How to Recover after Wisdom Teeth Surgery

Making Preparations Before Your Surgery

Set your appointment with your dentist or oral surgeon. Make sure you make your appointment on a day that allows you to recuperate after the surgery. For instance, make your appointment on a Thursday or Friday so that you can recover over the weekend. If you are a woman, and you are on birth control, schedule the surgery after you menstruate to help prevent dry sockets from developing. Your menstrual cycle can affect your likelihood of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Women who take oral contraceptive pills are more likely to have postoperative nausea and vomiting on days 9-15 of their cycle.

Go to the grocery store the night before. Buy soft, easy-to-eat foods like applesauce, chicken soup, yogurt, canned fruit, gelatin, pudding or cottage cheese. You'll need to skip foods that require chewing or foods that are served either extremely hot or extremely cold for a while after your surgery. Also remember that you should not drink alcohol, soda, coffee, or hot beverages the first few days after surgery.

Stock up on movies, games and books. You may be in a lot of pain, so you want to make sure you have a lot of resources around to keep your mind off of your discomfort. You'll need to take it easy for a few days.

Find someone to drive you to the clinic. You'll be groggy after the operation, and you'll need someone to drive you home and help you pick up your painkillers at the drugstore.

Taking Care of Yourself After Surgery

Leave the gauze on the surgical site for at least 30 minutes. Do not attempt to change the gauze as it will disrupt the clotting process. Once the first gauze pad has been taken off, keep the area clean and leave it alone. Do not attempt to spit blood out frequently as the pressure change in your mouth will inhibit clotting. Instead, use fresh gauze to absorb the blood.

Use tea bags. If your wounds are still bleeding at a steady pace after 12 hours or so, stop biting gauze and start biting moist tea bags. The tannins within tea leaves promote clotting, and for some people, the caffeine increases circulation. This process encourages the build-up of clotting platelets within the stitched area, which speeds up healing and recovery time.

Rinse your mouth with salt water. Combine 1 teaspoon of sea salt with 8 ounces of warm water. Take the liquid into your mouth, gently let it soak for a moment then let drizzle out into your sink or toilet. Do not gurgle or spit as this may dislodge the blood clot in the wound. The salt water will promote healing and decrease irritation. Be sure to rinse extra-gently on the first day after surgery. Use only the salt water rinse to clean your mouth for the first 24 hours after surgery. Wait until your doctor recommends to start using a toothbrush again (usually safe by the second day).

Use an ice pack to ease pain and swelling. Ice may be applied to your cheeks to help prevent swelling for the first 24 hours. After 24 to 72 hours, ice may continue to help ease the pain, but will be useless in prevention of swelling. If you don't have tools for an ice pack, use a bag of frozen vegetables. When enough time has passed, according to the guidelines given to you by your dental surgeon, apply a heating pad to your cheeks. Your body's natural response will cause additional swelling if the ice pack is reapplied.

Elevate your head. Whether you're sleeping on your couch or on your bed, place 2 or more pillows beneath your head to elevate your mouth. Elevation will decrease swelling.

Keep your supplies close by. You'll need your water, gauze, painkillers and antibiotics close to you so that you don't have to get up and go to the bathroom to get the things you need.

Avoid using straws to drink liquids. The vacuum created within your mouth can dislodge your clots and slow down the healing process.

Skip cigarette smoking and alcohol. Both of these activities can inhibit the healing process. You should wait at least 72 hours after surgery to use tobacco products (but longer is better).

Control your pain. You can take prescribed painkillers, or you can take over-the-counter ibuprofen to prevent pain, inflammation and swelling. Skip the aspirin because it could make you bleed and slow your healing. Make sure to take painkillers as soon as you leave the dental clinic. Take them with a small meal to prevent nausea and vomiting. You may still be numb from the anesthetic, and you may think that you don't need painkillers. However, when the anesthetic wears off, you may find yourself experiencing a high degree of discomfort. Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery for at least 24 hours. The anesthetic along with your pain medication can make these activities hazardous. Talk to your doctor if you experience severe nausea and vomiting. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a different pain medication that doesn't make you sick.

Ask for help. Count on your spouse, your friends or your family to take care of you while you're recovering. Have them take your phone calls, help you with chores, bring you food and keep you comfortable while you heal.