If you’ve had surgery for impacted teeth, we recommend that you follow some basic homecare instructions that can minimize your recovery/healing process and help reduce pain, swelling and/or complications.
On the day of your impacted tooth procedure:
Below are more aftercare tips that you can follow at home to speed up your recovery time after impacted tooth exposure—as well as how to limit your impacted tooth symptoms.
You should start your prescribed pain medication as soon as the local anesthetic wears off—take as directed. If you experience any side effects, including a rash, stop taking the medicine. For moderate pain, take Tylenol, Extra Strength Tylenol or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) every three to four hours as needed. If you continue to have pain, please call our office.
Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal during the first 24 hours following impacted tooth procedures. Excessive bleeding (your mouth fills rapidly with blood) can be controlled by biting down on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues please call our office for further instructions.
Soft food and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery—avoid anything hot. Also be sure to drink plenty of liquids. We recommend drinking at least five to six glasses a day. Avoid using straws as the sucking motion can dislodge the blood clot around the impacted tooth surgical site. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.
Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following your surgery. If you do exercise, stop immediately if you experience throbbing or bleeding. Since your usual food intake will be less after your impaction of teeth surgery, you could be more weak and become light headed.
Mouth cleanliness is essential to good healing after an impacted tooth procedure. A clean wound heals better and faster. The night of your surgery, brush your teeth carefully and rinse gently.
Clean your mouth thoroughly after each meal beginning the day after surgery. Brush your teeth as best you can. Rinse with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water) six times a day—repeat until you are fully healed.
Swelling is a normal occurrence after impacted teeth surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag or a plastic bag or towel filled with ice cubes on the cheek in the area of surgery. Apply the ice continuously as much as possible for the first 36 hours. After that, you can switch to moist heat.
A dry socket as a result of impacted tooth surgery can be painful—you should call our office right away. Dry socket can occur when the blood clot gets dislodged from the tooth socket before the impacted tooth is fully recovered.
Stitches help stop the bleeding and promote impacted teeth healing. Sometimes the stitches may become dislodged—don’t be concerned as the stitches will be removed a week after your impacted tooth surgery.
If you’re feeling any nausea, don’t eat or drink anything for at least one hour after your surgery. Sipping slowly on coke, tea or ginger ale can help. Once the nausea subsides, you can start taking the prescribed medicine.
If you’re having impacted tooth pain and discomfort or have questions about your impacted teeth recovery, please call Now Care Dental’s Eagan, MN office at (651) 686-6800—answering services are available 24/7. Clinic hours are 10am to 8pm, seven days a week.
Call (651) 686-6800 to schedule an appointment or complete our appointment request form.