Wisdom Teeth Removal: A Guide to a Pain-Free Experience
Not everyone develops wisdom teeth, but around 90 percent of those who do go through the terrible pain of an impacted tooth when there’s not enough space in the gums for the wisdom teeth to break through. Usually appearing between the ages of 17 to 25, wisdom teeth can be a pain and a hassle especially when not removed early. If you’re looking for the best dentist in Silver Spring MD for your wisdom teeth removal, Stellar Dental has the best team of dentists to provide you with a pain-free extraction experience.
Read on to find out how to prepare for a wisdom teeth removal
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Laughing Gas or Anesthesia?
When it comes to choosing between laughing gas and anesthesia, it really is the patient’s choice. Are you willing to be awake and see your tooth painlessly pulled out, or would you rather be asleep during the whole extraction process? In both cases, a local numbing cream will be applied to the area so you won’t feel pain during the entire procedure, but you will need someone to drive you home after the operation.
- Pain After the Procedure
Each person responds to pain differently, so there’s no way to determine the exact degree of discomfort you will be experiencing. Fortunately, your dentist will provide you with a prescription of painkillers to make sure you survive the week. These painkillers could be anything from Vicodin, Percoset, or hydrocodone to numb the pain, but if you have a high pain tolerance, a combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen should do the trick!
- Facial Puffiness
No matter how much you try to escape it, wisdom teeth removal will always be followed by facial puffiness that will make you look like an adorable chipmunk. Just remember, swelling gets worse before it gets better. Most swelling resolves within a week, but always keeping your head elevated and calming the area with an ice pack compress will definitely speed up the healing process. Yellowing or bruising may also appear a couple of days later which should also subside in a few days as well.
- Dietary Suggestions
When it comes to wisdom teeth removal, patients always ask their doctors if there are dietary restrictions. If you’re a fan of ice cream, it’s your lucky day. Eating ice cream after your surgery is recommended, and having a liquid diet is also advised for the first 24 hours. After your first day, you can then move on to a soft foods diet for around four to five days, so go ahead and gobble on pastas, scrambled eggs, or mashed potatoes. Stay away from foods that require a lot of chewing, and avoid drinking from a straw as this tends to loosen blood clots!
- Brushing Your Teeth
It’s nice to keep your mouth clean, especially if you have a wound that you do not want to get infected, but avoid brushing vigorously or flossing around the surgical area. Salt water rinse is highly recommended after the first 24 hours!
Stellar Dental is a leading dental service provider based in Maryland with offices at White Oak and Hyattsville. We strive to provide the best dental care solutions and a state-of-the-art facility to our patients. Our major services include – dental implants, Invisalign, braces, 6 Month Smiles and other general dentistry procedures. We have a team of warm, friendly and compassionate dental professionals.
