Please come talk to me about when you had your wisdom teeth out

[Batmam]

I'm on the app and can't search so sorry if it's been done a gazillion times.

I'm due to have all 4 wisdom teeth out a week before Christmas and just want to know what to expect. Is the recovery horrendous or manageable if you stay on top of painkillers? How long until I can eat properly? (*dreams of losing a stone in two days) How long will I need off work?

I've had a general before so not terribly anxious (yet). The only thing I'm worried about is numbness as one root is on a facial nerve but the surgeon said permanent numbness is v.v. rare. What are your experiences?

TIA and I promise my next post will be more interesting and about bum sex or something

[Sparklingbrook]

20 years ago now. Supposed to be having all 4 out under GA but they couldn't find the 4th. Still baffles me.

Anyway, the day and day after the OP were a bit horrible, hamster cheeks and bruised neck etc. I was allergic to the painkillers which was an added .
They wouldn't let me out of hospital til I had eaten something and produced a bowl of Rice Krispies.

I think after about 3 days things were ok eating wise but I had booked the week off anyway.

[Madbengalmum]

I had one out on the bottom layer last year, it was awful,i was awake and the consultant spent 1 hr 30 mins trying to get it to break to get it out. Thank god he said a trainee didnt do it, because he had 35 years experience and was traumatised, he said with highnsight he should have knocked me out to do it!
Apperently the bottom are far worse than the top,as the nerves are on the bottom, so tops come out easier. You will be sore for quite some time up to week and a half, depending on whether you get any complications. With four removals i would certainly have a few days off if not the week.
To add it is the best thing to have done, as i dont have awful abcesses any more. So worth the discomfort.

[Cinnamoncookie]

I had all 4 out under general about 17 years ago. Had it done about 2pm, out around 7pm. I'd been lying down in the recovery ward, and hadn't realised how much blood I'd swallowed, sat up to have a drink and threw up everywhere, so I don't recommend that .

I took arnica for a few days before the op, and a week after , didn't have very much swelling of the gums etc, and was eating normally 3 days later.

The morning after the op was funny, I woke up and couldn't sit up due to severe pain and stiffness in my chest. I'm still convinced it was caused the surgeon kneeling on me to get the leverage to pull the teeth out ...

[PurpleThermalsNowItsWinter]

My dentist pulled mine out. I had the day off work and was back in the next day (and I'm a wuss). It was a little sore after. I think I had soup for a few days. Don't eat anything like crisps that could hurt the gums. It's really not that bad.

[WicksEnd]

I didn't have a general, had 3 out at the dentist and it was fine. I felt relieved, as if my mouth went 'space at last!'
Back to work the next day but on light duties and didn't speak much. Managed soup for lunch. Mine were through though, and came out easily.

[MeeWhoo]

Obviously I don't know how dificult your wisdom teeth will be to pull out. I had one "normal one" taken out from the top and it was a bit sire so the first day but manageable with painkillers And I'd say within two days It was pretty much business as usual.
Over a week ago I had a bottom one that was "included" (sorry, cannot remember the English word), i.e. Completely horizontal and therefore unable to come out, taken out by a maxilofacial surgeon as it was too difficult for the dentist. The first day was pretty sore and the next 3 days were very manageable with painkillers, but as soon as I stopped taking the painkillers every 8 hours, the pain came back. It's not awful pain, but the whore area is sore and I still can't fully open my mouth normally (yawning is a killer!) and have to be careful about bit to eat things that require a lot of chewing. I also suspect I may be making it worse at night as I have a tendency to clench my jaw and may be dirt if chewing on my cheek in my sleep. However, I am restricting how many painkillers I take for personal reasons, and when I do take an ibuprofen or paracetamol and I'm still under their effects, the pain does go away, but I still can't open my mournfully (As an example, I can brush all my teeth but I can't brush the back of my tongue, which is in dire need!)

So, this included wisdom tooth, although not awful, is taking quiet a lot longer to go back to normal than I anticipated. The surgeon did say afterwards that I bled very little, which is actually a negative as it means that there are not many blood vessels in the area do healing takes longer. As for numbness,I was a bit scared too, but thankfully that hasn't happened, although I would welcome a bit of temporary numbness at the moment ;)

MIL still has nightmares about having all 4 of hers taken out at the same time and took a long time to recover, but this was quite a long time ago and I think she also had 2 included ones.
If I were you I would stock up on soup and smoothies and get a very clear idea of the sort of painkillers you can take and for how long.

[murphys]

Ds had all 4 out under GA in June. He was swollen for a few days, I think it was the third day or so it was the most swollen, and he went that yellow colour from bruising on his jaws.

He had ice packs to put on for a few days, which they gave him in hospital. I dont know why in UK they make you eat something dry and difficult, as here (in SA) they say the complete opposite. He was given jelly and custard and he ate soft foods for about 4 days after. The stitches dissolved after a week.

The surgeon said he would have more bruising than normal, as he had to go in deeper than normal as they were very deep and sideways.

