What Are Some Dos And Don’ts After Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

You have to look after many things after your wisdom tooth extraction. i.e., what to eat, what to avoid, and other crucial stuff.

That is, you need to strictly follow the crucial do’s and don’ts to avoid post-extraction issues.

Ignoring the precautions after wisdom tooth extraction can cause severe pain, swelling, and numbness in your tooth extraction site.

What’s more, you may also end up worsening the dental condition if you don’t take better care.

Thus, it is highly recommended to follow the dos and don’ts after wisdom tooth extraction.

What are some dos and don’ts after wisdom tooth extraction?

Here are some essential instructions recommended by the dental expert after wisdom tooth removal.

Let’s have a look at the DO’s first.

Do’s after wisdom tooth extraction:

Here are the things you should follow after the wisdom tooth removal.

Remove the doctor’s gauze

Your doctor might have inserted a gauze in your mouth.

Just take it out after 30 – 40 minutes of use.

Also, never use gauze while sleeping.

Elevate your head

Keeping your head at 45° degrees on the bed can help reduce swelling.

Also, it can help you counter the excessive bleeding after tooth extraction.

Put some extra pillows beneath your head, and try to maintain a proper elevation to get benefit through it.

Ice your face

Ice is pretty helpful when it comes to reducing your pain and minimize swelling.

Apply ice over the area of your face where the extraction was performed.

Use ice for 5 – 10 minutes.

Use this tip for the first 24 – 48 hours after surgery.

Note: Stop using ice after 48 hours of surgery.

Bite on gauze

A gauze pad is one of the must-have items after wisdom tooth extraction; it helps stop excessive and unstoppable bleeding quickly.

Take a gauze pad, and bite it with the area where extraction was performed.

Note: You can stop using gauze once the bleeding is stopped.

Consume the liquid and soft food

Drink plenty of water during the first 24 – 48 hours after surgery.

Avoid sweet, fizzy, alcoholic drinks, or soda of any type as they can worsen your surgery site.

Also, only consume soft foods for at least 3 – 4 days after the extraction and forget solid foods for some time.

Foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, broths (less spicy), scrambled eggs, and instant oatmeal are suitable meals in the starting days.

After one week, you can start moving with semi-soft foods, but only if you don’t feel any tooth problems.

Exercise your jaw

Your mouth also needs physical activities, and it is crucial to exercise your jaw after wisdom tooth surgery.

Gently open and close your jaw, just like you’re chewing something. It’ll help reducing jaw pain and lock-jaw issues.

Do this simple exercise anytime and every day!

Warm your face

A warm compress on your face can help lower the sore jaw.

Take a piece of towel and soak it in hot water.

Squeeze the towel, and then apply directly to the painful area.

Repeat this remedy 2 – 3 times a day.

Take your medicines

Your dentist might have recommended one or more painkillers, so don’t forget to take them, as they are one of the few ways to tackle severe pain after surgery.

If your doctor has not given you any medicines, you can take Ibuprofen as a painkiller.

Brush your teeth

Brushing is essential on the second day of wisdom tooth removal because skipping a brush may spread germs, bacteria, and food particles to your extraction site, which can, as a result, cause a severe condition known as Dry Socket.

Brush your teeth gently, but AVOID brushing the surgery site for 2 -3 days.

Take it easy

The more you take rest after wisdom tooth surgery, the quicker you’ll recover.

It is highly crucial to take a reasonable amount of rest for the first 2 -3 days after the extraction.

According to experts, you must nap after surgery and sleep for at least 8 – 10 hours.

Related Post: How To Sleep After Wisdom Teeth Removal

Warm saline rinse

The main reason for rinsing is to clean the extraction site as it is not allowed to brush the socket for a couple of days.

Rinse your mouth with warm salt water after 12 hours of the extraction.

Rinse twice a day to maintain hygiene in that area.

Visit your dentist ( If having any complain)

Many unusual conditions may occur after wisdom tooth extraction.
i.e., excessive bleeding, pain, swelling, and fever with chills.

It is highly recommended to consult with your specialist to be safe from any severe issue in that condition.

