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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Help - wisdom tooth extraction tomorrow!

52 replies

Kittypillar · 28/07/2019 22:10

So, I have a wisdom tooth extraction booked in for Wednesday afternoon and this evening I am suddenly an absolute anxious mess about it. Genuinely thinking about trying to cancel it by pretending I'm sick or something (I know that's bad and I wouldn't normally but oh the fear, I didn't even feel this nervous before I was induced!).

I am a bit of a nervous patient generally speaking, I go to a private dentist who I (just about) feel comfortable with. He's been keeping an eye on a lower wisdom tooth that is impacted for a while now and at my last visit he's said that he thinks the time has come for it to come out...

I've been trying to read about recovery and what to expect since I booked in the appointment (will be at the dentist's, not in a hospital) but for some reason this evening I've been seriously struck by the fear. I have a 13 month old who is a crummy sleeper, still breastfeeds a lot at night, will get hysterical if her dad goes to her in the evenings instead of me at the moment - how am I actually meant to recover after this thing?? Not to mention, oh dear god, how awful the actual extraction is probably going to be...

Please tell me those who have experienced this - is it really as bad as I'm imagining? Would I be incredibly unreasonable to cancel the appointment at such short notice and flee the country so my dentist can never find me ever again ?

OP posts:

CoodleMoodle · 28/07/2019 22:56

I had two wisdom teeth (plus the next tooth along on the left because it had been crushed by the wisdom) out under conscious sedation a couple of weeks ago. It's not the first time I've been under and it's wonderful. I was fully conscious in about four hours, although obviously not able to drive or anything. Bliss!

Afterwards I was a bit sore in the mouth and spitting a lot of blood. Wasn't allowed to brush my teeth for 24hrs, and was a bit scared to anyway! But now all is fine.

You'll be okay, OP. Best of luck to you

AliMonkey · 28/07/2019 22:59

I had all four out under GA. DH sat waiting with DS age 3 months. I came round, within half an hour was breastfeeding DS, within an hour was eating a sandwich, went home. Took two paracetamol because expected it to hurt. No pain, no issues. Easier than having a filling other than having to swill with salt water for a few days.

Stressedout10 · 28/07/2019 23:00

Hi op
I've had 2 out
1st I was a complete whimp about am dental phobic (it was impacted)and I ignored it for years until it was a right mess and to painful to ignore. They ended up having to remove a peace of jaw bone and cut the tooth out I was in agony and black and blue for weeks.
2nd again impacted but this time got it out as soon as it started to get uncomfortable went like a dream minimal pain and bruising honestly the complete opposite of the 1st
If I were you I'd get it out asap as the longer you leave it the worse it gets

NeverSayFreelance · 28/07/2019 23:02

Hi OP! I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth removed under a local. You feel nothing during the extraction. I was in and out within an hour. The next two weeks will be painful. Eat soup and ice cream and weetabix. However it's not bedridden painful. Paracetamol and ibuprofen and you'll be right as rain. I'm so glad I had mine done, the impaction was so painful - and now I'm pain free!

notdaddycool · 28/07/2019 23:04

Mine were fine, not pleasant but fine, 2 lower impacted and one on top done in the same sitting, first one came out before I realised he’d pulled, second two a bit more work, but fine.

Howlovely · 28/07/2019 23:05

I've had so many extractions unfortunately and no, it isn't a pleasant experience but I do think it won't be anywhere near as bad as you are anticipating. My friend was just like you and finally got round to having her wisdom tooth pulled last month (she had a 7 month old baby) and she was (I don't think 'pleasantly' is quite right but) surprised at how OK she felt afterwards! My advice to her and also to you is to put a towel over your pillow the first night incase you have a little bit of bloody dribble and to meticulously do salt water rinses. Try to eat on the other side and avoid hot drinks for 24 hours, take painkillers if you need to and you'll be right as rain by the end of the week! Honestly, please try not to worry too much, you'll be fine. As a PP said, you've given birth so you will smash this! Good luck! X

19lottie82 · 28/07/2019 23:10

I had one taken out, and apart from the injection, it didn’t hurt, although I won’t lie, it wasn’t particularly pleasant but just uncomfortable / icky feeling.
Recovery wise I was totally fine, just had to eat using the opposite side of my mouth for a couple of days, that’s all.

Drum2018 · 28/07/2019 23:10

Dh had one out last week. He was given an antibiotic to prevent infection and painkillers which he took regularly. He was eating pizza that evening and has been fine since. I had one out years ago and was out at a disco that night. I have to have a replacement filling done soon and I dread that more!

namechangeagain999 · 28/07/2019 23:11

I have had all my wisdom teeth out, one under GA, which was was fine but the recover afterwards honestly I could say was the worst experience of my life so far.

But the other one under normal extraction (which you will be having) the relief I felt after about a week was immeasurable and I questioned why the hell I waited so long to get it sorted!

Writersblock2 · 28/07/2019 23:11

It’s worse after (if it’s a difficult extraction). The anaesthetic really does work. Okay, it’s not pleasant, but it’s not painful. I’ve had all mine out with local and all were fine after apart from the last one - I bruised really badly and was very sore for 48 hours. However painkillers took the edge off so it wasn’t so bad. Would I do it again if I had to? Yes!

Paperyfish · 28/07/2019 23:15

I was so nervous before I had mine out under local- but it was totally fine. The relief afterwards was immense. You’ll feel so much better when it’s done. For me just not having tooth ache made it totally worthwhile. Wasn’t in any pain afterwards- went back to work.

