After Wisdom Tooth Removal

For moderate pain, the ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) may be taken as directed by Dr. McDonald

For severe pain, take the prescribed narcotic tablets as directed. The prescribed pain medicine will make you groggy and will slow down your reflexes. Do not drive an automobile or work around machinery while taking these medications. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Pain or discomfort following surgery should subside more and more every day. If pain persists, you may call the office to schedule a visit.

Drink plenty of liquids after general anesthesia or IV sedation to avoid dehydration. Begin drinking fluids slowly but consistently. Avoid using straws when drinking from a glass for five days. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake. At least five to six glasses of fluids should be taken daily.

You may eat anything soft by chewing away from the surgical site(s). High calorie, high protein intake is most beneficial. Try to maintain a normal, but soft, diet. Chewing regular foods may cause impaction of food debris into the sockets which could lead to a dry socket. 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. If you are lying down following surgery, make sure you sit for one minute before standing.

No rinsing of any kind should be performed until the day following surgery. You can brush your teeth the night of surgery but avoid brushing the surgical sites and rinse gently. The day after surgery you should begin gentle rinsing at least five to six times a day with salt water (a cup of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of salt), especially after eating.

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. This is a normal postoperative occurrence, which may occur two to three days post-operatively. Moist heat applied to the area may speed up the removal of the discoloration.

If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the tablets or liquid as directed. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash or other unfavorable reaction. Call the office if you have any questions.

In the event of nausea and/or vomiting following surgery, 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 slowly over a 15-minute period. When the nausea subsides, you can begin taking soft foods and the prescribed medicine. Do not take the prescribed medications on an empty stomach, as this is one of the most common causes of nausea and/or vomiting after oral surgery.

If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs there is no cause for alarm. As stated before surgery, this is typically temporary in nature. You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb, you could bite it and not feel the sensation. Take care to avoid trauma to a numb lip or tongue by chewing slowly.

A slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. If the temperature persists, notify the office. Tylenol or ibuprofen may be taken to reduce the fever. Please call before taking any of these medications for fever, as you may have already been prescribed medications containing Tylenol or ibuprofen.

You should be careful going from the lying down position to standing. You were not able to eat or drink prior to surgery and also taking pain medications can make you dizzy. You could get light headed when you suddenly stand up. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute prior to standing.

Occasionally, patients may feel hard projections in the mouth with their tongue. They are not roots; they are the bony walls which supported the tooth. These projections usually smooth out spontaneously. This can be discussed with your doctor at your follow-up appointment.

After surgery, your lips and corner of your mouth may become chapped. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment such as Vaseline.

Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon. The muscles become swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in two to three days. Stiffness (trismus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery if this continues, call the office for a follow-up appointment.

Sutures are often placed in 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 from your mouth and discard it. The sutures generally begin to dissolve within one week after surgery. Should the sutures remain longer than a week and/or become bothersome, the removal is simple and requires no anesthesia or needles. It takes only a minute or so, and there is no discomfort associated with this procedure.

After 2-3 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 the office for instructions.

There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed. The cavity will gradually fill in with new tissue over the following month. In the meantime, the area should be kept clean, especially after meals, with salt-water rinses or a toothbrush.

Brushing your teeth is allowed — 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/or pain radiating to the ear or temple may occur three to five days following your surgery. Please call the office if this should occur.

If you are involved in regular exercise, be aware that your normal nourishment is reduced. Your normal exercise level may cause dizziness or lightheadedness. If you get light headed, stop exercising, rest, and drink more fluids.

If you have any questions at all, ask us, we are only a phone call away. Do not hesitate to call the office with any questions/concerns.