Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Everything You Need To Know About Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Is that wisdom tooth troubling you? Are you worried about the whole process of extracting it and the agony you will have to go through after getting it removed? Have you heard horror stories about wisdom teeth extractions? Today I am going to attempt to provide you some basic information that will hopefully keep your worries at bay.
Wisdom teeth are the last to erupt in our mouth. They usually erupt after 16-18 years of age and can start troubling you at any given point of your life. Since they are the last tooth to erupt there is usually not enough space for it to completely come out of your jaw bone and your gums like the rest of your teeth. Most of the troublesome wisdom teeth are either stuck inside your bone with gums covering it partially which swell and cause pain every time you bite or they have developed a cavity which is now become painful.
Another very important thing to consider is that wisdom teeth are not used for your regular chewing purpose. Therefore if they are troubling you one of the best solutions is to get rid of them because wisdom teeth pain and swelling can be recurrent.
I will not lie – yes some wisdom teeth extractions can be a pain in other parts of our body as well!!! Depending on how deep the tooth is inside your jaws or how much of bone and gums are covering it, its shape and morphology , its proximity to nerves etc are various factors which can determine the complexity of the procedure. Sometimes it could be a matter of few minutes as it’s in a straight forward and we can easily pull it out but at other times there may be a need to trim some of the bone and gums around it in order to nudge it out. But what is very important to remember is that during the procedure you will be under the effects of local anesthesia and will feel only the pressure being applied to pull it out and not pain. If you are extremely apprehensive there are other ways to calm you down as well.
Antibiotics and painkillers are given to prevent infection and for your comfort. Stiches may or may not be required but if we are suturing that area then trust me its going to only help with the healing process. If you have followed all the instructions given to you by your dentist then complete normalcy can be achieved in less than a week!
Let me give a gist of the instructions you need to follow post your wisdom tooth extraction:
• No Spitting or vigorous gargling
• No smoking
• Use ice packs externally to reduce swelling for the first 3 days followed by warm saline rinses to keep the area clean and enhance healing
• Nothing too hot, hard or spicy and always chew from the opposite side
• Soft food at room temperature or preferably cold food for the first couple of days is what is recommended
• Do not apply the toothbrush directly on the site of extraction, obviously!! At the same time please do not stop brushing. Keeping your mouth clean will only help in faster healing
• Do drink alcohol while on medication and this is not just for wisdom teeth extraction but a general rule for all antibiotics
• And the best instruction of all – lots of ice creams, milkshakes and juices on the day of extraction. Just remember not to use a straw and to avoid any nuts or choc chips or rice crispies as they can lodge in the extraction site and can hurt you.
I have attempted here to give you some basic information about wisdom teeth extractions so that you can take that call to get rid of it sooner than later rather than suffer through the pain. Do keep in mind that choosing the right dentist who has experience in wisdom teeth extractions or has been extensively trained in it will help to make your appointment and post- operative healing much smoother. So call us now to get rid of that troublesome wisdom tooth now!
Written By Dr.Spandana Sripada
