Aftercare Tips to Help Your Recover After Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Posted .

Having your wisdom teeth extracted is a good preventative measure to help reduce your chances of developing tooth decay or gum disease on those teeth. After the wisdom teeth are extracted, there are a few things to keep in mind for speedy recovery.

While your gums are healing, after having your wisdom teeth extracted, you will need to stick to a diet of soft foods like applesauce, mashed potatoes and yogurt. It’s also important to stay hydrated. So be sure to drink plenty of lukewarm liquids without using a straw, as the suction can harm the incisions or pull blood clots loose.

It’s natural for a little blood to weep from the area where the wisdom teeth were extracted, for a few days after surgery. When this happens, you can lightly pack the area with sterile gauze. After the bleeding stops, you can rinse your mouth gently with lukewarm salt water to remove blood clots and soothe the gums.

If you use tobacco it will irritate the healing gum tissues, which increases recovery time and it could even lead to a serious infection. It’s a good idea to talk to your physician about a tobacco cessation program, before having your wisdom teeth extracted. Try to select a program that doesn’t call for using lozenges or nicotine gum as these are also known gum irritants.

If you have questions about planning for your procedure or other aftercare tips for a speedy recovery, please call Cannon Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at 918-743-1351 to schedule an appointment.