It’s likely that you’ll only experience a wisdom teeth removal surgery once in your life. So, it’s understandable if you’re not sure what after-effects would be considered normal and abnormal. Allow us to explain:
Moderate vs. Excessive Amount of Bleeding
A small amount of bleeding is normal after the wisdom tooth is removed. It’s important that you keep gauze on the extraction site for as long as Dr. Tomlinson recommends. The gauze is acting as a placeholder (like the wisdom tooth that was there) and it will help keep the blood from continuing to flow out of the site. An excessive amount of blood that lasts longer than the first day is abnormal.
Discomfort vs. Extreme Pain
After wisdom teeth removal, you may feel some discomfort as your mouth starts the healing process and the anesthesia wears off. If you want relief from the discomfort, many over-the-counter pain relievers can help – talk to Dr. Tomlinson before purchasing to determine which is right for you. Excessive pain that will not go away with medication and/or time may be an indicator that dry socket is present.
Minimal vs. Extreme Swelling
Swelling is your body’s way of protecting the injured body part. To be more specific, swelling occurs because your brain has notified white blood cells of the injury and they are rushing to the site to initiate healing. The overload of white blood cells and blood in the area causes the site to swell. Applying an ice pack to the site – usually for no more than 20 minutes at a time – can help minimize the swelling. After a few days, the swelling should dissipate.
Clean vs. Infected Socket
During the wisdom teeth removal process, Dr. Tomlinson will clean the socket to ensure there is no debris, food, or bacteria in it. As the blood clot forms to protect the site, it will have a clean area to begin formation. However, if you eat too soon, food or bacteria may get stuck in the socket. A sign of an infected socket is pus or ooze from the site. Contact Dr. Tomlinson right away if you notice this abnormal activity.
Do you need your wisdom teeth removed? Call us: 706-549-5033