5 Tips To Survive Getting A Wisdom Tooth Pulled

Dentist Blog

If you are having surgery to have a wisdom tooth removed, then you should prepare in advance. Wisdom teeth have to be removed when they are misaligned and impacted. This condition can damage your nerves, adjacent teeth and jawbone. Here are five tips to help you survive getting a wisdom tooth pulled.

1. Bag Of Frozen Sweet Peas

After oral surgery, apply an ice bag to your jaw to keep down swelling. A bag of frozen peas can serve the same purpose. You should buy a bag ahead of time and have it waiting in the freezer at home.You should apply ice for only 10 minutes at a time. A frozen bag of peas also covers more area and will feel soothing against your face.

2. Control Bleeding With Gauze And Tea Bags

You should expect bleeding to occur after a tooth extraction. To control it, you want to put a piece of gauze over the empty tooth socket and bite down firmly. Constant pressure needs to be applied to your empty tooth socket for 45 minutes.

After using the gauze, you can switch over to a moistened tea bag. Tea contains tannic acid, which helps healing blood clots to form. A healing blood clot is similar to a scab forming over a sore. Tea bags encourage clotting and decrease your pain.

3. Stock Up On Soft Foods

A liquid diet is recommended for the first day. Example of soft foods to eat are smoothies, pudding, soup, pastas, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs and yogurt. You are also not allowed to drink from a straw because it can loosen up blood clots. Preparing in advance allows you to stock up on soft foods.

4. Rinse Your Mouth with Salt Water

Rinsing your mouth with a warm water and salt mixture can reduce swelling and pain. This should be done the day after surgery. It also helps to rinse your mouth several times a day with the mixture.

5. Schedule Surgery Towards The End Of Your Cycle

Women who take birth control should schedule the surgery towards the end of their cycle. If not, it increases their chance of developing dry socket. Dry socket occurs when the blood clot is dislodged and leaves the nerves exposed. This can lead to developing an infection and experiencing pain.

It is normal to feel discomfort after oral surgery. Your body has to adjust back to normal. If you follow your oral surgeon's instructions, then you should feel better in a few days. If you're looking for an oral surgeon in your area, visit Miller Kenneth G.

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24 November 2015

Mouth Rinses Are Not Just for Bad Breath

I have always brushed and flossed my teeth daily, but I still had the occasional cavity when I visited the dentist for a check-up. He told me it was normal to have a cavity on occasion and that I shouldn't let it stress me out too much. Well, I am not one to just accept any problem I am having, so I started looking into how to improve my oral hygiene even more. I had always thought mouthwash was just to improve your breath, but I found some that said they helped keep cavities away. I started using one every day before bed. I haven't had a cavity in two years now, and I think the mouth rinse is the reason! I created this blog to remind other people that even if they brush and floss regularly, they can always find ways to take even better care of their teeth.