This year, I spent spring break at home recovering from having my wisdom teeth removed. While it felt like everyone I knew was tanning at the beach, I was trying my best to figure out the key to a painless wisdom teeth extraction.
I know that sounds awful, but it was shockingly painless. Of course, it did not feel good, but I can say I had minimal pain.
Here five suggestions to make the best of your wisdom teeth removal from someone who had a seamless experience.
- Take other people’s experiences with a grain of salt
-
The first thing I did when hearing I was getting my wisdom teeth out was ask for detailed accounts of all of my friends’ experiences with the procedure. Not to say my friends are dramatic, but I felt like I was listening to war stories the way they were recounting their pain.
It is possible that they did feel all this pain, but it is also possible they dramatized the experience. After going through it myself, the first thing I thought was that it was a lot less traumatic than people made it seem.
This goes for more than just friends and family. Being mindful of people on social media who share their experiences is also important.
Theatrical recounts of procedures like this are a great way to bring in viewers, so these stories are often exaggerated. Using these primary sources to prepare yourself to go through the same thing isn’t inherently a bad idea, though.
Just keep in mind that people tend to amplify their experiences, which is key to keeping calm. Trust me, going into this surgery calm makes the experience much more pleasant, too.
- Follow your surgeon’s Post-op directions
-
When I had my consultation for surgery, I was given a packet for post-operation directions. I took one look at that long list of words and rolled my eyes.
How complicated could this be? I am thankful my mom had a little more sense and read through the directions to keep me on track because that made all the difference.
Following the procedure, I changed my gauze every 30 minutes and iced my face every 30 minutes as well. This stopped the bleeding within a few hours and did a lot to minimize swelling, just like my surgeon had advised.
Yes, it is annoying, but you are told to do it for a reason.
Another “rule” I was given was to eat (and yes, I mean eat because no straws allowed) a milkshake right after surgery. While this was not a strict rule, I think it helped.
First, I got something in my stomach so I could take pain medicine, and it also kept me happy as I was coming out of anesthesia. I had a lot of numbness in my face and lips, so this also helped to get some sensation back.
I also honestly believe that not babying my mouth and getting it moving helped me heal and get used to eating right away.
- Do not wear a shirt you love
-
I wanted nothing more than to wear my favorite comfy shirt, but my surgeon explicitly said to wear a shirt I do not care about. I was close to not following this rule because, in a situation like this, shouldn’t I value my comfort?
Thankfully, I avoided getting any blood on my shirt, but I was drenched in spit and milkshake by the time I got home. Numb lips and eating a liquidy shake with a spoon are not a good mix for staying clean.
While all of the aforementioned spills did come out in the wash, I wouldn’t want to risk my favorite shirt getting a stain. No matter how comfy it is, leave it at home and wear it once you can feel your face.
- Wait to use a straw
-
This was a big worry for me going into surgery because I am a die-hard straw fan. I was tempted to just use a straw, but I am happy I waited until I was cleared to do so.
The one thing I did take from my friend’s experience is that you do not want a dry socket. A few days without straws is a price worth paying to heal as quickly as possible.
I was also led to believe I would have to go without a straw for weeks or even a month, but I was permitted to use a straw just one week after my surgery directly from my surgeon. Now, this is different for everyone and depends on how fast you heal, but in reality, you will likely be able to get back to straw usage within a week or two.
This is just further confirmation that you should be skeptical of the advice you are getting from non-medical professionals.
- Be careful what you listen to on TikTok
-
I am sure you have heard multiple people on TikTok tell you to drink pineapple juice before and after your wisdom teeth come out. Now, while the science behind the antioxidants in pineapple juice do check out, I think this advice is being treated as far too medical.
I did not drink any pineapple juice, and I had little to no swelling. If you are going to swell, pineapple juice is likely not going to fix that.
There is no harm in drinking pineapple juice in preparation for surgery. Honestly, I was considering it just because I love pineapple juice.
However, I think expecting it to reduce swelling drastically is a little unrealistic. Besides the pineapple juice hack, taking advice from TikTok medical professionals (who more often than not are just regular people) can be risky.
Research any advice you are considering taking, and better yet, take it straight to your surgeon. Ultimately, they know best and should be aware of any extra measures you’re considering.
Wisdom teeth removal is in no way a small procedure, but it is also not as scary as it is made out to be. Following your surgeon’s directions and going in with an open mind will have you set up for success.
They are just a few teeth at the end of the day, so try not to stress. Eat some ice cream and watch some movies. You will be back to normal eating and straw usage before you know it.