Here is some helpful information to assist you after your wisdom teeth extraction procedure.

Please call with any questions.

You may call our staff anytime day or night (24/7) should you have any questions or concerns about your wisdom teeth extraction procedure.

You may remove the gauze after you arrive home

You will be going home with gauze in your mouth over the tooth extraction site. The gauze is behind and between your teeth so that you will heal faster. Pressure is applied as you bite down during your ride home. You can remove the gauze after you arrive home.

Avoid Nausea From First Pain Medication

Take half of one of your pain pills when you get home. Take the other half 20 to 30 minutes later with something to eat. This process will help you avoid any nausea.

Take Your Anti-Nausea Medication

We also encourage you to take your anti-nausea medication. Take this after you take half of your pain pill. The two options are under the tongue or suppository.

Use Ice To Reduce Swelling And Discomfort

Use ice to reduce the swelling as much as possible. Ice will reduce your swelling and decreases the discomfort you may experience afterward. Apply the ice under the angles of your jaw and on both sides of your cheeks.

Swelling Usually Lasts Three Days

You are going to swell for three days after the surgery. If you had the surgery done on Monday you are going to have swelling on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. You should see a decrease by Friday.

Make Sure You Take Your Anti-biotic

You have been given a prescription for an anti-biotic. If your appointment was in the morning you should take the anti-biotic around noon time. If your appointment was in the afternoon, you should start the anti-biotic with dinner. You have been given an anti-biotic pre-medication you should have taken one hour prior to the surgery. This will reduce or eliminate the possibility of infection.

How And When To Rinse Your Mouth

Don’t do any real rinsing until the day after the day of the procedure. Rinsing will prolong the oozing and we want the area to clot. Start rinsing the day after the procedure. Start rinsing with mouthwash and salt. Take an 8oz glass of warm water and a teaspoon of salt and rinse. Only rinse with mouthwash twice per day as it can cause a yeast infection in your mouth.

There Is No Need For Additional Gauze

Changing the gauze at home is usually not necessary. The area where your wisdom teeth were extracted is completely stitched closed. At times a little bit of blood mixes with your saliva and makes your saliva pink and causes you to feel like the area is still bleeding. If you bit down on the gauze on your ride home, you may take the gauze out and leave it out.

Switch From Your Narcotic Pain Medication As Soon As Possible

After the first 24 to 48 hours of using the narcotic pain medication you were given, it is best to switch to a non-narcotic pain medication Ibuprofen (commonly known as Advil). These medications have an anti-inflammatory quality and they frequently work better than the narcotic pain medications.

Should you have any questions you may call our office or email us directly through this form.

Other Helpful Articles: Wisdom Teeth, Tooth Extraction