Wisdom teeth, as the latest eruption teeth in the mouth, often because of insufficient growth space and other reasons, to bring people a lot of trouble, removal of wisdom teeth has become a common means to solve the problem. However, many people are full of worries and doubts about the situation after wisdom tooth extraction, and the following is a detailed introduction to what will happen after wisdom tooth extraction.
Immediate reaction after tooth extraction
When the wisdom teeth are successfully removed, the extraction pit is formed. At this time, the wound will immediately bleed, which is a normal physiological reaction of the body. The doctor will place a cotton ball or gauze at the tooth extraction wound, and instruct the patient to bite tightly, and promote blood clotting by applying pressure to stop bleeding. Generally speaking, after biting the cotton ball or gauze for 30 minutes to 1 hour, the bleeding will be initially controlled and the blood clot will be formed. This blood clot is essential to the healing of the wound, acting as a “protective mask” to keep bacteria out and create a good environment for subsequent tissue repair.
Postoperative pain and swelling
pain
The degree of pain after wisdom tooth removal varies from person to person. The pain of the wound may become apparent within a few hours after surgery. This is mainly due to the trauma caused to the surrounding tissues during tooth extraction and the irritation of nerve endings. Usually, the pain is severe for 1-2 days after surgery, and then gradually decreases. Most patients can be relieved by oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) after surgery. However, if the pain continues to worsen, and even accompanied by abnormal symptoms such as fever and bad breath, it may indicate that the wound is infected, and it is necessary to seek medical attention in time.
swell
Swelling is also a common phenomenon after wisdom tooth removal. It usually begins to appear 12-24 hours after surgery, peaks 2-3 days after surgery, and then gradually subside. The degree of swelling varies from person to person, and it is mainly due to inflammatory exudation of the tissue around the wound and obstruction of lymphatic reflux. In order to reduce swelling, in the 24 hours after surgery, patients can use cold compress method, with an ice pack or cold towel applied to the face on the side of the tooth extraction, 15-20 minutes at a time, every 1-2 hours. After 24 hours, it can be changed to a hot compress to promote blood circulation and accelerate the regression of swelling.
Dietary and oral hygiene precautions
diet
On the day after wisdom tooth extraction, patients should avoid eating hot, hard and spicy food, so as not to cause the extraction wound to bleed again or stimulate the wound, aggravating the pain. It is recommended to eat warm, soft food, such as rice porridge, noodles, tofu, etc. For 2-3 days after tooth extraction, the food should still be mainly soft food, but the type can be gradually increased. It should be noted that the side of the tooth extraction should avoid chewing in the short term to prevent food debris from embedding in the tooth extraction wound, affecting the healing. With the gradual healing of the wound, about 1 week after the tooth extraction, you can resume your normal diet, but you should also pay attention to oral cleaning.
Oral hygiene
Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial to the healing of tooth extraction wounds. For 24 hours after tooth extraction, patients should avoid brushing and gargling to avoid destroying the newly formed blood clot, leading to bleeding or dry slot. After 24 hours, you can gently swish with water or mild mouthwash to remove food debris from your mouth, but the movement should be gentle. When brushing teeth, pay special attention to avoid tooth extraction wounds, you can start from the second day after tooth extraction, brush gently with a soft toothbrush. Before the wound is completely healed, the use of toothpicks and other sharp objects should be avoided to clean the mouth to avoid damage to the wound.
The wound healing process
Wound healing after wisdom tooth extraction is a complex and orderly process, which can be roughly divided into the following stages:
Blood clot formation period (0-1 day after surgery)
As mentioned above, the wound bleeding after tooth extraction, under the action of pressure to stop bleeding, about 30 minutes to 1 hour to form a blood clot. At this stage, the blood vessels around the wound contract, platelets gather, fibrinogen turns into fibrin, interweaving into a network, trapping blood cells, forming a blood clot and sealing the extraction wound.
Fibrous tissue formation period (1-7 days after surgery)
After the formation of a blood clot, fibroblasts around the wound become active, growing into the clot and producing collagen fibers. About 3-4 days after surgery, the blood clot begins to be replaced by fibrous tissue, and the wound gradually becomes stable. At this time, the patient may feel a slight itching at the wound, which is a normal manifestation of wound healing, but be careful to avoid licking or sucking the wound with the tongue, so as not to affect the healing.
