It can take up to 2 weeks to fully recover after having your wisdom teeth removed (extracted).
During this time, you may experience:
- pain – this is worse if you had a complicated extraction
- swelling of your mouth and cheeks – gently pressing a cold cloth to your face helps to reduce the swelling
- a stiff, sore jaw – you may have bruised skin around your jaw for up to 2 weeks
- an unpleasant taste in your mouth
- tingling or numbness of your face, lips or tongue (although this is uncommon)
Self-care advice
To reduce pain and help yourself to recover, it can be helpful to:
- use painkillers recommended by your dentist (always follow the dosage instructions)
- avoid heavy levels of activity and exercise for a few days
- use an extra pillow to support your head at night
- avoid rinsing, spitting or hot drinks for 24 hours
- avoid anything that may dislodge the blood clots that form in the extraction site
- avoid drinking alcohol and smoking
- eat soft or liquid food for a few days and chew with your other teeth
- gently rinse the extraction site with antiseptic mouthwash recommended by your dentist. Do this after 24 hours and repeat regularly over the next few days
- use warm water with a teaspoon of salt as a mouthwash to reduce gum soreness and inflammation
Working and driving
It's usually recommended that you take a day or 2 off work after having a wisdom tooth removed.
You can drive immediately after a local anaesthetic.
Do not drive for 24 hours if a sedative was used. Do not drive for 48 hours if the extraction was done under general anaesthetic.
Returning to normal
After any swelling and bruising have disappeared, your mouth should return to normal.
You'll usually be able to brush your teeth normally after a few days. Make sure you finish any course of antibiotics you're taking.
You may have to go to a check-up appointment around a week or so after the extraction. At this point, your dentist will remove any remaining stitches.
Complications
As with any procedure, removing your wisdom teeth carries some risks. But, these risks are usually small.
Risks can include:
- dry socket – where a blood clot does not develop in the tooth socket, or if the blood clot becomes dislodged
- nerve injury – this can cause pain and numbness
- infection – yellow or white discharge coming from the extraction site with a high temperature, pain and swelling
- bleeding
Dry socket
This can happen 3 to 5 days after surgery. The empty socket causes an ache or throbbing pain in your gum or jaw, which can be intense. There may also be an unpleasant smell or taste from the empty tooth socket. If you look into the socket, you might be able to see exposed bone rather than a blood clot.
You're more at risk of developing dry socket if:
- you do not follow your dentist's instructions after the extraction
- you smoke
- you've had the condition before
- you're over 25 years old
- you had a complicated extraction
Talk to your dentist if you suspect you have dry socket. They can flush any debris out of the socket or cover it with a medicated dressing.
Nerve injury
Nerve injury is rare. This can cause pain, a tingling sensation and numbness in the tongue, lower lip, chin, teeth and gums.
In most cases, the damage is temporary, lasting for a few weeks or months. But, it can be permanent if the nerve has been severely damaged. A nerve injury can make things such as eating and drinking, difficult and painful.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
I have a terrible toothache and the tooth needs to come out as soon as possible. Will I need someone to drive me home after the tooth has been extracted or can I drive myself home afterwards?
To make tooth extraction more comfortable and relaxing, there are normally two options to help you relax, relieve pain, or even put you to sleep:
- Sedation
- local anesthetic
The type of extraction, your overall health, anxiety levels, and allergies can all influence the type that is ideal for you.
Sedation and local anesthetic are two popular alternatives, and while they may appear to be interchangeable, they have numerous major differences. Whichever option you choose will affect whether or not you will be able to drive following the tooth extraction surgery.
