24 Jan 2023
How long does it take to recover from Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Wisdom teeth often cause painful problems because we don’t have enough room in our mouth for them to develop properly.
Unless problem wisdom teeth are extracted, they can cause many oral and general health issues, and the pain won’t go away on its own.
This is why wisdom teeth removal is a common practice.
It resolves immediate problems and prevents complications such as gum infection and damage to adjacent teeth.
Our patients at Wisdom Teeth Sydney typically have many questions about wisdom teeth removal. One of the main ones is how long it takes to recover after the procedure. This is what we tell them.
Wisdom teeth removal is a surgical extraction usually performed with local anaesthetic and/or IV (intravenous) sedation.
Healing and recovery after wisdom teeth removal is a gradual process but you should see some improvement day by day.
Recovery can take up to two weeks but varies from person to person. Recovery time also depends on the complexity of the procedure and how much oral damage the problem had caused.
You can expect mild discomfort and swelling the first few days after extraction. This can be managed with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, or with medication prescribed by your dentist.
Many patients return to work two to three days after wisdom teeth extraction, as long as their job doesn’t involve vigorous activity.
Healing and recovery after wisdom teeth extraction generally follows a timeline like this:
- First 24 hours – blood clots form.
- Two to three days – swelling of the mouth and cheeks starts to subside.
- After a week – your dentist removes any stitches, unless you had dissolvable sutures.
- Seven to 10 days – jaw stiffness and soreness should disappear.
- Over the course of two weeks – any facial bruising should heal.
There are several things you can do to ease discomfort and help the healing process after wisdom teeth removal. There are also some things you shouldn’t do.
- Do take pain relief medication as directed by your dentist.
- Do rinse your mouth after 24 hours. Use an antiseptic mouthwash and/or a warm solution of salt and water several times a day, including after meals. This will help keep the area free from infection.
- Do apply a cold compress to the area to stop bleeding.
- Do avoid strenuous activity for a few days.
- Do drink plenty of water.
- Do hold an ice pack to your face to ease pain and reduce swelling.
- Do open and close your mouth a few times a day to relieve stiffness.
- Do use an extra pillow in bed to elevate your head.
- Do contact your dentist if persistent complications develop.
- Don’t eat hot or solid foods for 24 hours after the procedure.
- Don’t drink hot liquids, alcohol or caffeine.
- Don’t spit blood for 24 hours.
- Don’t smoke for a week.
- Don’t drink through a straw – the suction can hinder blood clotting.
- Don’t brush your teeth for 24 hours. Resume normal – but gentle -brushing the following day.