Wisdom Tooth Surgery Post-Operative Instructions
The following instructions generally apply following wisdom tooth surgery for impacted teeth in the majority of cases. Your treating practitioner will advise you if you are required to follow the instructions below after surgery.
Post operative care:
| Recovery | Description | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Rest | You are likely to require some time off work to rest and recover, depending on your age, occupation, medical history and difficulty of the surgery. |
Avoid strenuous activity while resting Light exercise is ok |
|
Eating and drinking |
It is important to be well nourished and hydrated to recover as quickly as possible. |
Start with soft foods (e.g soups, soft rice, bananas, smoothies) gradually work your way to your normal diet over the next couple of days to 1 week Drink > 1.5L of water / day Avoid hot foods until the day after surgery to avoid accidental burns while numb Avoid fasting after surgery for the first week |
| Swelling | The body’s normal response to a surgical procedure is swelling which may increase up to three days after the procedure and fully resolve in the next 1-2 weeks |
Head up while awake Ice pack to swollen region during the day for 15minutes at a time (first two days only) Sleep on an extra pillow (first two nights only) |
| Pain | It is normal to be sore for a couple of days after surgery which will fully resolve in the next 1-2 weeks. |
Take your pain killers Panadol (Paracetamol) and Neurofen (Ibuprofen) as prescribed. The majority of patients obtain excellent pain relief with Panadol and Neurofen at the prescribed regimen. You may be given a couple of Endone tablets to take if additional pain relief is required (take half to one tablet every 6 hours as required). Cease Endone if you become drowsy or nauseas. |
| Bleeding | It is common for the surgical site to bleed a tiny bit for a couple of days after oral surgery |
Fold a piece of new clean gauze and then place it directly over the surgical site and bite down firmly for 1hr – this should control the bleeding Don’t check the surgical site every 5minutes & don’t place the gauze over the teeth – direct and constant pressure is needed over the surgical site for the blood to clot and stop bleeding! |
| Infection | Infection is a rare complication after oral surgery |
Take your antibiotics as prescribed Take your antibacterial mouthwash (Savacol or Curasept) as prescribed No smoking for four weeks after surgery |
| Wound breakdown | Wound breakdown is an uncommon complication after oral surgery |
Irrigate the surgical site & sutures using the syringe that we provided to you, with warm salty water after meals to flush away any trapped food over the surgical site for two weeks. Warm salty water can be made by mixing a tea spoon of salt and warm water in a clean cup. Brush your teeth twice a day – AVOID brushing the surgical wound (this can traumatize the wound). Avoid sharp foods for two weeks (e.g potato chips, nuts) |
| Limited mouth opening after surgery | You may have limited mouth opening due to soreness or stiffness of the muscles around the jaw for a couple of days after an oral surgery procedure |
Jaw stretching exercises can be used to help the mouth opening return to normal, by opening and closing your mouth repeatedly for 5minutes at a time, every 4hrs while awake, for a couple of days. Ensure you take your pain killers paracetamol and neurofen if undertaking these jaw stretching exercises. |
Please take the medications as prescribed below. In some patients with certain allergies or medical conditions, alternative medications may be prescribed. In addition, if you experience an adverse effect to a medication such as nausea, vomiting or drowsiness, please stop taking this medication and seek advice from your dental or medical practitioner.
| Indication | Medication name | Dose | Prescription | Ideal times (is possible, for maximum benefit) | Take with food | Maximum dose / 24hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pain killers |
Panadol | 500mg = 1 tablet | Two tablets four times a day for 7 days then as required | 7am, 12pm, 5pm, 10pm | Optional | 8 tablets (4000mg) |
| Neurofen | 400mg = 1 tablet | Take one tablet three times a day for three days then as required | 10am, 3pm, 8pm | Absorbed best when taken without food | 6 tablets (2400mg) | |
| Endone | 5mg = 1 tablet | Half to one tablet every 6hours to be taken only if the other pain killers are not sufficient (maximum 10tablets) | As required | After food | 4 tablets (20mg) or less if feeling drowsy | |
| Prevent infection (antibiotic) | Augmentin Duo | 500/125mg = 1 tablet | Take one tablet twice daily for 5 days | 8am, 8pm | Take immediately before or with the first mouthful of food | Two tablets per day |
| Oral hygiene | Curasept | 10mLs | Rinse 10mLs in the mouth gently for 30 seconds then spit out, four times daily for 4 weeks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
