After wisdom teeth surgery, your mouth will be in recovery mode while you heal from the procedure itself and fight off any potential infections. While it’s important to follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions to avoid complications, there are steps you can take that will speed up your recovery time and help you feel back to normal as soon as possible. Here are five steps to speed up your recovery after wisdom teeth surgery.
1) Bite gently on a Gauze Pad
Immediately after surgery, you can bite on a gauze pad. This will help keep your mouth moist and prevent dry sockets, which occur when blood vessels in your mouth aren’t kept moist enough. You can also use an over-the-counter pain medication until you don’t feel any pain. What about Jaw Pain? If you start feeling jaw pain around day three or four, it might be caused by damage to the muscles around your jaw or by nerve damage. Don’t worry; these conditions are not dangerous, though they can make eating difficult for up to three weeks post-surgery. But you must call your dentist if jaw pain doesn’t go away within 10 days because severe jaw injuries may require surgery. If left untreated, they could develop into chronic issues that could leave your face severely misshapen.
2) Ice it
As with any surgery, your body will be sore and swollen after having your wisdom teeth removed. To speed up your recovery time, apply an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables to your face for 20 minutes at a time. Just visit https://www.specialistdentalgroup.com/services/wisdom-tooth-surgery/ and learn why you need to Ice it up. In short, not only will it reduce swelling and discomfort, but it may also help reduce inflammation around your gums. It’s best to do so immediately after your procedure. Keep in mind that icing too long can cause frostbite—for both you and anyone who might try to put the ice on for you.
3) Get a decent night’s sleep
Getting a decent night’s sleep is important in speeding up your recovery after having your wisdom teeth removed. To ensure that you don’t wake up in pain, or with a massive headache, make sure that you set an alarm for when you have to get up in the morning. And, more importantly, make sure that you follow it! If you really want to recover quickly from your wisdom teeth surgery, give yourself as much rest as possible after your procedure. Your body will thank you for it.
4) Keep your mouth clean
Most people take at least a week off from work after wisdom teeth surgery, and because of that long break, it’s easy for some patients to forget about proper oral hygiene. Even though you can’t brush your teeth right after surgery, you should do your best to keep your mouth clean. Try gargling with a saltwater solution or using cotton swabs with hydrogen peroxide on them. You don’t want an infection taking hold while you recover!
5) Follow-Up with your dentist
Lastly, don’t forget to schedule your follow-up appointment with your dentist following your surgery. You can also visit https://www.specialistdentalgroup.com/services/wisdom-tooth-surgery/ and find out why following up your dentist really matters. Basically, you should call a few days after you leave and schedule an appointment for two weeks later. Then, when you go in for that checkup, make sure they clean out your mouth. This is incredibly important because if food gets stuck in those sockets it can lead to infection or other issues.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, recovery from having your wisdom teeth removed can be sped up considerably by following these five steps. By providing yourself with extra care and attention, you’ll put yourself in the best position for a speedy recovery—and that way you can get back to eating healthy meals faster!
