Wisdom Teeth (cont.)
After 24 hours
- Facial swelling in the
area of the tooth extraction should be treated with heat after the first 24
hours of ice. Apply a moist warm towel to the area on a 20-minute on,
20-minute off schedule. Repeat as necessary.
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) after meals and
before bed. Do not use commercial mouth rinses.
- Stitches, if used and if
not of the self-dissolving type, need to be removed by your oral health care
provider in about 1 week. If you do require stitches, ask what type you have
been given.
- Watch for signs of dry socket (described below). This condition requires treatment by your oral
health care provider.
- Complete healing doesn't occur for a few weeks to a few
months following the extraction. However, usually within the first
week or two, enough healing has taken place for use of your mouth to
be reasonably comfortable in the area of the extraction.
What Are Potential Complications?
Two of the more important complications are dry socket and
paresthesia.
Dry socket. Dry socket is a common complication that occurs
when either a blood clot has failed to form in the extracted tooth
socket or else the blood clot that did form has been dislodged. Without
clot formation, healing will be delayed. When it happens, dry socket
typically occurs 3 or 4 days following the extraction and is accompanied
by pain (ranging from "dull" to moderate to severe) and a foul mouth
odor. Your dentist or oral surgeon will treat the dry socket by placing
a medicated dressing in the socket. Dressing will need to be removed and
replaced every 24 hours until symptoms subside.
Paresthesia. Paresthesia is a less frequently occurring
complication. Wisdom teeth entrapped in the jawbone are often close to
nerves. Sometimes these nerves can be bruised or damaged during the
tooth removal process. The result is a numbness (called a paresthesia)
of the tongue, lip or chin that can last a few days, weeks, months or
may even be permanent.
Next: How Much Does Wisdom Teeth Extraction Cost? »
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