The removal of impacted teeth (under the bone and/or gum tissue) is quite different from the extraction of erupted teeth. Post-operative care is important.
- The gauze pad placed over the surgical area should be kept in place for a half hour. After this time, the gauze pad should be replaced every 30 minutes until the bleeding stops.
- Vigorous mouth rinsing or touching the wound area following surgery should be avoided. This may initiate bleeding by causing the blood clot that has formed to become dislodged.
- It is best to take the pain medication as soon as you arrive at home, prior to your novacaine ( local anesthesia ) wearing off.
- Restrict your activities the day of surgery and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.
- Place ice packs to the sides of your face where surgery was performed. Refer to the section on swelling for explanation.
Bleeding
A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following surgery. Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not uncommon. Excessive bleeding may be controlled by first rinsing or wiping any old clots from your mouth, then placing a gauze pad over the area and biting firmly for thirty minutes. Repeat if necessary. If bleeding continues, bite on a moistened tea bag for thirty minutes. The tannic acid in the tea bag helps to form a clot by contracting bleeding vessels. To minimize further bleeding, sit upright, and avoid exercise. If bleeding does not subside, call for further instructions.
Swelling
Swelling is generally proportional to the surgery involved. Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes and sides of the face is not uncommon. This is the body’s normal reaction to surgery and eventual repair. The swelling will not become apparent until the day following surgery and will not reach its maximum until 2-3 days post-operatively. However, the swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs (we suggest you leave them on for 30 minutes and off for 30 minutes for the first 24-36 hours; except during sleep time). After 36 hours, ice has no beneficial effect. If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction to surgery.
Pain
Dr. Starr will prescribe medications that are appropriate for you and the surgery you underwent. The instructions will be on the bottle you receive.
For severe pain, take the tablets prescribed as directed. Any narcotic pain medicine (Tylenol #3, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Lortab, Percocet, or Darvocet) may make you groggy and will slow down your reflexes. Do not drive an automobile or work around machinery. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Pain or discomfort following surgery should be controlled. If pain persists, it may require attention and you should call the office. Most prescription narcotics also have Tylenol (acetaminophen) in them. Therefore, it is best to not add any extra over the counter Tylenol with your prescription.
Diet
After general anesthesia or I.V. sedation, liquids should be initially taken. Do not use a straw. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot. You may eat anything soft by chewing away from the surgical sites. High calorie, high protein intake is very important. Refer to the section on suggested diet instructions at the end of the brochure. Nourishment should be taken regularly. You should prevent dehydration by taking fluids regularly. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake. At least 5-6 glasses of liquid should be taken daily. Try not to miss a single meal. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if you continue to eat. Caution: If you suddenly sit up or stand from a lying position you may become dizzy. Therefore, immediately following surgery, make changes in position slowly.
Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is essential for proper healing. No rinsing of any kind should be performed until the day following surgery. The day after surgery you should begin rinsing at least 5-6 times a day especially after eating with a cup of warm water mixed with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Discoloration
In some cases, discoloration of the skin follows swelling. The development of black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration is due to blood spreading beneath the tissues. Discoloration after wisdom teeth removal is a normal post-operative occurrence, which may occur 2-3 days post-operatively and should completely resolve.
Antibiotics
Not all patients receive antibiotics after surgery. If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the tablets or liquid as directed. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash, excessive diarrhea, or other unfavorable reactions, and call our office to discuss this.
Nausea and Vomiting
In the event of nausea and vomiting after wisdom teeth removal, do not take anything by mouth for at least an hour including the prescribed medicine. You should then sip on coke, tea or ginger ale. You should sip slowly over a fifteen-minute period. When the nausea subsides you can begin taking solid foods and the prescribed medicine. Most nausea that occurs from your anesthetic should resolve within 4-6 hours. If it doesn’t, call the office. Nausea that occurs 2-4 days after your anesthetic is generally from the narcotic pain medication or moderate dehydration. In this case, you should try to stop using the narcotics and try Advil or Tylenol ( if your medical condition permits ) and increase your fluid intake.
Other Complications
- If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs there is no cause for alarm. As stated before surgery, this is usually temporary in nature. You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb, you could bite it and not feel the sensation. So be careful. Call the office if you have any questions about this.
- Slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. If the temperature persists, notify the office. Tylenol or ibuprofen should be taken to reduce the fever. If you take your temperature in the mouth, it may be falsely elevated.
- You should be careful going from the lying down position to standing. As you were not able to eat or drink prior to surgery and it is difficult to take fluids and taking pain medications can make you dizzy. You could get lightheadedness after wisdom tooth extraction. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute then get up, slowly.
- Occasionally, patients may feel hard projections in the mouth with their tongue. They are usually not roots, they are the bony walls which supported the tooth. These projections usually smooth spontaneously. If not, they can be removed by your doctor.
- If the corners of your mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment such as Vaseline.
- Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon. The muscles get swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in 2-3 days. If it doesn’t please call the office.
- Stiffness (Trismus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event which should resolve in time.
Finally
Sutures are placed the area of surgery to minimize post-operative bleeding and to help healing. Sometimes they become dislodged, this is no cause for alarm. Just remove the suture form your mouth and discard it. Most are dissolvable and will be gone within 7-10 days.
- The pain and swelling should subside more and more each day following surgery. If your post-operative pain or swelling worsens or unusual symptoms occur call our office for instructions.
- There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed. The cavity will gradually over the next month fill in with the new tissue. In the mean time, the area should be kept clean especially after meals with salt water rinses or a toothbrush.
- Your case is individual, no two mouths are alike. Do not take seriously well intended advice from friends. Discuss your problem with the persons best able to effectively help you: your doctor or family dentist.
- Brushing your teeth is okay – just be gentle at the surgical sites.
- A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket. Symptoms of pain at the surgical site and even pain to the ear may occur 2-3 days following surgery, which is not controlled by medication. Call the office if this occurs.
- If you are involved in regular exercise, be aware that your normal nourishment intake is reduced. Exercise may weaken you. If you get light headed, stop exercising.