Getting all of my wisdom teeth out on Tuesday. Any tips?

No pain, but my dentist and the oral surgeon I was referred to wanted them out, because they are on a collision course with my non-wisdom teeth. Two impacted, two partially erupted.

I'll be going to a nearby medical center where my neurologist has privileges. My cardiac electrophysiologist has set the cardiac protocol that is to be followed before/during/after the surgery along with information on what I can and cannot be given.

I'll be anesthetized, which is a very good thing.

Then I get to deal with the pain! That should be.. interesting. Especially since I won't be able to use a straw to drink - I don't do well with drinking out of a glass, usually when tired or when I just get up, because of my motor issues, sometimes my mouth will just let go. But yeah.

I plan on getting a bunch of ice cream, pudding, and jello this weekend.

Any tips for other good things to get? I can't lose too much weight by eating nothing - i'm only 105 lbs.

Oh, the surgery is on Tuesday. It was supposed to be Thursday (the 6th), but the oral surgeon called earlier today to reschedule to Tuesday (the 4th). That was fun.

Tomorrow, I need to make sure I have numbing cream (a local anesthetic I apply to my arms before a blood test, because I am *really* sensitive to pain).

 

Sounds like you are prepared. I do think getting them out when you're younger (if necessary)is a good idea. I had mine done in my 20's-long time ago. No fun, but it was supposed to avoid problems later on...
Since drinking may be a problem, can you add things to your soft foods?(I am thinking nutrients,supplements, etc.) I know I have added Benefiber, chia, etc. to puddings. That may give you some extra nutrition so you don't lose too much weight. (That wasn't a problem for me:lol I hope it all goes well and you recover quickly.

 

It's honestly different for everyone. My recovery was an absolute nightmare but I knew a girl in high school that was able to eat normal food that evening.

Other food ideas: smooth/blended soups (like tomato) that you can eat with a spoon, broth, fruit and/or veggie smoothies (can also use a spoon). Most people are also fine with soft but not liquid foods, like soups with noodles and thoroughly cooked veggies in them.

 

The worst part of my experience was discovering that I can't take codeine--it make me terribly sick. Once I switched to a pain-killer that I could tolerate, I was okay. I had soft foods (soups, milkshakes, pudding, applesauce) for about a week, and had some pretty significant swelling and bruising, but my recovery was pretty smooth.

 

Instant mashed potatoes
Yogurt
Soup
Smoothies-make with protein powder

 

For fluids, freeze Gatorade until partially frozen, blend it until it's like a slushie, then use a spoon.

 

I had mine out at 13. I had an extra wisdom tooth, and all were impacted. I was out with an IV, and it wasn't bad. I ate soft foods for a couple of days, but I only took one pain pill. I hate pain meds. I have a high tolerance for pain, though.

 

I'm going to err on the side of caution and assume my recovery will be rather uncomfortable - I tend to recover slowly from most anything.

Thanks for the tips.

 

Get some type of ice packs to help with swelling. I had only 2 wisdom teeth. I went dancing next day! My sis had 3 and missed 3 days of work...so you never know. I had mine out before Easter...Easter dinner was really soft shells & cheese that could be eaten easily. What about some baby foods...there are some good ones and at least the are pureed already like Hawaiian delight!! LOL They make some puffs that pretty much melt in your mouth apple cinnamon or banana. Just trying to help ya with stuff other than pudding!!! LOL.

 

I don't have any tips really because my wisdom teeth removal went flawlessly & w/o any pain/discomfort/complications. I didn't even need to take the pain med that was prescribed to me for afterwards.

All I can say is eat easy foods a few days afterwards. I hope things go well! :thumb:

 

I really liked using bags of frozen peas as ice packs...it molded to my face better than the gel ones.

 

Don't eat pudding. It's a lot harder to get off the spoon than you probably realize...I thought it would be a good idea, nice soft food. Yeah. It's like super glue on a spoon. In order to get it off, your mouth has to contort into positions that will make you cry. At least, it did me.

