wisdom teeth getting removed Wednesday

[oitnb]

As the title says, I'm getting all four of my wisdom teeth removed Wednesday morning. They're putting me under because they are impacted and it might take a while to remove them.

 

I'm not really nervous for the anesthetic, when I had my tonsils removed I had no issues with it. The worst I did was ask my dad to get me some pot lol... but the healing is what has me pretty scared.

 

I'm very nervous that I'll get a "dry socket". I smoke, so obviously I won't be able to have a cigarette for a few days after the surgery. I really don't want to get a dry socket lol.

 

Any tips or advice from people who have had there wisdom teeth removed would be awesome.

[mhowe]

You can't do anything to prevent a dry socket ---- it'll happen, or not.

 

I had all 4 out at same time. And my best advice is to sleep sitting up the first night. Bank yourself into a lounger chair or in your bed. Take anti-inflamatories or the pain meds the dr. gives you. Eat soft foods for a day or so.

 

Other than that --- it isn't too bad at all.

[WithLove]

Keep some pain meds handy!

[Scoe141]

I had six out about 12 years ago. Two were impacted. Everything went fine. I was sore for a couple of days but other than that everything went fine.

 

I'd adhere to the doctors orders and stack up on movies and ice cream. Try not to worry about the what ifs. It'll be over soon enough!

 

Good luck!

[browneyedgirl36]

I had mine when I was about 20, and it was no big deal. The pain was like an aching -- my jaw hurt, too, from my mouth being held open for the surgery. I took one pain pill and didn't bother with them after that. I think I took some Tylenol on the third or fourth day when it really started to ache.

 

Stock up on soft foods. I ate Jell-o, pudding, milkshakes (though it's hard to suck things through a straw -- and you shouldn't) right after an oral surgery, so I ate with a spoon and....for fruits and veggies, my mom even gave me baby food -- LOL! Oh, applesauce and soup, too.

 

Dry socket could happen, but....I haven't known too many people who had trouble with it, and I didn't. Two of my wisdom teeth were in my gum totally sideways, too, and they really had to dig. All in all, no big deal...

 

Oh, and they may give you antibiotics. If they do, be sure to take those to prevent infections.

[Seraphim]

My husband had his bottom ones out a few years ago. He did get an infected socket though because he tried gnawing on a steak the second day. I would stick with the soft foods for four or five days . Basically you don't want to dislodge the clot that forms. So just follow the surgeon's instructions.

[DepthOfField]

Everyone recovers differently. Some can eat and return work the next day, others need a bit more time.

 

I had all 4 impacted ones removed at all at once. It was pretty tough, as I was out of commission for 4 days.

The main meds (Tylenol 3) didn't work, but once I mixed it with Gravol, it definitely helped!

 

BE SURE to keep the sockets clean. I wasn't that thorough with my rinsing, and got an infection 2 weeks later.

 

ASK ASK ASK your Doc as many questions as possible.

[browneyedgirl36]

Yep...I followed all the instructions to a "T" -- even keeping gauze in my mouth for about two days (I hated it, but my mom insisted, and she even went out and bought gauze pads so that we could keep changing them). I rinsed every day -- a couple times a day, if I recall correctly -- and didn't let anything get lodged in there. Your best bet is to not eat any solid foods at all for a few days.

[littleL_RN]

I had all 4 out at once, too. The oral surgeon was an old-school doctor who used stitches that actually had to be removed (not the dissolvable ones). Save for a little bit of post-op gum bleeding and the tiniest bruise on my cheek, I had virtually no pain.

 

Sticking to soft foods for 3 days (or more if needed) and thorough wound care is your best bet. And obviously no smoking. Grab nicotine patches if needed.

 

My only regret was that I was coerced by my mom to take just one pain pill (a Percocet) preventatively in case the pain was coming. I doubt the pain would have surfaced, but I did spend a solid hour dry heaving in the bathroom since I had very little in my stomach. In that regard, I'd also suggest using the pain medications sparingly. They can make you sick on an empty stomach or constipate you. Of course, they're there if you really need them, but if you can tolerate a little aching, maybe tough it out or stick to a regular Tylenol.

[JGintheOC]

I had my upper two taken out 3 months ago becuase they were so impacted, i still have to have "surgery" and grafting done for my bottom two based on how they they have grown.

 

To avoid dry socket, literally do everything the orthodontist/dentist tells you to the T. I did what they said regarding changing the guaze pads, the rinsing, what types of food to eat.

