Wisdom Teeth Removal Aftercare
in Stroudsburg & Bethlehem, PA

The Day of Your Wisdom Teeth Surgery

For a successful wisdom teeth removal and recovery, please follow these guidelines:

• If you’re receiving general anesthesia or undergoing dental sedation, refrain from eating and drinking any liquids for six hours prior to your surgery. Also, make sure you have someone you trust with you to drive you home.
• Once your surgery has been completed, we’ll cover the surgical site with gauze. Keep the pad in place and bite down for at least 30 minutes. If you continue to bleed after removing the gauze, repeat this process with a new pad.
• Avoid touching your surgical area, rinsing your mouth, or anything that involves suction such as drinking through a straw to prevent excessive bleeding. 
• The amount of swelling will depend on the patient, so little to a lot is normal. 
• Make sure to rest and avoid physical activity after your surgery. You can resume normal exercise when you feel up to it. 
• Always take your medication as prescribed to counteract any pain from your procedure. Don’t drink alcohol or drive while on your medication. 

Additional Aftercare Tips

Bleeding

A certain amount of bleeding after surgery is to be expected. Patients can expect slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva. If your surgical site is excessively bleeding, it can be controlled by rinsing or wiping away any clots from your mouth, then placing a gauze pad over the area and firmly biting for 30 minutes.

If bleeding continues, try biting on a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea bag helps to form a clot by contracting the blood vessels. To minimize further bleeding, don’t sit upright and avoid strenuous activity. Please contact our office if bleeding doesn’t subside. 

Swelling

Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes, and sides of the face after wisdom teeth extraction is normal. Oftentimes, you won’t experience swelling until the day after surgery and won’t reach its maximum amount until two to three days post-op. 

To reduce swelling, place ice packs on the sides of the face where your surgery was performed. The ice packs should be used continuously while you’re awake. After the first 24 to 36 hours after surgery, you should switch to heat as ice won’t have an effect on swelling any longer. 

Pain

For any pain you experience, take medication as prescribed. Your prescribed pain medication might make you feel groggy and will slow down your reflexes. Don’t drive or work around machinery and avoid drinking alcohol while taking your pain medication. 

Pain or discomfort following your surgery is usually at its worst 24 to 48 hours after surgery. After that, it should subside more and more every day. If your pain persists or worsens, it may require attention and you should contact our office right away.

Diet & Nausea

Some patients may experience nausea and vomiting after surgery. If this happens, avoid eating, drinking, or taking medication for at least one hour. Start by slowly sipping water or tea and progress to eating soft, solid foods and taking your medications once nausea subsides.

After your surgery, stick to a soft food diet for the first few days. Stay away from chewy foods and don’t drink through a straw to prevent disturbing the blood clot that protects your surgical site. Since you’ll be low on energy, try to consume meals higher in calories and proteins. Also, make sure to drink 5 to 6 glasses of water each day. 

Oral Hygiene

You can brush your teeth the night of your surgery, but rinse gently and be mindful of the surgical site. Use warm salt water to rinse your mouth 5 to 6 times a day starting the day after your surgery.

Our Team Is Here for You

It’s important to us that you’re provided with clear instructions and get all your questions answered. Please give us a call right away if you have any additional questions regarding your wisdom teeth extraction aftercare. Our team is always happy to help and will make sure your questions are answered. 

To contact our helpful team, call our Stroudsburg office at (484)-821-1357 or our Bethlehem office at (484)-821-1357, and we’ll be happy to assist you. You can also get in touch through our online contact form.