At Gary Johnson DDS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Chico, CA, we are proud to offer our patients the best care in a safe, standard procedure for their wisdom teeth extraction. Here, we’ll discuss the wisdom teeth extraction process, explain what wisdom teeth actually are, and what you can eat after the procedure.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that people develop in their late teens or early twenties. They are on both your lower and upper jaws and on both sides of your mouth. They can be valuable to your oral health but only if properly aligned, which is not commonly the case. When wisdom teeth are misaligned, they could cause a lot of serious oral health issues. These include crowding the mouth and other teeth and causing damage to nerves, teeth, or even the jawbone. If a wisdom tooth is impacted, the tooth is trapped below the gums and jawbone, while a partially impacted tooth can create an opening for bacteria to get into your gums and cause oral health issues like tooth decay or gum disease.
What Is the Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure Like?
If wisdom teeth are fully erupted, they are removed using the same technique used to pull any other tooth. If they are impacted, we’ll need to numb the area, make an incision in your gums, and remove the part of the jawbone that’s blocking the tooth from erupting. Then, we’ll remove the tooth, clean the site of any debris from the tooth or bone, and stitch the site up.
What to Expect After Wisdom Teeth Extraction?
After we’ve performed your wisdom teeth extraction, you can expect some bleeding throughout the first day and should therefore replace the gauze at the extraction site as instructed. You’ll also experience some swelling at the site so use an ice pack on the outside of your mouth. You will be in some pain that can be managed with over the counter pain reliever or prescription pain medication. To clean the area, don’t brush your teeth or rinse your mouth for the first twenty four hours after the extraction. After that time period, you can start brushing your teeth twice daily, but try to be extra gentle
What Can You Eat After a Wisdom Teeth Extraction?
Because you may be in pain after your wisdom teeth extraction you should drink lots of water to stay hydrated and rinse out your mouth to remove any food particles stuck in your mouth. You’ll also need to eat soft foods for a week or so after your extraction. But be sure to try to incorporate some nutrition into your diet of soft foods. For example, yogurt and cottage cheese are high in protein, while applesauce and fruit smoothies are a great source of vitamins. Other nutritious soft foods include oatmeal, soft scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and pureed soups.
Call our Chico office today for more information.