It is not uncommon for swelling to occur after the removal of wisdom teeth. This swelling is caused by several things, including post-surgery activity restrictions, the pressure built up, or other factors like allergies and reactions from medications. When swelling occurs, it can be uncomfortable and challenging to eat or speak. Luckily, there are some steps that you can take to minimize swelling from wisdom teeth. In this blog post, we will discuss the various ways you can reduce swelling after removing your wisdom teeth.
Drink plenty of fluids
To help flush out the area and prevent infection, it is essential to drink plenty of fluids. This will help remove toxins and restore homeostasis after wisdom tooth extraction surgery so that healing can start quickly without any complications. Use a straw so that you don’t have to open your mouth too wide when drinking fluids.
Elevate head while sleeping
When you sleep on your back, gravity pulls fluids down towards your feet, causing more fluid accumulation around the face area where the teeth are removed – thereby increasing the risk of facial edema and making the swelling worse. To avoid this problem, try elevating your head by using pillows so that some of the weight is being supported properly instead of all resting just on one side.
Wear a face mask
This will help reduce the amount of bacteria introduced into your mouth after wisdom tooth removal surgery, which also helps minimize swelling and creates an environment for healing to start more quickly. Your dentist may provide you with one or give instructions on making one out of gauze wrap if they are not available.
Avoid certain foods
It is essential to avoid certain foods while your mouth heals from surgery. This includes acidic and spicy hot sauces. Citrus fruits that contain acidity, like oranges or grapefruit, and crunchy chips and other hard foods. These can all cause pain in the same way they would for someone who has a regular toothache.
Take care when brushing
It may be tempting (or even unavoidable) to brush immediately following surgery because germs are present everywhere, including in our mouths, where they tend not to bother us unless we introduce them there ourselves by eating something dirty or chewing gum. It is essential to wait at least 24 hours before brushing your teeth so that germs have time to be destroyed by the body’s natural defenses.
Stay calm
The more tense and stressed you are, the higher your risk of developing a swollen tongue. Leading to an infection if not cared for properly. Try taking deep breaths, drinking extra fluids, using soothing teas like chamomile tea with honey in it. Staying hydrated overall during this challenging period after surgery.
Use an ice pack
Placing an ice pack on your cheek can help reduce swelling by constricting blood vessels, slowing down bleeding, and numbing pain receptors. If you do not have access to a store-bought ice bag or want something more affordable, try freezing an eggplant as it has similar properties that act similarly to a traditional cold compress. For best results, apply for 15 minutes every hour for up to two days after surgery.
Take ibuprofen for soreness
Taking ibuprofen after surgery can help with discomfort from post-surgery activity restrictions and decrease the soreness associated with wisdom tooth removal procedures. It may also be beneficial if taken up until 24 hours following surgery. These drugs may cause stomach upset and ulcers. Therefore, you should consult your doctor before beginning this or any other post-surgery medication.
Avoid sugary foods
Avoiding sugared drinks and snacks for at least 24 hours after surgery can decrease post-surgery discomfort and avoid any potential infection risk associated with sugar on an open wound site near nerves and oral mucosa tissue. This includes drinking sodas, fruit juices, sweet tea, and iced coffee drinks (sweetened).
Do not eat until it feels comfortable
It is essential not to eat until it feels comfortable. This will help avoid post-surgery nausea and vomiting, leading to additional discomfort from swollen tissue in the mouth.
Do not smoke or drink alcohol
Smoking after wisdom tooth surgery should be avoided, increasing infection risk and slowing healing processes. Alcohol should be avoided after wisdom tooth surgery as it may increase bleeding risks, slow healing processes, and cause additional swelling in the mouth.
Avoid chewing gum until a day or two after surgery
Chewing gum can lead to increased jaw movement that is prohibited after surgery due to restrictions on how much we are allowed to move our jaws while they heal. In addition, chewing gum can also lead to swollen tissue because of its ability to cause popping sensations in your cheek.
Remove any dental appliances at least 24 hours prior
Removal of these items reduces infection risk associated with oral contact with metal material near open wounds and stitches sites, giving bacteria easy access to the wound site.
Eat soft food
After removing wisdom teeth, it is easier to eat softer things because you won’t have to open up too wide when chewing with just one set of molars instead of two sets on top and bottom. Foods such as oatmeal, mashed potatoes, yogurt, or ice cream are good after surgery due to their consistency. You should avoid crunchy vegetables or hard meat until your swelling goes down.
Massage
Gently massage the area with a warm washcloth after eating or drinking something hot. This will help with swelling and discomfort.
Do not be afraid to ask for help
If you are still struggling with pain or discomfort after wisdom tooth surgery, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention. There may be more that can be done to make your recovery process more manageable and less painful. Besides, You may be experiencing a symptom of an unrelated health issue.
Conclusion
After the removal of wisdom teeth, it is common to experience swelling in the face. However, you should be able to go about your day and resume normal activities after a few days. Until then, make sure you take care of yourself by resting as often as possible, eating nutritious foods that are high in protein and carbohydrates, drinking plenty of fluids (especially water), avoiding smoking or alcohol consumption which can irritate the wound area while it heals, taking any prescribed medications for pain relief if necessary. Generally, the swelling will go down after a few days, and if you experience any pain or discomfort, it is best to contact your dentist.