You may not drive after a Tooth Extraction under Sedation
Driving after a tooth has been extracted will mostly depend on if the patient was sedated or not to have the tooth extracted. Typically, when getting a tooth extracted, depending on the level of anxiety a patient may choose to be sedated. Depending on the type of sedation. The risks of driving after a tooth have been extracted increases exponentially but the general consensus is that you avoid driving after a tooth has been extracted under sedation
The Different Types of Dental Sedation Available for Tooth Extraction
There are different types of dental sedation available. The type you receive for an extraction varies based on a few factors. Your age and health play a role, as does the length of time needed for the procedure, and how nervous or anxious you may be.
- Nitrous oxide, also referred to as laughing gas,
is a type of dental sedation that can help you relax and make you comfortable. It is often used for fast extractions and procedures.
- Oral
sedation involves you taking a sedative in pill form. This type of sedation is perfect for those who are extremely anxious or have multiple extractions. You are awake, but you may not feel
much.
- IV sedation It is a milder form of General anesthesia designed to sedate the patient, but they are still awake. They just don’t really care and don’t really remember what happened during the procedure. This is the preferred sedation method for small children who may
not be able to sit through the procedure, those who have severe dental anxiety, or those who have complicated extractions, such as removing impacted teeth.
- General
anesthesia: A drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation. General anesthesia is done with a tube placed in the lungs and the patient is given meds to demobilize them, so they don’t move during the procedure. It requires much closer monitoring and is typically done in a hospital setting.
When can I Drive after Tooth Extraction Under Sedation?
Wait for 24 hours after Sedation to drive after tooth extraction. A good rule of thumb is to allow a full 24 hours after the procedure for the full effects of dental sedation to wear off before you attempt to drive again. We believe this is the safest option.
Driving After Tooth Extraction with Local anesthesia
Driving after a tooth extraction with local anesthesia is generally safe. This is because only the immediate area surrounding the extraction site is numbed, the nerve endings are blocked, and the treated area ceases to feel anything. At the same time, the patient is conscious, can communicate with the doctor and observe everything that happens in the office so the patient is more aware when driving home.
What is Local anesthesia:
Local anesthesia is when a part of your body is numbed with a medicine called a local anesthetic. You may have a local anesthetic to stop pain during and after surgery.
How does a local anesthetic work?
A local anesthetic works by blocking the way your nerves carry pain signals to your brain. This numbing effect lasts for a short while. You’re still awake and aware of what’s going on around you, but you can’t feel any pain, usually just some touch and pressure sensations instead.
Types of local anesthesia
There are three main types of local anesthesia:
- topical anesthesia
- local anesthetic injections
- regional anesthesia
Topical anesthesia
A Topical anesthetic is applied to your gums. It can be used as a gel, cream, drops, ointment, or spray. This can be used to numb the area before an injection or implant so that the needle doesn’t hurt.
Local anesthetic injections
A local anesthetic is injected just beneath the skin to target the nerves that cause pain. Afterward, your skin and the area right beneath it will feel numb. This is often combined with topical anesthesia by dentist for tooth extractions and patient can drive after tooth extraction using these methods
Regional anesthesia
Your doctor or anesthetist will inject a local anesthetic near a nerve to numb a large area or an area deep inside your body. There are different types of regional anesthesia and Regional anesthetics affect larger areas, such as an arm, a leg, or everything below the waist. For example, this sort of anesthesia is used for hand and joint surgeries, to ease the pain of childbirth, or during a C-section delivery.
Prescription Medicine may prevent you from driving after tooth extraction with local anesthesia
If you were prescribed pain medication after your surgery, your return to driving may be delayed further especially if you are a truck driver. Prescription medications like some pain relievers, may slow your reflexes and affect your ability to drive safely. This is called drugged driving and it is illegal depending on the type of medication being prescribed to control pain post-surgery
When is it safe to drive after a tooth extraction?
It is always best to ask your doctor if it is safe to drive. If you have had a simple tooth extraction under just local anesthesia, chances are it was not a traumatic experience, and you will most likely not have post-surgery pain and if any it will be very minimal and bearable. Simple extractions done under local anesthesia are typically a sign that a patient can safely drive home after a tooth extraction.