If you’re between the ages of 17 and 25, you might’ve noticed a third set of molars emerging through your gums. For some, these new teeth don’t cause any issues. For others, they do.
When you come in and see us at Crystal Smiles Dental at our Livermore, California, office, we evaluate the condition of your oral health and determine if wisdom teeth removal might be necessary. Dr. Colin Young has the expertise and experience to perform your oral surgery to alleviate problems your wisdom teeth can cause.
Here’s what you should know about wisdom tooth extraction and what to expect afterward.
Reasons for wisdom tooth extraction
There are several reasons you might need to have your wisdom teeth removed, including:
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Wisdom teeth coming in an awkward angle
- Crowded teeth, leaving little room for your wisdom teeth
- Cavities
- Gum disease
If you’re a candidate for oral surgery, you need to know how to prepare for your extraction and know what to do afterward.
Before your oral surgery
We sit down with you to answer your questions and help you prepare for what’s ahead. Our consultation should put you at ease and give you a clear picture of how the surgery works and how you play a role in your recovery, which is key.
After your oral surgery
After your procedure, we provide you with specific instructions to ensure a healthy recovery.
Because you’re under anesthesia during your wisdom teeth removal, you first need to pre-arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery. Different people respond to anesthesia in different ways. Some feel completely fine and can return to normal activities that day and others feel very drowsy.
Either way, we advise that you have a restful day. The first 24 hours are crucial to your healing, so avoid any kind of strenuous exercise. This can help you avoid the dislodging of blood clots or stitches.
You won’t feel much pain right after your surgery, but you might have some swelling and discomfort for the following three days or so. A full healing can take up to a few weeks.
Our recommendations for care include:
- Drinking lots of fluids
- Eating soft foods, like mashed potatoes, soup, or pasta
- Putting an ice pack on your face to tame swelling
- Applying moist heat to your jaw to prevent soreness
- Taking any medications we prescribe to control infection and pain
In addition to knowing what you need to do, it’s imperative that you know what not to do. Don’t drink any fluids from a straw. The sucking motion can dislodge blood clots, which are helping your mouth heal.
Stay away from hard, crunchy food. You don’t want to pierce or scratch your wounds. Also, if you smoke, it can slow your healing process, so do your best to refrain. The sucking motion of smoking can also cause problems with your blood clots.
If you feel the need to rinse your mouth, do it very gently with warm saltwater.
Are you considering having your wisdom teeth removed? We can walk you through what to expect and help you feel comfortable with your procedure from beginning to end. You can also look forward to not having any issues with your wisdom teeth anymore. Give us a call today, or click here to book an appointment online. You can even send us a text if that’s more convenient for you.