a teaspoon of salt with one cup of water to create the saltwater.
Do not swish the solution since it could dislodge the blood clot or disturb any stitches. Insert the saltwater in your mouth and tilt your head from side to side carefully before opening your mouth and allowing the water to drip out. Spitting can disturb the blood clot and lead to a dry socket.
Irrigate with water properly
Your gums will heal from the bottom up, gradually filling the area with healthy tissue. Without proper irrigation, food particles can get stuck in the surgery site and can lead to irritation and discomfort.
We will provide you with a syringe and instruct proper use for irrigation. Use with saltwater, prescription mouthwash, or lukewarm water. Fill the syringe and gently place the tip to the side of the extraction site and slowly allow the substance to fill the hole to help flush out any food that might have gotten stuck without disturbing the blood clot formation.
You may see white tissue form on your gums
This scar tissue is a natural response by the body that indicates that proper healing. As the days go by, the white tissue will fall off with continual salt rinses.
Introduce soft foods slowly
To ensure a smooth recovery, continue eating foods that do not require chewing to avoid irritating the healing area. Prevent any food from becoming lodged and will reduce the likelihood of you getting an infection.
Hydration and maintaining a healthy diet are essential during this stage, so make sure you are consuming an adequate amount of food.
Avoid a dry socket
Dry socket most commonly occurs 3-5 days post-surgery, although it is still possible depending on the extraction procedure. We recommend not sucking on a straw, spitting, or cleaning your teeth vigorously for a full week after since these could cause the blood clot to dislodge.
Learn more about dry sockets here.
Go for a post-operative appointment
Most patients experience healthy recovery during the first week, but we may recommend a follow-up appointment to assess how you are healing. We will check the area and provide instructions for further water irrigation. We will also share this information before your surgery.
You may experience some bruising
Bruising may occur in the cheek, eyelids, chin, and neck between 7 to 14 days and should decrease gradually.
