Gauze how long wisdom teeth

But you can take steps to lessen the discomfort. First, you may want to take ibuprofen even before the surgery starts.

If you wait until you feel like you need it, the discomfort will last longer. Plenty of bed rest is still the best course for recovery. After a day, some people will start to feel well enough to resume their daily functions. But others will need longer before going back to their normal routine.

When the wisdom tooth is removed, the hole where the tooth used to be is called a socket. Typically, a blood clot will form in the socket to protect the sensitive nerves below and encourage healing. But if the clot is dislodged for any reason, a dry socket forms.

Dry sockets are unpleasant post-surgery complications. But they are very preventable. Violent actions like swirling, spitting, or sucking through a straw can all dislodge the blood clot. It does not take much force to cause a dry socket.

Call us if you experience severe nausea or diarrhea, or cannot swallow your pills. Pain Medicine : Usually it is necessary to take narcotic pain medication in a scheduled fashion every 4—6 hours for the first 24 hours and as needed thereafter.

Remember that narcotics can make you drowsy, so no driving, swimming, operating machinery, or drinking alcoholic beverages while you are taking them. If directed to do so, you may use ibuprofen, mg, every 6 hours while awake, for the first 4—5 days. Once you are no longer taking narcotic pain medication, you may resume your normal activities as you feel up to it. Go easy at first with exercise and recreation, and increase your activity slowly over several days back to your normal routine.

Please follow these instructions as closely as possible. They are designed to help you heal quickly and comfortably. If you have a question about your procedure or treatment plan, our center has hour surgeon availability.

If you would like to speak to your surgeon, please contact us at any time. During business hours, please call our office. After hours, please call our office, and our answering service will page a surgeon.

Use a tissue to wipe your mouth as needed, or swallow your saliva. Do not use a drinking straw. Drink straight from the cup. Do not smoke. Keep fingers and tongue away from the surgical area. Keep gauze on the surgical area with some pressure biting for 30—45 minutes.

Remove the gauze after 30—45 minutes and replace it with a new piece of gauze if you are still bleeding. It is important to make sure the gauze is directly on the surgical site. DO NOT rinse with peroxide, even if diluted. In some cases, discoloration of the skin follows swelling. The development of black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration is due to blood spreading beneath the tissues. This is a normal post-operative occurrence, which may occur 2—3 days postoperatively.

Moist heat applied to the area may speed up the removal of the discoloration. If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the tablets or liquid as directed. Antibiotics will be given to help prevent infection. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash or other unfavorable reaction. Call the office if you have any questions. There are three main causes for nausea or vomiting: 1 sensitivity to the medication, 2 taking the medication on an empty stomach, or 3 swallowing blood.

You should then sip on tea or flat ginger ale. You should sip slowly over a minute period. When nausea subsides, you can begin taking solid foods and the prescribed medicine. If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs, there is no cause for alarm. As stated before surgery, this is usually temporary in nature.

You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb, you could bite it and not feel the sensation. So be careful. Call Drs. Aiken and Shessel to inform them of this numbness or if you have any questions.

Slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. If the temperature persists, notify the office. You should be careful going from the lying down position to standing. You were not able to eat or drink before surgery. It was also difficult to take fluids.

Taking pain medications can make you dizzy. You could get light-headed when you stand up suddenly. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute, then get up. Occasionally, patients may feel hard projections in the mouth with their tongue.

They are not roots; they are the bony walls that supported the tooth. These projections usually smooth out spontaneously. If not, they can be removed by Drs. Aiken and Shessel. If the corners of your mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon. The muscles get swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in 2—3 days. Stiffness trismus of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery.

This is a normal post-operative event that will resolve in time. Sutures may be placed in the area of surgery to minimize post-operative bleeding and to help healing. Sometimes they become dislodged; this is no cause for alarm. Just remove the suture from your mouth and discard it. The sutures will usually dissolve within one week of surgery. If the removal of sutures is required, no anesthesia or needles are required.

The pain and swelling should subside more and more each day following surgery. If your post-operative pain or swelling worsens or unusual symptoms occur, call the office for instructions. There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed.

The cavity will gradually fill in with the new tissue over the next month. In the meantime, the area should be kept clean, especially after meals, with saltwater rinses or a toothbrush.