 

Another tip that comes to mind. Make sure not to take the pain meds on an empty stomach. The last thing you need is nausea and vomiting while you're recovering. Good nutrition will help you recover faster anyway.

 

That sounds like some crazy pudding.hmy:

 

I usually use my tongue to get it off the spoon.

Nausea and vomiting would also be bad when combined with my seizure meds.

A bit.

My mom also got some chocolate mousse.

Going to go to the supermarket tomorrow.

 

Do not drink out of a straw!!! I had all mine out at once, it was the worst thing I've ever done , but so happy I did it all at once. I lived on chicken broth for three days. The first two days are the worst, especially if you don't respond to the pain mess. Anyways, good luck!!

 

I am going to have mine out sometime in February. I am 50, so I am not looking forward to this! Mine are not impacted..they came in perfectly straight, so the oral surgeon doesn't seem to think it will be a bad surgery. I am still nervous though.
I wish I had more suggestions for you...pretty much everything already mentioned is what I plan on eating post surgery.

 

My dentist told me better to get them out before roots have formed around jaw bone. Mine were not in yet when I had mine out around 20yrs ago.
The first night was bad....but I did sleep well. My throat was just dry.
When I had them removed the meds had me out enough I was like napping, but enough where my nose would feel that itchy sensation, so I kept rubbing it. Poor dr. LOL!!!

 

One of my vivid post-removal memories was of the nasty way the sterile gauze tasted. I hated that stuff packed into my mouth. Yuck, yuck, yuck. The other things I remember were just lots of spitting (blood/saliva combo) and how warm broth felt pretty good.

My IV got stuck or something during the pre-op procedures, so I ended up having to stay awake for the removal. Doctors were very free and loose with their use of local anesthetics--I bet I got 10-20 shots in each tooth area before they cracked and removed the tooth. It sounded gross but I couldn't feel anything. I think that the fact that I was awake made it so that the doctors were a little less rough than they might have been otherwise. I didn't end up with the huge cheek bruises that most of my friends had afterwards.

 

I just had mine out summer of last year (I am in my mid-20's). I went to a wedding two days after, but I really didn't eat anything and left pretty early because I felt so horrible. I was fine on the first and second days, not a whole lot of pain when I took the meds, but on day three I could not even move without my whole head throbbing. I got dry sockets in the bottoms, so if you feel pain DO NOT WAIT to go back to the oral surgeon and get things cleaned out. Call them ASAP. I waited for 3 days until I went to my follow-up appointment after it started hurting, which was stupid. It felt so much better after they fixed the issue.

Anyway, for about 5-6 days I slept on the couch and only ate warm broth, Jell-O, and lots of mashed potatoes. And lots of hot tea. I second the recommendation to have a cold pack that can conform to your face (whatever that may be ). A cold pack helps A LOT.

 

oh my that just sounds horrifying

Luckily i'm getting it done at the local hospital, where I know the nurses are very good at their jobs, provided I remind them I need a butterfly needle.

Hopefully I don't get any breakthrough pain, otherwise it would be difficult for me to get to the oral surgeon.

 

Wisdom teeth are an interesting thing to me. In Hungary, I never really heard of anyone getting it removed. I'm sure there is the occasion where it must be done, but I always felt in this country doctors recommend getting it removed for no reason sometimes. I still have mine, I had no issues when they came in (1 tooth was kinda sensitive for a little, that's it), and none of the people I knew there ever had it removed.

I wonder, is it really important to get it removed?

 

My removal also took place at the hospital, performed by oral surgeons rather than dentists. The IV thing was just a fluke, I think.

 

It can be really important to get them removed. They often grown in at an angle, sometimes even totally sideways, and can push your other teeth out of alignment. Of course, some people's wisdom teeth never develop at all. It just depends on the individual, I guess.

