After Wisdom Teeth Removal

Moderate bleeding is expected after wisdom teeth removal, including oozing and redness in the saliva. If you experience excessive bleeding, you can control it by rinsing or wiping out the old blood clots, placing fresh gauze on the area, and biting on it for 30 minutes. This can be repeated as needed. If the excessive bleeding continues, a moist black tea bag can be used to bite on instead of gauze. The tannic acid in the tea helps clot blood vessels. Remain still and rest to avoid further bleeding. You can always contact us if excessive bleeding remains a problem.

Swelling after wisdom teeth removal is normal, and the amount will depend on the scope of the surgery. It’s not uncommon to experience swelling in any part of the mouth, cheeks, eyes, and sides of the face. It usually starts the day after surgery and will be at its peak by the second or third day after the procedure. Ice should be used to minimize swelling, and you should start using it immediately at the first sign. Place bags of ice on the sides of the face over the area of surgery and keep them in place continuously while you are awake. Do this for the first 36 hours. After that point, ice does not have any beneficial use. After ice, if you still experience swelling or jaw stiffness, switch to using heat to reduce swelling. Swelling and any pain will subside a bit more with each passing day.

Pain levels vary depending on the surgery performed, and we instruct patients to follow these guidelines based on the pain they experience. You should not take any medicines you are allergic to and avoid alcohol while taking medications.

• Moderate Pain – You may begin taking over-the-counter pain medication as soon as you start to feel the local anesthetic wearing off. We suggest either Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) for moderate pain. You can take one or two tablets of either Tylenol or Extra-Strength Tylenol every three to four hours. Ibuprofen comes in 200 mg tablets, and you can take two to three tablets at a time, four times daily, but should not exceed 3200 mg per day for anyone 18 years or older. Consult us for any patient under 18. These two medications should not be taken at the same time.
• Severe Pain – Patients experiencing severe pain may be prescribed medication and should follow the dosage instructions provided with the subscription.

Any patient receiving a general anesthetic or IV sedation should stick with a liquid diet right after surgery. When you have your wisdom teeth removed, you should drink from a glass and not use straws immediately after because the sucking motion can irritate the wound and dislodge blood clots. As soft foods are introduced to the diet, chew away from the surgical area.

• Fluids – Stay hydrated and drink fluids regularly, especially within the first few days at home. Since your food diet will be limited at first, drinking five to six full glasses of fluid each day is important to compensate for the food loss.
• Food – As you begin to eat, ensure it is a high-calorie, high-protein diet. Eating regular meals and getting enough calories will make you feel better and improve the healing process.

Wait until the day after surgery to do any oral rinsing. The next day, you can rinse five to six times per day, especially after meals, with a warm salt-water combination. 1 tsp of salt mixed with 1 cup of warm water. You may brush your teeth gently using great care around the surgical sites.

Some skin discoloration on the outside of the face following swelling is normal and results from blood spreading below the tissue. Discoloration can be black, blue, green, or yellow and may appear two to three days after the operation. Moist heat applied to the area might help remove the discoloration.

Any patient prescribed antibiotics need to follow the prescription instructions and take them regularly. These are prescribed to help prevent infection. If you experience a rash or any other allergic reaction to the medication, stop taking it and contact our office for further instructions.

Some patients can experience nausea or vomiting following surgery. If this happens, do not take anything by mouth for at least an hour, including any prescribed medicine. After an hour, try sipping Coke, tea, or ginger ale. Sip slowly over a fifteen-minute period. When the nausea subsides, you can begin eating solid foods and resume medications.