According to the American Public Health Association, an estimated 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted from 5 million people in the U.S. each year. Though it’s a common and relatively simple procedure, there are still a few steps patients should take once it’s over to prevent complications during the healing process. Here are just a few important tips to keep in mind after having your wisdom teeth removed.
Introduce Foods Slowly
Immediately after surgery, you’re generally limited to a liquid diet. It’s important to stick to this diet and slowly incorporate solid foods. Taking pain medications can increase the risk of nausea, therefore, rehydrating and getting in food with the pain medicine will reduce this risk.
DO NOT SMOKE!
Smoking can increase the chance of a condition known as “Dry Socket”: an extremely painful complication 3-5 days after surgery where the healing is delayed and the blood clot is prematurely lost. Risk of dry sockets can also be lessened by drinking from cups directly instead of using straws.
Rest Up
Many people feel obligated to get back on their feet just a day or two after surgery. While ambitious, this timeline is simply not realistic, as the pain generally lasts for several days and often needs to be controlled with strong medications. Give yourself time to recover and just take it easy for several days or even a week.
What is PRP/PRGF?
Platelet rich plasma (or plasma rich in growth factors) involves using a small amount of the patient’s own blood and separating out the plasma layer in a centrifuge machine. This plasma layer concentrates platelets and growth factors that promote healing and DECREASED PAIN after surgery and decrease the risk of developing “dry socket”. Ask your surgeon if they recommend this for your surgery.
Follow Your Oral Surgeon’s Instructions
Oral surgeons may have slight variations when it comes to aftercare methods, but these practices are well-established from doctor to doctor. It’s important to ask questions and carefully follow their instructions, from any prescribed medicine to cleaning procedures and more.
The American Public Health Association reports that wisdom tooth removal costs approximately $3 billion annually in the United States. Understanding the proper aftercare steps for your wisdom teeth removal procedure is the best way to get back on your feet and to have a swift recovery. For more information about removing wisdom teeth, contact Waco Surgical Arts.