Gwenhwyfar · 28/07/2019 23:16

I'm on the waiting list for this. How long will I be on 'smooth' food for? Will I just be eating soup and smoothies for weeks??
I plan to take a valium the night before and maybe the morning as well. I had teeth out by GA as a teen, but the pain afterwards was horrendous so I'd rather be awake and have enough proper pain killers for afterwards.

Gwenhwyfar · 28/07/2019 23:17

"You’ll feel so much better when it’s done."

Ha! That's only if it's painful before isn't it? Mine doesn't hurt now, just has to come out.

Gwenhwyfar · 28/07/2019 23:19

" I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth removed under a local. You feel nothing during the extraction."

I've had lots of dental work under a local and you feel everything, just less painful than without it.

Howlovely · 29/07/2019 04:09

@Gwen, you sound very negative about it. I guess nobody really feels positive about or looks forward to tooth extractions but usually they are not that bad. I've had some bad experiences but that is unusual and unlikely so didn't share them with the OP as they are probably irrelevant.
No, you probably won't be on smoothies and custard for weeks. And in my experience, having a GA can actually hurt more afterwards because the dentist is aware you are unconscious and cannot feel a thing so they can be a little rougher during removal so there may be more bruising/tenderness afterwards. OP isn't having a general so it's likely she will have a textbook extraction, no need for GA, sedation or hospitals, and therefore a textbook recovery.

firstimemamma · 29/07/2019 04:28

Op can you bring music and headphones? Always helps me during something unpleasant at the dentist.

I had my top 2 out and was fine. Was all over very quickly. You'll do great

MagicErmintrude · 29/07/2019 09:42

I disagree with Gwenhwyfar. I've also had lots of dental work done and I don't feel anything other than the vibration of the drill etc. Certainly no pain at all.

PookieDo · 29/07/2019 09:48

I had one out in the chair, with sedation. The relief was great once it was gone and I had no problems. Slept off the sedation and careful with food and drink after not to dislodge the clot

But then I had the other 3 out under a GA and one of them was so impacted it broke up. They mangled my face trying to get it out I was swollen for about 2 weeks and I have permanent nerve damage in my lower face. Didn’t do well with the GA recovery and then had dry socket in all 3!

Still I am glad they are out now and was worth it

ShutTheFridgeUp · 29/07/2019 10:33

I had both my lower ones removed under GA a few years ago, had no issues with recovery or pain. Was a bit swollen for a few days and a bit of a struggle to eat, but really wasn't too bad at all.

Acrasia · 29/07/2019 10:36

I had one out in December, and was equally nervous. It didn’t help that the week before I had a routine appointment and the dentist said that tooth needs to come out, shall I do it now?! Without any mental preparation.

The only advice I really have is to make sure your lip really is numb to the centre. For some reason local anaesthetic injections don’t do what they are supposed to on me. I had eight injections at which point the procedure had been delayed by quite some time, so I thought that I must surely be numb enough, even though it didn’t reach my lip. That was a mistake, and there was some considerable pain involved! I think the problem is that the anaesthetic wears off on me really quickly, so next time (dentist has an eye on my other wisdom tooth) I will request all eight injections up front!

Recovery was all absolutely fine, although reading about what could go wrong was perhaps not the most anxiety reducing thing I could have done!

Good luck!!

Gwenhwyfar · 29/07/2019 21:24

" For some reason local anaesthetic injections don’t do what they are supposed to on me"

Ah, so it's certain people. They don't work properly on me either.
I had assumed they didn't totally numb the pain for anyone and that I had a lower pain threshold than other people. I do think that sometimes they can't get it in the right place.

Original poster

Kittypillar · 29/07/2019 21:29

Thanks so much everyone, appreciate the words of experience and advice a lot

So it's been done! Was actually far less horrendous than I thought it might be. Didn't hurt at all (did have a whole load of local anaesthetic) but the pressure as it was being pulled out was, erm, quite something wasn't fun by any stretch but also wasn't the absolute massacre I was worried about...

Been taking it easy since I got home, it's still bleeding a bit 6 hours on but I'm hoping that's normal?? Literally terrified of getting dry socket

Will try to get plenty of sleep. If my daughter could choose tonight to sleep through for the first time ever, I'd be very very pleased...

OP posts:

VerbenaGirl · 29/07/2019 21:36

I had four out, all impacted, under general anaesthetic. It was sore after, but manageable with pain killers. Only took a few days to recover and salt gargle highly recommended. Called my brother after he’d had his out and he was in the pub - so definitely not bad at all for him! Just take it easy, focus on what you need to do for your baby and getting yourself better afterwards. Mine had been making my ears hurt for ages and it was a relief to have them gone. Good luck!

Drum2018 · 29/07/2019 22:18

I'm sure they told you not to rinse til tomorrow in case of more bleeding.

Acrasia · 29/07/2019 22:30

@Kittypillar Glad it went well. Try not to worry about getting dry socket. Mine bled for quite a while too, and I was fine. Have you got a follow up appointment? That made me feel a little better knowing the dentist was going to check it was doing okay.

@Gwenhwyfar it seems so. My DP actually had a tooth out the week before at the same time of day and was still numb at 2:30pm. My numbness had worn off before midday, and it felt like I’d been punched in the jaw!

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