He had to gargle with salt water every few hours, to prevent infection and to promote healing. Depending on the severity of yours of course, I would expect you would be off work for a week. Ds had quite a bad one though, so I think this would be a worst case scenario really.

All the best.

[murphys]

Sorry, forgot to add. If they offer you the infa red light for the healing then do it, as it is suppose to help with the bruising...

[TaurielTest]

I had all 4 out under GA last year. I believe they weren't the easiest to remove. Lots of bruising and bleeding, sore jaw, and it took me a fortnight to stop feeling awful - I think I had a pretty bad reaction to the GA or the analgesia and was quite wiped out. I was able to eat after a few days of lukewarm soup and smoothies though.

There are so many variables and you may be fine in a few days like lots of people seem to be - sorry to share a pretty negative experience, but if yours matches mine you'll be feeling crappy until new year. I'm guessing moving the date isn't possible?

Be very diligent with the salt rinses, best of luck.

[Batmam]

Thanks for all your replies good and bad, that's what I wanted. I actually asked for it to be before Christmas as I'm starting a new job in Jan but I might reconsider this esp as my bottom two wizzies are half included (? learnt something today!) and growing sideways so might well be a job to remove.

I shall stock up on paracetamol, arnica, soup and salt then. One last Q, will I get to keep the manky teeth afterwards?

[Peaceloveandpartyrings]

I wasn't allowed to keep mine. The nurse cited something about the Human Tissue Act and whipped it away after a quick photo. Bah.

[Bunbaker]

I had all four out 36 years ago. They were making my mouth overcrowded and pushing my other teeth forward, but they were all through. My appointment was for 11 am and I had a GA at the dentist - they didn't do straightforward extractions at the hospital then.

I was home for a late lunch and ate some soup. Tea was spaghetti Bolognese which took some time to eat. I can't honestly remember how long it was before I could eat normally, but I didn't end up with swollen cheeks either. I think because my teeth were through and not impacted the procedure was no worse than having a few molars extracted.

I don't remember being on pain killers afterwards either.

[HollyEllis]

Had 4 out about 20 years ago. Was done as a day case and was allowed home by lunch time. The two worst bits were a) when the nurse asked me why I still had my pants on under my hospital gown and then said "Oh yes - you're just a tooth extraction" and b) when I woke up and another patient said "your face is already swollen", looked in the mirror and it wasn't - just my normal face! It hurt and I felt a bit miserable and depressed for the rest of the week but after a week I went back to work and it was all fine. No horrible brusing and enjoyed lolling about watching TV and eating ice cream.

[Rosa]

My chest ached as well and i was told it was the angle and they hold you whilst they pull. Mine were growing at an angle. my op was last one of the day so in overnight. Felt wiped out and tender , lukewarm drinks , mouthwashes with something yucky ( was over 20 years ago). Ate weetabix and mushed up stuff . Took me a week before I felt ' normal' again. I know I had pain killers that were reduced every couple of days . The hosp prescribed them . I had very little swelling.

[hellocleveland]

I had 3 wisdom teeth out 10 years ago. They couldn't find the 4th. Was in agony for about a week and my bottom right lip, gums and chin were numb. The surgeon never mentioned that she had damaged the nerve. I waited for normal sensation to resume. Ten years on I'm still waiting. I live with permanent burning, tingling & numb sensation.

I remember touching my mouth and lips just before I went under anaesthetic as I had a premonition that I would never again feel 'normal'. Sadly I was right.

Dentists over the years are always shocked to hear my story. It really is very rare but can happen.

[Cinnamoncookie]

BTW, I think the word used for sideways wisdom teeth is impacted

[Supposedtobeworking1]

I had three out in one go under local about 15 years ago (4th one never appeared) because they kept getting horribly infected as they hadn't come through properly and food would get trapped between the tooth and the gum. I had them done in hospital because they were considered too difficult to take out at the dental surgery for reasons I really can't remember but probably because they hadn't come through properly. I was recommended to have a general because apparently the anaesthetic can make you feel like you're choking if they have to numb the whole jaw in one go because it makes the back of the throat numb as well but honestly I had no problem at all with the anaesthetic and I was back at work two hours after the first injection went in. I ate some lunch before the numbness wore off just in case I was sore afterwards as I'd had stitches top and bottom but really I had no problems at all in the end. Yes I was a bit bruised and swollen but with good painkillers was able to carry on and the pain from the surgery was much less than the pain I'd been suffering with the repeated infections previously. The worst problem was that my tongue was numb all day and I had to teach a class of 100 uni students in the afternoon sounding like I was drunk as a skunk as my words were coming out slurred because I couldn't feel my mouth. I still have the teeth somewhere, the nurse asked if I wanted them and even popped them into a plastic pot for me.

[MackerelOfFact]

I had my bottom two out last year. They were supposed to be done in one appointment but I have a bad jaw (TMD) and could barely even open my mouth by the time the first one was out, so they did them a month apart.

