Wisdom Tooth Extraction: and using Salt to Heal Faster

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

A dentist or surgeon can remove (extract) a wisdom tooth The procedure can often be done the same day in a dentist's or surgeon's office. if you are having all your wisdom teeth pulled on the same visit it would be a good time to get it done as long as you are not a high risk patient.

Some people may have an infection and will have to get antibiotics before the doctor can perform the surgery, If there are not any signs of infections you can get your wisdom teeth pulled right away,

Before your wisdom tooth is removed

Your doctor will give you a local anesthetic to numb the area of the tooth to be removed, or you may need a general anesthetic if all of the wisdom teeth need to be removed at the same time, also general anesthetic blocks pain and puts you to sleep so you don't feel anything.

The dentist or the oral surgeon will open up the gum tissue over the tooth and take out any bone that may be covering the tooth and will separate the tissues connecting the tooth to the bone then remove the tooth, sometimes the dentist or surgeon may have to cut the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove.

After the tooth removal

The doctor will put sutures in your gums, and put a piece of cotton gauze over the site to control the bleeding, he will also give you instruction on how to care for your tooth extraction, and a prescription for pain.

Care after extraction

After you leave the dentist office keep the cotton gauze in your mouth for 30 minutes, if there is bleeding put a fresh gauze on for another 30 minutes, you can remove the gauze if bleeding has stopped, if bleeding is pooling out of the gum area, apply another gauze where bleeding is flowing or ozzing out and immediately call your doctor.

Medicine your doctor may prescribe

Your doctor may prescribe you with Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal ant-inflammatory drug, Hydrocodine, advil, or other pain medicine, and if you had an infection prior to the surgery he'll write a prescription for infection, and always take only as directed, and finish all medication prescribed.

What to eat

Eat soft foods, like mashed potatoes, yogurt, and broths, cool drinks, such as water, popsicles for a few days, and avoid smoking or drinking from a straw, and don't spit for that may cause the blood clot that form in the socket to come out and cause it to start bleeding again,(called dry socket) just let the spit drop out with your mouth open.

Brushing your teeth

Rinse your mouth after you eat with salt water that will help to heal the wound and, to keep food particles out and clean after you eat, you can brush your teeth after 1 day, but avoid brushing the area that was extracted.

Tip# When I had my wisdom tooth extracted I found sleeping upright on a few pillows help me sleep better.

• Dry socket occurs when the blood clot has failed to form in the extracted tooth socket, or if the blood clot has dislodged from the socket it will delay the healing process and will take a bit longer to heal, dry socket occurs 3 or 4 day after the extraction and can cause a dull or moderate to severe pain and a foul mouth odor, your dentist will treat it by placing medication in the tooth socket.
• Paresthesia is a rarer complication when teeth are entrapped in the jawbone and close to the nerves if bruised or damaged during the toot removal the result can be numbness of he tongue, lip or chin that can last for day, months or permanent.

How much can wisdom tooth extraction cost

Simple extraction can cost as little as $99 per tooth, or you have teeth that are impacted, it can cost as much as $230-340, but it can vary from state to state, or your insurance may cover a portion or cover the whole bill.

Restrict your activities for 48 hours and resume normal activities when your feeling better, if your mouth seems to be hurting after a week, you should call the dentists to make an appointment to have it looked at.