Bone tissue repair period (7 days to 3 months after surgery)
With the continuous increase of fiber tissue, about 1 week after surgery, new bone tissue began to form around the tooth extraction wound. Osteoblasts gradually differentiate on the basis of fibrous tissue, secrete bone matrix, deposit calcium salts, and continuously mineralize bone tissue. This process is relatively long, generally takes about 3 months, the tooth extraction wound to basically complete the repair of bone tissue, the alveolar bone to return to close to the state before the tooth extraction. During this period, patients should try to avoid external impact on the extraction side, so as not to affect the healing of bone tissue.
Epithelial covering period (2-3 weeks after surgery)
At the same time of wound healing, the epithelial tissue on the surface of tooth extraction wound is also growing gradually. About 2-3 weeks after surgery, the surface of the wound will be completely covered by epithelial tissue. At this time, the wound will basically heal from the appearance, but the internal bone tissue will continue to repair.
Possible complications and management measures
hemorrhage
Although the wound bleeding can be effectively controlled in most patients through pressure hemostasis and other measures after tooth extraction, there are still a small number of patients may have postoperative bleeding. The bleeding may occur within a few hours after the extraction, or it may reappear within 1-2 days after the extraction. If the amount of blood loss is less, it is manifested as blood in the saliva, which is generally a normal phenomenon, and the patient need not be too alarmed. However, if there is more bleeding, there is obvious blood gushing in the mouth, you should seek medical attention immediately. The doctor will examine the wound and take appropriate measures to stop bleeding, such as reapplying pressure to stop bleeding, suturing the wound or using hemostatic drugs.
infect
Wound infection is also one of the possible complications after wisdom tooth extraction. The infection usually manifests as increased wound pain, marked swelling, fever, and bad breath. The occurrence of infection is related to many factors, such as the patient’s own resistance decreased, the aseptic operation during tooth extraction is not strict, and the postoperative oral hygiene is poor. To prevent infection, doctors strictly follow aseptic procedures before tooth extraction, and patients are also given antibiotics to prevent infection after surgery. If the patient has symptoms of infection, he should seek medical attention in time. According to the severity of the infection, the doctor will generally give oral or intravenous antibiotics treatment, while rinsing the wound and changing the dressing to promote the resolution of the inflammation.
xerostomia
Dry groove is a serious complication after wisdom tooth extraction, which usually occurs 2-3 days after tooth extraction. The main symptoms are severe and persistent pain at the tooth extraction wound, which can radiate to the ear temporal area, the blood clot in the wound falls off, the alveolar bone is exposed, and there is an obvious rancid smell. The cause of dry trough is not clear, but it is generally believed that it is related to trauma, infection, too large tooth extraction cavity and other factors. In case of dry trough, patients should seek medical attention in time. Under local anesthesia, the doctor will rinse the tooth extraction wound repeatedly with normal saline and hydrogen peroxide to remove the corrupt and necrotic materials in the wound, and then place drugs such as iodoform gauze strips in the wound to promote wound healing. Patients usually need multiple visits to replace the strips until the wound heals.
Nerve injury
Wisdom teeth are located near the lower alveolar or lingual nerves, which can be damaged during tooth extraction. Nerve damage is manifested as numbness and paresthesia in the lower lip, chin, or tongue. The incidence of nerve damage is low, and in most cases it is temporary and recovers on its own after a period of time. Before tooth extraction, doctors will evaluate the relationship between wisdom teeth and nerves through X-ray or CT examinations, and try to avoid nerve damage. If a patient has symptoms of nerve damage after tooth extraction, neurotrophic drugs (such as mecobalamine, etc.) can be used under the guidance of a doctor to promote nerve recovery. In general, the time for nerve recovery is longer, which can take months or even longer.
Life advice during recovery
During the recovery period after wisdom tooth removal, patients should maintain good lifestyle habits in addition to paying attention to diet and oral hygiene. First of all, to ensure adequate sleep, sleep helps to restore the body and improve immunity. Secondly, avoid strenuous exercise and overexertion, because these behaviors may cause blood pressure to rise, causing the extraction wound to bleed again. In addition, patients should quit smoking and drinking alcohol, nicotine and alcohol in tobacco can affect wound healing and increase the risk of infection.
Conclusion
After the removal of wisdom teeth, the patient will experience a series of physiological and physical changes. Understanding these processes and precautions can help patients better cope with the postoperative situation and promote the smooth healing of wounds. If there are any abnormal symptoms during the recovery process, you should consult a doctor or medical doctor in time to get timely treatment and treatment.
If you have any other questions about wisdom tooth removal or oral health, feel free to ask me and I’ll be happy to answer them further.
Related topics:
10 Best Mouthwashes to Use After Wisdom Teeth Removal
How Much Is the Average Cost to Remove Wisdom Teeth?
What is Wisdom Teeth Removal Considered for Insurance?
