More on Why Wisdom Teeth Should Come Out

There are many reasons not to have your wisdom teeth removed. You may never suffer any pain or problems due to these molars. There are many risk involved with removing the wisdom teeth to consider. If you have reached the age of 30, you may not have any more problems with your teeth. These large molars that are located at the back of the mouth can be irritating to many people. In some cases, the wisdom teeth cause pain that goes down to the jaw and the neck regions. In rare instances, the pain causes headaches. Whatever your decision is, make sure you get informed by your dentists up front of the costs, the downtime requirements, and the risks that are associated with the extraction process.
   

Tips on Preparing for Wisdom Teeth Surgery

• Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing with sleeves that are easily rolled up.
• Don’t wear any jewelry to the appointment or remove watches, bracelets, and rings before it.
• Bring someone to drive you home. Some surgeries take up to 60 minutes and recovering lasts around 20 minutes. An escort is mandatory as you will be under the influence of pain medication and unable to drive.
• Do not eat or drink for at least six hours prior to the surgery.
• Take all your prescribed medications before the surgery related to diabetes, thyroid disorders, high blood pressure, and heart conditions. Be sure the dentist is aware of the fact that you take any blood thinners, however. Be sure you take your medicine with small sips of water or juice.

What Can I Eat After the Surgery?

The first two days following wisdom teeth extraction, you will need to be on a soft diet and drink lots of fluids. This will include ice cream, mashed potatoes, soups, and bananas.

What Can I Expect After the Surgery?

After you have had your wisdom teeth pulled, a 48 to 72 hour recovery period is expected. Patients are reevaluated after this time to check the healing and assess for any complications that may arise. Bleeding is expected postoperatively (after the operation) and may continue for up to ten hours. Just a little blood when mixed with saliva looks like a lot of blood. Pressure to the surgical site will help for bleeding control. Sometimes, sutures are placed in the gum during surgery. Some dentists ask that you use a tea bag soaked in warm water and then wrapped in gauze. The tannic acid from tea will constrict the blood vessels and allow blood to clot easier.

One complication is edema or swelling. To cut down on swelling, ice is often used. Elevating the patient’s head sometimes helps. One concerning event that could happen is that some patients experience what may be known as rebound swelling from the medications used during surgery. Some dentists recommend that if you have serious swelling, not to panic and apply ice for it. Another complication that often occurs following wisdom teeth removal is that pain occurs in the muscles around the jaw s. This is a postoperative problem that may need treatment using steroids and muscle relaxants.

Probably the worst impediment that could occur after the extraction of wisdom molars is an infection . The natural immune mechanisms protect the surgical site in 90% of cases. Dentists will prescribe some oral antibiotics to help the problem, too. This is called ‘prophylatic’ support treatment. Should infection occur, the patient is at risk for a ‘dry socket’ . It is not dry, the name comes from the clinical appearance of the healing tissue that develops localized inflammation and infection. If this occurs, the dentist may use a local anesthetic ointment and stronger antibacterial agents.