 

Two out of the four wisdom teeth are growing in sideways. The other are just poking out of the skin, and one of them is slightly crooked & has a cavity, so it poses a risk.

Mine's being done by an oral surgeon at a hospital too

Hopefully my surgery tomorrow isn't cancelled because of the snow.

 

They will also give you a little syringe thing that you have to fill with water and squirt into the holes to clean them out. A lot of food will get stuck in there for months until the holes fill with new bone.

For food, I would add refried beans. Soft and protein.

 

I had all four of mine out in high school. It's really not too bad and they give you plenty of pain killers for afterwards. I think I went back to school the day after the surgery. I had an oral surgeon take mine out, but not at a hospital. It was a clinic. I was swollen pretty bad (my friends called me Alvin!), but not much pain. I drank smoothies.

Oh and that little syringe is gross! It blasts out all sort of gross, rotting food from the holes leftover. haha

 

The hospital called today.

For my 7:15 surgery, I have to arrive at the hospital at 6:15.

Tempted to just not go to sleep tonight.

But sleep deprivation before anesthesia would probably not be a good idea

 

I got all four of mine out when I was 18.

My mom said, "I didn't dish out all that money for braces so your teeth can go crooked again! You're getting those wisdom teeth out!"

 

I got mine removed as a teen. They started to crowd my straight teeth! They aren't perfect anymore, but still okay. Should have worn my retainer.

 

Don't think about it... You'll be fine. Don't listen to the horror stories of Others. You'll be fine. watch the highlight reel on ESPN of the super bowl...that will put you to sleep!

 

I think the key to wisdom teeth is not to worry. Hard, I know. But really, it just depends. If you ask 100 people about their experience, 50 will tell you a horror story and 50 will tell you it was a breeze*. Get some good rest, and try not to worry-you should be fine.

*totally made up statistic

 

I'll go to bed now. Going to wake up at 4:30, leaving for the hospital at 5:30, should arrive there around 6:00, then it'll take like 15 minutes to find the place I need to go to pre-register, then surgery'll start whenever everything is ready.

 

:thumb:

When I had mine out my dad took care of me (mom was working dad was retired)
The weird thing was my wisdom teeth were coming in at almost a 90° to my other teeth pushing them together.
When you take pain meds don't wait until the pain is killing you take it before it gets bad if it says every 4 hours TAKE them every 4 hours at the start.

 

And i'm awake for the surgery. Drank somewhere around 1 oz of clear liquid to get my seizure meds down.

 

I wouldn't expect the recovery to be bad because then it will be. If you think it will be bad then your mind will make it seem worse. The vast majority of people have no problem with it. I wasn't put under or even given laughing gas and it was fine. Afterwards it was gross with the gauze but not bad at all. I was up and about the next day. My brother went out partying the night he got them out! Good luck!

 

ow my mouth hurts

woke up at like 9;45 after the did the surgery

10:15 they squirted pain meds (hydrocodone) into my mouth

now i'm home waiting for the pharmacy to fill the vicodin prescription

my mouth hurts

 

It'll be sore.. .but glad it went ok!!

Just take it easy!!!

 

I had a really bad burn on the tip my finger and nothing hurts worse than burns. I put pressure on my finger closer to my hand. It made the pain lessen. So, I looked up some information for you about pressure points for tooth pain.

The webbing between your thumb and first finger contains a pressure point. Rubbing that area with ice may help the tooth pain. Also, pressure in that area can also trick the brain in responding to the feeling in that spot rather than the feeling in your mouth. It is worth a try.

Also, as the other posters have said, focusing on the pain and compulsively thinking about it will make it seem worse. Since you have in the past said you get anxious and focus on things, you may end up exacerbating the pain by your thought process.

Yes, your mouth will hurt for a few days, but try to find methods that keep your mind off the pain or your body feeling something different.

Good luck. Hope you don't end up looking like a hamster with stuffed cheeks!

 

Watch some good chick flicks!!!