Recovery was straightforward after the first one, and the pain is manageable if you keep on top of the painkillers (I had co-codomol and naproxen for the first couple of days, going down to paracetamol and ibuprofen after that).

You have to be careful not to dislodge the clot that forms in the socket, so no spitting for a few hours after surgery, and eat soft food that won't get stuck in the hole. After a few days your mouth will smell and taste like roadkill but this is FINE AND NORMAL and just means the clot is healing over. After 2-3 weeks it was feeling more or less completely healed.

Second time round I got a bit cocky with my clot and was Listerine-ing to the max to get rid of the fetid stench. This was a big mistake as I ended up with dry socket which is the most painful goddamn thing ever and took absolutely ages to heal, and I still have a big dent in my gum.

Fortunately for me my DP is a dentist and sorted me out with an emergency appointment and good drugs... but I wouldn't recommend it!

[MackerelOfFact]

hellocleveland They couldn't find the 4th

Did they not do an x-ray first?! Blimey. I know nerve damage is a potential risk but they're supposed to do a radiograph first and see where the roots are in relation to the nerves, and, er, check there's actually a tooth there!

[Sparklingbrook]

I had the same Mackerel they couldn't find my 4th. It was in 1995 so no the dark ages but i still wonder now why they couldn't.

[Joneseygirl77]

I had 2 out 4 years ago- a bottom tooth that was impacted and a top one. As everyone says top ones are easier to extract and bottom ones can be tricky due to how the roots lie. I had mine removed under sedation at a dental hospital- it was fantastic as I have no recollection of it. I'm quite a nervous patient so it worked for me. I would advise sedation over GA if they give you the option as the recovery time post op is quicker.
Regarding pain afterwards, it was bad for about 3 days. Just keep on top of the ibruprofen and that should help. Lots of soft food soup etc. Do make sure you rinse with hot water and salt as helps to keep any bacteria at bay. Only thing you always need to be aware of with extractions is something called dry socket. If the pain is unbearable and painkillers aren't touching it and it's getting worse then get a dentist appointment ASAP. They can check out for dry socket.
Good luck sure you'll be fine and yep you do get to keep the teeth if they're intact

[Batmam]

Thanks for the clot/dry socket advice. And for the correct word Cinnamon

Oh Cleveland that's awful. This is what I've been scared of all along but my wisdom teeth are such a nightmare I feel I have to take the risk. How does the numbness affect your day to day life? Have they offered surgery to try and restore feeling?

[Badders123]

I had 5 out under ga in 1995
(4 wisdom and 1 impacted)
It was fine.
Pain was manageable but do keep on top of pain meds. Stagger them,
They had to dislocate my jaw so that was very sore and I couldn't really open My mouth much for a few days.
I ate mashed potato, custard and soup for a few days!
Good luck x

[hellocleveland]

Thank you Batmam. Didn't want to make you scared. It really is extremely rare to have nerve damage.

I'm used to it now and my brain has accepted it as the norm. I do constantly chew the side of my mouth, sometimes making it bleed. The burning can be quite unbearable some days but at other times I can forget it's there.

I have never been offered surgery. The dentists just say it's pretty irreversible now. From what I've read there's nothing they can do.

I will never forget the surgeon who did the op. She didn't have a very good bedside manner and didn't smile once at me as I was signing all the forms. After the op she asked me how I felt but never mentioned about being close to the nerve or that it was possible she might have damaged it. As she walked away she gave me a pitying smile and in that instant I knew she'd damaged it. I just knew. It wasn't confirmed until 5 days later and all the pain had work off. I realised the numbness hadn't gone. I never told the hospital what had happened. Which I realise now I should have done.

[MissStressBum]

Last year I had my bottom two impacted wisdom teeth out. I was under general anaesthetic for this.
Recovery was hard for me. I was in a lot of pain but ibuprofen made me vomit a lot. The force of vomitting (sorry tmi) also made me be in a lot of pain facially.. I'm sure you can imagine! So co-codamol worked best for me.
I was unfortunate enough to get an infection. Not entirely sure why. The thing that bugged me is I knew something was wrong quite early on but when I rang the hospital, the Drs fobbed me off. I ended up going to urgent care to eventually find out that I had an infection (well the pus leaking into my mouth was a slight clue !!) and I wasn't being dramatic.
I think my experience was a bit bad and recovery was about two weeks. From most people I've spoken to, this is very rare. I'd say, if you feel something is wrong after - like you feel fluey or ill - then trust your instinct and see a doctor. I was extremely nervous before extraction which made me think I was being dramatic when I thought something was up after. Also - be careful w ibuprofen as it really upsets the stomach if taken too much.
Salty, warm water rinses are a saviour! Also don't be alarmed if you have weird square/ hamster face after a few days! That's normal! Take some pictures for future amusement :).
Even though I had a bad recovery - i'd do it again if necessary as the consequences of leaving impacted teeth in would have been worse!
Oh yes and do not "suck" in any way with your mouth (not sure what else you could suck with!?! ) as this will dislodge the clots! Even straws are too much!