Massage your face

Massaging can help reducing irritation throughout your face.

That is, you might experience some unusual feeling around your lip, chin, and cheeks after wisdom tooth removal.

But worries not, as massaging can help getting rid of it soon!

Massage your face using your fingers. Rub your cheeks gently in circular motions.

Optionally, you can use hot oil for a more effective massage experience.

Rinse with lukewarm water

Besides saltwater, it is also important to rinse your mouth with tap water for better hygiene.

Take some water and rinse your mouth gently.

Rinse with a slight force and avoid putting pressure on the extraction site.

Rinse your mouth after some hours of the gap to keep it fresh and free from bad taste.

Note: Never spit the water with force, or you may increase the gum pain.

Stay healthy

After wisdom tooth extraction, you may feel some weakness and dizziness in your body.

That’s because of the complex surgery you’ve gone through, which might have included anesthesia, incision, tooth removal, etc.

Take a proper diet, and don’t skip the meals to stay healthy and active.

Take broth soup and other energizing soft foods to stay healthy and recover sooner from wisdom tooth complications.

Don’ts after wisdom tooth removal:

Here are several things you should avoid after wisdom tooth extraction.

Avoid sucking

The suction force can worsen the tooth extraction site.

It can dislodge the clot and lead to more bleeding, pain, and a potential side effect such as dry sockets.

Avoid sucking through a straw for at least one week.

Instead, drink water and other drinks using a glass.

Prevent solid foods

You shouldn’t take solid foods for 1 – 2 weeks after surgery.

Avoid pretzel, potato chips, popcorn, and other solid foods.

These foods can stick in the extraction site and may increase the healing time.

Say no to Sweets

Sweets are not suitable for your oral health, as they can cause decay to your teeth and gums.

But you should especially avoid sweets after the wisdom tooth removal.

And if you have mistakenly eaten any sweet, rinse your mouth thoroughly to remove the particles.

Don’t smoke

Cigarettes and tobacco contain harmful chemicals that are not good for your surgery site.

Such chemicals can affect the clot and increase the chances of developing a dry socket.

Don’t smoke for the first 48 hours of extraction.

Avoid aspirin

Never take aspirin as a painkiller because aspirin is a blood thinner that can delay the clot healing time.

As mentioned above, you can take Ibuprofen as a painkiller.

Take only those medications which are prescribed by the physician and ask your dentist before taking any medicine.

Don’t poke into the created gap

You’ll feel a bit weird for the first few days to have a gap in your gum.

But don’t poke that area with your tongue, spoon, or toothpick, as it may delay the healing process.

Poking the extraction site can also provoke bleeding and may lead to a dry socket.

Don’t exercise

Don’t do any physical activity for at least 48 hours.

Because high levels of activity can increase your blood pressure, affecting the clot and causing excessive bleeding from the extraction site.

Thus, it would be best to avoid any exercise that involves severe activity levels, like dancing, jumping, partying, high levels of physical work, etc.

Don’t drink hot beverages

Hot food items can severely interfere with your extraction site.

Avoid foods and drinks like hot soups, coffee, tea for at least 1 – 2 weeks.

Please don’t take any spicy food as they are also not safe to eat after the tooth extraction.

Don’t spit

You may experience some bleeding on the first day, which is normal. But never spit that blood as it can dislodge a blood clot in the socket.

Even never spit out the water while rinsing your mouth.

Remove anything with slight force from your mouth without causing any pressure over the extraction site.

Avoid harmful drinks

Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated, and hot beverages for the first 48 hours.

Similar to some food items, such drinks may also harm your extraction site.

Instead, drink fresh water to stay hydrated after wisdom tooth surgery.

The Bottom Line

Wisdom tooth extraction brings lots of problems for a couple of days. I,e, pain, swelling, bleeding, numbness, and so forth.

And the best way to tackle them is to follow all of the prescribed Do’s and Don’ts to be safe from any complications.

All in all, by taking proper post-extraction care, you may easily let your extraction site heal sooner and get back to normal life in a few days.