Five Ways To Prepare For Your Wisdom Tooth Extraction
If you are about to have your wisdom teeth extracted, you may be worried about how you will cope with the pain and discomfort in the days that follow. But while recovery will take a few days, it does not have to be as painful and burdensome as you might imagine. If you take the time to do these five things before your wisdom tooth extraction, recovery will be a lot smoother:
Stock up on soft foods.
For the first two or three days after your procedure, you won't be able to eat much other than soup, yogurt, and other really soft foods. Stock up on these foods now so you don't have to run to the grocery store when you're in pain and potentially on pain relievers. Try to buy some soft foods in each food group. Applesauce, yogurt, tiny pasta, ground sausage, and peanut butter are all good choices.
Freeze some ice packs.
Holding ice against the outside of your face will help reduce inflammation and ease your pain. Make sure you put a few ice packs in the fridge or buy a few bags of frozen veggies. They mold around the shape of your face easily, and you can often find them for only $1 a bag.
Ask a friend for help.
In most cases, you'll be able to take care of yourself after wisdom tooth surgery. It's not like you're having a hip replacement! But sometimes, there may be complications, like dry socket, that leave you in more pain than normal. In case this happens to you, make sure you have a friend on call who is willing to come help you make meals, rinse your mouth, and so forth.
Set up your bed or the couch.
For the first day after your extraction, you won't feel like doing much. Set up your bed or the couch with pillows, a bottle of water, some good books, and other things to occupy your time, so you don't have to get up and down a lot.
Get detailed aftercare instructions from your dentist.
When you're all groggy from anesthesia, you won't be able to listen very closely to your dentist's aftercare instructions. So, call ahead of your surgery and ask for instructions in advance. Your dentist will give you an idea of what foods you should and should not eat when to take pain relievers, and so forth. Contact a dental office like Family First Dentistry LLC for more information and assistance.