Following post-surgery care for wisdom teeth removal ensures you’ll have a smooth and (hopefully) quick recovery. Healing is a process, and no matter how minor a procedure, it’s essential to stick to the protocol your doctor gives you.
Post-surgery oral care provides patients with tips on how to make the process more comfortable and shorter. Common post-surgery care instructions after wisdom tooth removal include a soft diet, daily oral care including brushing teeth and rinsing with either salt water or a prescribed antibiotic mouth rinse, avoidance of smoking and straws to prevent dry socket, and a post-care pain management program.
Keep reading for tips to make a smooth, quick recovery from your wisdom tooth removal surgery.
When Can You Start Brushing Your Teeth After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
I recommend brushing after each meal following wisdom teeth removal. Brushing the teeth you use—not your surgical sites—will make a cleaner mouth for a quicker healing process. With that said, one should take care and be gentle when brushing the teeth around the surgical sites.
You may not be able to vigorously brush at first, but brushing any teeth is better than none, as food debris will still build up which can lead to delayed healing and infections.
How to Brush Your Teeth After Wisdom Teeth Removal
When brushing after getting your wisdom teeth removed, be careful near the extraction site. I recommend using a soft-bristled sonic toothbrush, which lets you control the amount of pressure you exert. (If you don’t have a sonic toothbrush, make sure your manual toothbrush has soft bristles).
It may also be easier, when your mouth is swollen, to simply insert the sonic toothbrush into your mouth and let it do the work.
It’s important to note that you should gently brush your back teeth adjacent to the wisdom teeth surgical sites, as the gums will be more swollen in these areas for the first 4-5 days. However, you should be able to brush your front teeth as normal.
Lastly, using gentle, SLS-free toothpaste will also ensure a proper healing process. Toothpastes with fewer additives and more natural ingredients tend to be less aggressive and irritating to not only the teeth, but also the adjacent gum tissue.
5 Oral Care Tips for Post Wisdom Teeth Removal
Navigating the postoperative period following wisdom teeth removal requires diligent care to ensure a smooth recovery. Factors like oral microbiome balance, hydration, nutrition, and lifestyle choices significantly influence healing outcomes. By adhering to a comprehensive recovery plan, you can mitigate risks and alleviate discomfort.
1. Balance Your Oral Microbiome
Maintaining balance in your oral microbiome keeps your body’s protective systems and immune recovery systems intact. An easy way to do this is with a prebiotic oral spray like Balance, which supports a thriving oral microbiome, strong teeth, healthy gums, and balanced oral pH.
Bonus: Balance is infused with fast-absorbing liquid vitamins C, D3, E, B6, B12, and Zinc for whole body health.
2. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can delay the healing process. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and replenishing your electrolytes throughout your recovery process—and beyond.
3. Maintain Proper Nutrition
Proper nutritional intake of both calories, protein, and water is necessary for proper wound healing. For oral surgery procedures where the consistency of your diet will be altered for a short period of time, you must be sure to get the nutrients you need. This may include adding nutritional supplements such as protein shakes or blending your preferred food to a softer consistency.
4. Avoid Smoking and Alcohol
Smoking is the number one cause of dry sockets, the clinical situation when the blood clot that initially forms in a healing wound (in this case the tooth socket) is prematurely removed from the healing site, thus leaving the site “dry” by exposing the bone.
Bone on the bottom of a tooth socket exposed to air is very painful, often not controlled by pain management. Secondly, smoking is known to cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels and reduction in blood flow; blood carries oxygen and other nutrients to healing wounds and therefore decreased blood flow to the wound will delay the healing.
Alcohol should be avoided during healing as it will alter your mental status, which can lead to decreased compliance with post-operative care instructions as well as decreased nutritional intake. Both of these can lead to delayed healing.
Secondly, alcohol can increase the risk of drug interactions with the pain medications often prescribed for surgery recovery: Tylenol, ibuprofen, or any type of opioid. Tylenol is cleared by the liver and alcohol overuse damages the liver, therefore this combination can potentially lead to serious liver disease, damage, or even failure. Ibuprofen is also a mild blood thinner and a damaged liver due to alcohol causes bleeding abnormalities; therefore, this combination could lead to bleeding issues.
5. Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions
When in doubt, defer to your doctor. Remember, they see and do this every day. They’ll know what is best and the instructions given are meant to provide a resource to help you recover quickly, safely, and comfortably.
There’s Wisdom In Brushing Better
Optimizing your brushing routine daily is essential for sustaining proper oral health beyond the aftermath of wisdom teeth removal. Consistent brushing removes plaque, preventing tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease, safeguarding against long-term dental issues.
Moreover, it ensures fresh breath by eliminating bacteria that cause bad odor and helps ward off stains from food and beverages, preserving the natural whiteness of your teeth. Regular brushing contributes to overall well-being, reducing the risk of systemic conditions like heart disease and diabetes linked to poor oral hygiene.
Dr. Jaclyn Tomsic, MD, DMD, FACS, is a board-certified Oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMF) based out of Cleveland, OH. OMF involves extensive dental and medical education and training to achieve surgical expertise and an unparalleled understanding of esthetics. Being an OMF surgeon qualifies Dr. Tomsic to treat conditions, defects, injuries, and esthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaw, and face. Learn more about Dr. Jacci on her WEBSITE, and follow her on Instagram at @DOCTORJACCI.
