- Prevent infection by keeping your mouth as clean as possible: Your surgeon will instruct you on how to keep the extraction site clean without disrupting any healing, especially in the days immediately following the procedure. You may begin by rinsing regularly with warm water until you get clearance to brush again. Minimizing the presence of oral bacteria will reduce your risk of infection, and it’s a good practice to protect your oral health in general.
- Reduce your risk of dry sockets: Dry sockets are the most common complication associated with wisdom tooth extraction. The painful condition develops when a clot either fails to form or is dislodged prematurely, exposing the nerves that run along the empty sockets. Avoiding drinking straws and giving up smoking will go a long way toward preventing dry sockets.
- Keep all of your scheduled follow-up appointments with your oral surgeon: Your surgeon uses these follow-up appointments to monitor your healing and look for any signs of trouble that need to be addressed. So, to stay on track with your healing, be sure that you make it to all of these appointments.
- Know the signs of a problem that warrants immediate attention: Certain signs like persistent bleeding that lasts longer than 24 hours, significant discomfort or fever may point to infection. If you experience any of these symptoms or other signs of complications, call our office for further instruction.
Be sure that you are doing everything possible to promote effective healing after you have your wisdom teeth removed. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have at any point in the treatment planning process, and feel free to call our office to speak to one of our knowledgeable staff members about any concerns you may have after the procedure.
If you need to schedule a wisdom teeth extraction, call us at Commonwealth Oral & Facial Surgery today!