Top Tips for Car­ing for Your Mouth After Wis­dom Teeth Surgery

After the procedure, you’ll need to take care of the extraction site to make sure it heals correctly. The biggest risk following an extraction is an infection at the extraction site. This is also known as a dry socket.

This could be very uncomfortable and painful, and it risks damaging the jaw bone. To help prevent this and to ensure that you feel empowered and in control, we’re sharing some of our top tips for caring for your mouth following wisdom teeth surgery.

Wisdom teeth surgery recovery times

You’ll need to rest for the remainder of the day following wisdom teeth surgery. You shouldn’t return to work as your body needs rest to be able to heal. Most people need to take around 1-3 days off work to recover. If you work Monday to Friday, it might be a good idea to book your surgery for a Thursday so you can take Friday off work and then recover over the weekend.

It takes around 2 weeks for the gum to completely heal and then it can take up to 8 months for the jaw bone to close the gap. If your wisdom teeth were impacted, your dentist might recommend a bone graft to help speed up the healing process.

Aftercare following oral surgery

You’ll need to ask someone to escort you home following surgery. Ask your dentist about the type of anaesthetic they will be using as this will have a big impact on the level of support you require. You may also be given strong painkillers which will mean that you cannot drive.

Immediately after the surgery, you’re going to want to go home to bed. You might feel sleepy and groggy following the treatment. Start taking your pain medication before your local anaesthetic wears off, as this will help to prevent any pain.

Your dentist may have left gauze at the extraction site to help stop bleeding and to encourage clotting. Leave this in place for as long as your dentist recommends.

You may want to use an ice pack on the side of your face to help reduce swelling. Don’t use a heat pack, as this could make the swelling worse.

To keep the site clean, you may need to soak the area with an alcohol-free mouthwash. Don’t swish, as this could remove the clot from the site and cause further bleeding. Instead, tilt your head to the side and let the mouthwash run to the area. Let it sit for a moment before spitting it out.

You can continue to brush the rest of your teeth as normal, just be careful not to hit the extraction site with your brush or to swish with mouthwash or water at the end.

Eating and drinking after oral surgery

You probably won’t have much of an appetite following surgery, but it’s important to stay hydrated while you heal. Avoid eating or drinking for around 3 hours after your surgery. After this, you can slowly reintroduce food.

Try to stick to water, but avoid anything carbonated or alcoholic. You should also avoid drinking from a straw as this could dislodge the clot and cause further bleeding.

Stick to soft foods and avoid anything that could get stuck in the extraction site. Foods like mashed potato, yoghurt, scrambled egg, soup and baked beans are good sources of nutrition following a tooth extraction.

What to expect following oral surgery

Everyone is different, so your recovery journey will be completely unique to you. Most people experience some discomfort in the days following the treatment. You might have stiffness in your jaw, bruising and swelling.

You’ll need to rest for between 3 and 5 days following your treatment. If you work in a very strenuous job, you may need to take more time off work before returning. You may increase your risk of complications if you don’t allow your body to heal following the treatment.

By keeping the extraction site clean, resting, staying hydrated and taking follow-up medications carefully, you can reduce the risk of complications.

If you have any doubts or questions during the recovery time, don’t hesitate to call the practice. Our reception staff may be able to help you, or they will arrange for your dentist to call you. We might ask you to return to the practice for a follow-up if the bleeding hasn’t stopped or if your pain is severe.

Rare complications to consider

Part of the consultation process beforehand will be to determine if you are at a higher risk of developing certain conditions. This could include nerve damage to the lower jaw, or damage to your sinuses. If we believe you might be at risk of these conditions, we’ll be aware of the risk beforehand. If you experience sinus pain or a change in sensation in your lower jaw following treatment, this could be a sign that something is amiss.

Final thoughts on wisdom teeth surgery recovery

Everyone is unique, so the wisdom teeth surgery recovery time could vary between patients. Provided you follow the aftercare instructions from your dentist, you should be fully recovered after around 2 weeks. The jaw bone will continue to heal, and after around 8 months the extraction site will have completely closed.