Getting teeth extracted is a serious surgical procedure, so after your wisdom teeth surgery, take some time to rest and recuperate. Your dentist may prescribe medication or recommend you stay in bed—excellent post-operation advice. Here are more ways to minimize the risk of infection and extreme swelling during recovery.

How to Recover After Wisdom Teeth Surgery

1. Be Gentle

After surgery, don’t rinse your mouth vigorously or touch the wounds with your hands or other objects. This can cause blood clots to become dislodged, causing bleeding and damage to the soft tissue and stitches. Drink plenty of fluids and eat soft foods like soup and smoothies to avoid pain, bleeding, and further injury.

2. Keep It Clean

Your dentist or surgeon will probably leave a few bits of gauze in your mouth after surgery. About 30 minutes after you wake up, remove them and throw them away. Gauze can be used throughout the recovery process to stop any bleeding, but biting the gauze can also cause bleeding. If you experience difficulty clotting, take out the gauze and bite on a tea bag for 30 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea assists clotting at the site by contracting blood vessels.

3. Limit Activities

Free up your schedule for a few days after surgery. Elevating your heart rate and blood pressure can cause the surgical site to bleed and make it more difficult to form clots at the extraction site. To avoid injury, stay relaxed and sit upright to promote healthy blood flow. Absolutely do not smoke after surgery because this increases the risk of infection and slows the healing process. You can resume your normal activities once the healing progresses, and you feel more comfortable.

4. Take Your Meds

When you wake up from surgery, the pain may start to kick in as the anesthetic wears off. If your dentist prescribes medication, stick to a schedule as outlined by your doctor. Alleviating the pain will allow you to feel more relaxed and help you rest through your recovery.

5. Apply Ice

You may not experience swelling the day of surgery, but the next day you might wake up with puffy cheeks. This is completely normal, and ice can help. Apply padded ice packs to the outside of the affected cheek as needed to minimize swelling and bruising.

Dental Clinic of Onalaska offers full-service dental care with a friendly atmosphere and knowledgeable staff. The dentists have extensive experience, skill, dedication to providing quality care for each patient in Onalaska, WI. Explore a list of services by visiting their website, and schedule your next appointment by calling (608) 783-3341.