Disclaimer: the following are meant for reference and not to be subsituted for professional guidance and care from your dentist. If in any doubt, visit/call your dentist.
Care:
Bite on the guaze provided for 30min till bleeding stops without opening or closing mouth. Minimize taking 3-4hrs. It’s normal to ooze slightly after 24 hours, and should any bleeding occurs, bite on guaze, applying pressure to wound site to stop bleeding. Don’t touch the wound with your tongue and disrupt the blood clot essential for healing. Don’t suck too hard e.g. on a straw as vacuum generated may disrupt wound.
Rest well, take painkillers prescribed when necessary and you should be fine. (for patients prescribed antibiotics pls finish the whole course.) Only in cases wth Massive uncontrolled bleeding, bright red bleeding, large clots that you should call your dentist, go back to your dentist or to A&E in hospital.
Swelling is a normal physiological process post-extraction. So not to worry as swelling, reaching peak at 48-72 hrs should subsize after 3rd days, increased swelling after that maybe an indication of infection rather than post-surgical edema.
Trismus/Limited opening of mouth: is common especially in lower wisdom tooth operation butusually won’t affect activities too much. Not to worry.
Diet:
Take in lots of fluids. Take high caloric and high volumeric food especially when mouth can’t be opened fully often after wisdom tooth removal. Generally take SOFT(porridge,mashed potato) and COLD food, (e.g. ice cream milkshakes should be fine!) Try to chew on the opposite side of jaw with extraction done. Rationale: to not to disturb the wound as much as possible.
Oral Hygiene:
Don’t gargle/rinse mouth vigorously on day of extraction but rinse mouth with warm salt water after meals and before sleep. Oral hygiene should be maintained as much as possible as this helps in healing too. Brushing and flossing of teeth is maintained avoiding extraction site for a few days. Resume normal brushing & flossing after a few days. Mouth rinse with chlorhexidine 2x/day for about a wk can be used when it’s more difficult to maintain oral hygiene as per normal e.g. in Mutiple extractions at one go.
referene: OMS, Larry J Peterson
