All instructionsAfter surgery
After wisdom teeth removal
How to care for the surgical sites, manage swelling, and support healing after wisdom teeth removal.
The first day
- Bite gently on the gauze we placed, and change it as it becomes soaked. Some oozing is normal for the first day.
- Rest with your head slightly elevated, and avoid strenuous activity.
- Apply an ice pack to the outside of your cheek in twenty-minute intervals to limit swelling.
Eating and mouth care
- Stay with cool, soft foods for the first few days, and drink plenty of water.
- Do not use straws, do not rinse forcefully, and do not smoke, since suction can disturb the healing site.
- Beginning the day after surgery, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals.
Comfort and healing
- Take pain medication as directed, ideally before the numbness wears off.
- Swelling usually peaks around the second or third day, then improves.
- Mild bruising and jaw stiffness are common and ease over the following week.
When to call us
- Bleeding is heavy and does not slow with gauze and gentle pressure
- Pain increases sharply several days later, which can signal a dry socket
- You have a fever, spreading swelling, or trouble breathing or swallowing
If something does not feel right after your procedure, call our office. A member of our surgical team is available for urgent post-operative concerns, day or night. For a life-threatening emergency, such as difficulty breathing or uncontrolled bleeding, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
(336) 555-0142