 

Regarding pain, I had no pain and little bleeding except 2 days later i had such a major migraine that nothing was working. They did give me vicodin just in case but I didn't want to rely on it so I dealt with the pain LOL.

 

I followed everything they said 100% and I didn't get dry socket at all. In fact it healed faster than they typically see.

 

I still have to get the bottom two done as mentioned up above but what's stopping me is partial fear but mostly the cost involved. Costing me $1800 cuase of all the xray, grafting, anesthesia and etc.

[oitnb]

Wow thanks for the tips everyone!! I'm way less worried now.

 

I think I'll stock up on yummy flavored baby food for the days after

[chickadeedee]

Get some straws for your drinks because if you get all 4 out it may hurt if you try to open your jaw a lot. You might get some of the protein drinks for the first couple of days, so that you can just drink and not have to chew or open your jaw wide at all. If you are not actually chewing, you will also be less likely to get dry socket because you won't be forcing any food into the sockets. A straw shoots the liquid down your throat without getting into the sockets.

 

I advise getting the pain pills even if you don't think you really need them. You may or may not, and it is better to be prepared since the degree of pain can't really be predicted in advance. I had surgery to remove teeth and didn't think it was all that bad (but i didn't try to do anything but drink from a straw for a few days), whereas my ex husband was absolutely floored by the pain for a week, but then he was a pretty big whiner in general.

[Seraphim]

Don't use straws the first couple of days that's right on the instructions. They don't want you sucking in and dislodging the clot.

[Fudgie]

I had all 4 out too, had to be put out because they were all impacted. What a mess.

 

Okay, so here are my suggestions:

 

-get a nicotine patch pronto. You can't smoke so make it so you want go into withdrawal when you're recovering.

-if your doctor gives you anti emetic drugs, take them!

-be careful with pain meds unless you know you can tolerate them. I can't. I ended up taking one pill and threw up for a long time. So I ended up not taking meds.

-follow proper cleansing procedures if they give you any

-protein milkshakes were my friends for a few days

-enjoy it because you'll only go through this once in your life.

[mhowe]

actually...my father grew a 2nd set and had to have them removed as well!

[faraday]

actually...my father grew a 2nd set and had to have them removed as well!

 

Crazy! At least that would show up in X-rays now, so it would be expected.

 

 

 

 

I had my wisdom teeth out- same as fudgie, all 4 and all impacted....and it wasn't that bad. I got stoned on pain meds and watched fight club and ate ice cream with friends that came over. It was actually kind of fun. I was back at work the next day

 

 

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[mhowe]

Crazy! At least that would show up in X-rays now, so it would be expected.

 

 

 

 

I had my wisdom teeth out- same as fudgie, all 4 and all impacted....and it wasn't that bad. I got stoned on pain meds and watched fight club and ate ice cream with friends that came over. It was actually kind of fun. I was back at work the next day

 

 

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He just likedto claim that it was the reason he was so wise! But yes...they didn't xray like today.

[faraday]

That's such a dad thing to say

 

 

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[guynextdoor]

I had 4 removed during my college days. Ate canned soup most of the time. I remember the first week my face was swollen, kinda like elephant man. One of my gums didn't stop bleeding for a month, crazy huh? The tea bag on the gum did the trick. Didn't taste good but it did stop the bleeding.

[itsallgrand]

My advice is take the meds!! When I had one wisdom tooth removed, I didn't. Figured I'd 'tough it out'. Not so smart. Take the pain medication - it helps tremendously.

 

Wednesday - New Years Eve.I'll be thinking of you. Just take it easy, rest, and let yourself be babied a bit. My advice!

 

Hope it goes well.

[luminousone]

Great advice from everyone.

 

They didn't mention ice packs though. It is a good idea to have several gallon sized freezer baggies with crushed ice in them for ice packs. In my experience, the more you keep down the swelling the better you will feel.

 

When I had mine out they were impacted so the surgery took a little longer. My college roommate came to pick me up and I was still loopy from being under.

 

She guided me through the packed waiting room to which I announced loudly that I had just had my wisdom teeth out and I felt great!

 

My horrified roommate ushered me out of there so fast and the waiting patients looked a bit horrified as well.

 

She made me look in the mirror when we got into the car and my face looked funny from the gauze and swelling, lol... I scared those poor patients...

 

But really all went well. I iced up and hardly had to use the pain pills.

[oitnb]

Surgery went fine everyone. Thanks for all the tips. I'm now at home resting

[Seraphim]

Good to know you are okay!!