Sep
How Long Does It Take to Heal from Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the teeth that emerge last in our mouth. They are present at the very back of your mouth and they usually erupt between the ages of 17 to 25. The process of eruption is similar to other teeth. The roots of the tooth grow in the jawline, as it grows the crown of tooth pushes against the gum to break through and finally the tooth erupts and its roots continue to grow.
However, wisdom teeth can sometimes also cause problems such as impaction, underdeveloped jaw or wrong angle. These are the cases where wisdom teeth might need to be removed.
In Canada, nearly 700k wisdom tooth extractions are done every year and half of all these surgeries involve removing all the four wisdom teeth. Though these surgeries are very common, the recovery period varies in healing time period depending on:
- age of the candidate
- how many teeth were extracted
- if surgery involved complications etc.
Read on this blogpost to learn when you can expect the healing following the wisdom tooth removal surgery:
Day 1
Wisdom teeth extraction is an outpatient surgery which means it’s a day case surgery, not requiring an overnight hospital. Before the surgery procedure, you will be given general anaesthetic pre-surgery. Once the surgery has been conducted you will gradually start to regain the feeling in your mouth.
Here are the common symptoms you will observe a day after surgery:
- Little blood in your mouth
- Swelling and accompanying pain
- Lockjaw feeling
- Trismus
- Numbness or tingling sensations in mouth, this can extend towards cheeks, or whole face
- Weird taste
Make sure someone is driving you home after surgery as driving yourself is not recommended.
If you experience severe pain or abnormal bleeding, it’s important to contact your oral surgeon immediately.
Day 2-4
In the upcoming days you will develop pain, swelling and bruising in your mouth and cheeks area. Your surgeon will recommend you to take at least a few days off from work.
During this stage, your symptoms will start to go away progressively. However, if pain persists and oozing does not stop from the extraction site, you should contact your surgeon.
Day 5-14
After a week, you are likely to almost recover. This phase might feel like:
1. Having minimum to no swelling, bruising and pain in your mouth
2. Normal jaw mobility
3. No more tingling sensations
4. No more weird mouth tastes
5. returning to normal condition
However, in following conditions, your recovery stage may get extended to 2 weeks:
1. Your third molars were impacted
2. Your tooth came at awkward angle
3. You had complications during surgery
Recapping all the stages
| Days Post Surgery | What symptoms to expect |
| 1st | Pain for first 48 hours Swelling in cheek area, both inside and outside of mouthMild bruising in face, upper neck or cheekDiscolorationBlood oozing Nausea and vomiting due to side effects of medications, anaesthetics, diet changes and swallowed bloodStiff Jaw Tooth sensitivity Bad breath |
| 2–4 | Swelling is normal and usually peaks on the second or third dayDifficulty to open your mouthSome discomfort, including a slight earache, sore throat, or aching in other teethSmall amount of oozing may come from the extraction sitescorners of your lips may chafe |
| 5–14 | Swelling, bruising and accompanying symptoms going awayJaw mobility getting eased down Less tingling Return to normal activity |
What are the complications that can occur during wisdom tooth extraction?
After 3 to 5 days of surgery, natural blood clots start to form in the extraction site. This is a painful complication known as dry socket which can occur if the clot is dislodged or doesn’t form properly, exposing the bone and nerves to air.
The symptoms of dry socket usually begin 1–3 days after the extraction and include pain in the socket and along the nerves to the side of the face. Swelling and irritation of the socket, as well as the potential for it to fill with food, are also common.
There are certain risk factors that may make you more likely to develop dry socket, such as smoking, taking oral contraceptives, or not properly caring for the wound.
If you experience dry socket, over-the-counter medicine usually won’t be enough to relieve the pain. It’s important to see your dentist right away for proper treatment if the pain increases, doesn’t improve, or if you notice any of the symptoms.
Some other complications include:
Nerve damage
Though this is not a common condition, if you face issues like numbness in the lip, chin and tongue, don’t ignore these signs and get them checked immediately as it could be a sign of nerve damage.
Infection
Bacteria can get into the extraction site which can further lead to infection if hygiene is compromised.
Damage to adjacent structures
In rare cases, the extraction process can cause damage to the nearby teeth, jawbone or sinuses.
Before going for wisdom tooth procedure, consult your dentist. Discuss your medical history and share your concerns that you may have. Adhere to their recommendations regarding going under the procedure, following a diet, and maintaining hygiene to minimise the complications.
Self-care
It’s important to be careful and not dislodge the blood clots formation in the back of your mouth. This can severe your stitching and eliminate the protective layer of blood that plays a vital role in healing your wound.
Avoid following for specific (as specified by surgeon) period:
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption
- Chew hard foods
- Use straw
- Vape or smoke
- Rinse mouth
- Spit
You must also avoid following activities for long time as they are strenuous:
- Heavy lifting
- Smoking
- Swishing
- Drinking from straw
- Chewing hard food
Once your pain and swelling goes away, you can continue with these activities again. And if you play any high intensity sport, make sure to speak with your oral surgeon when you resume playing again.
How to maintain your oral hygiene after wisdom tooth removal procedure?
Given the complications associated with the procedure, it’s important to focus on maintaining the proper oral hygiene.
Post surgery, you will have gauze in your mouth. Your surgeon will give you all the instructions on how to keep up your hygiene during the recovery process. Usually, you will be advised to not brush your teeth, rinse or floss for the whole day?
Here are some general cleaning instructions:
- Rinse your mouth with salt water or antiseptic mouthwash as you cannot brush. Avoid swooshing the liquid or spitting it out. For thorough cleaning you can try moving your head side by side and tip your mouth to let out the water.
- Brush the rest of your teeth gently.
- Gently clean the excess blood by dabbing the wound.
How to manage the Pain?
Pain is not avoidable in this procedure but it can be relieved with some soothing agents. Let’s get to know how!
First of all, your oral surgeon will prescribe your medication or antibiotics to help with pain, infection prevention and inflammation. Make sure to carefully follow the instructions given to you and complete the course of your medicines.
Apart from prescribing the oral medicines, your surgeon can also recommend your over the counter relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or ice.
You can also try out some home remedies or prevention methods such as using an extra pillow during sleep.
Are you suffering from any dental issues?
Consult the most trusted professionals in Toronto: Emergency Dental 365. We’re open seven days a week. Our services include treating broken teeth, orthodontic emergencies, abscessed teeth, broken dentures, root canals, and more.
