Wisdom teeth bring little joy, although people called them pretty nicely. Dentists most often advise getting rid of them, in order to avoid further problems. So do not be upset if you have removed the wisdom tooth. How much it will hurt after this wound depends on many factors. To understand them, you need to have an idea about the nature of these teeth and the features of their removal.
Why teeth are called wise
Now it is no secret that the formation of bone tissue in people ends at about 25 years old. By this time, they manage to take their place in the mouth and successfully work all molars for the benefit of their master . All but the last in a row, the eighth in a row (if conditionally divided by a vertical bar of the jaw into two equal halves).
“Eights” appear so late that they were called the teeth of wisdom, because a person by the age of 25 has already managed to gain life experience. Doctors call them the third molars, that is, the third root chewing. By the way, there are cases when wisdom teeth grow only by the age of 40 or do not grow at all. With a few lucky people, they live in their mouths to a very old age, regularly chew food, and help with prosthetics. To the rest, which, unfortunately, the majority, the third molars bring a lot of trouble. Some people wonder why our rational organism allows for the existence of such dysfunctional teeth, which should not even exist. Unfortunately, the G8 was inherited from our very distant ancestors, who ate rough food. Their jaws were wider, and "extra" teeth did not bother them. Now our diet has changed significantly, resulting in smaller jaws. So there is nothing wrong with removing the wisdom tooth. How much will the gums hurt and is there only a gum? Why are there complications and who is to blame?
Features of the third molars
Most often, the tooth itself is to blame. The fact is that the last molars appear when they no longer have a place in the jaw. But it’s necessary to erupt somewhere. So wisdom teeth grow at random, destroying the adjacent “seven”, injuring the cheek, changing the bite, causing tooth decay and a lot of other problems. They can be bent in any direction - to the adjacent tooth, to the side of the cheek, tongue, at a slope and even completely horizontally. The latter option is especially problematic. After the wisdom tooth has been removed, how much the wound, gum, adjacent areas will hurt, largely depends on the position of the tooth in the mouth. Most discomfort lasts 5-7 days. But if purulent inflammation of the tissues adjacent to the tooth took place before removal, the soreness lasts much longer.
The tooth is removed in the upper or lower jaw, the duration of pain also depends. This is due to the fact that in the upper jaw for the third molars there is somewhat more space than in the lower. Therefore, they often grow there evenly or at a slight angle, which facilitates the task for both the dentist and the patient. Also in the upper jaw more convenient access for the doctor. In the lower jaw, the bone is quite dense, wisdom teeth most often grow quite wrong, and removal is almost always difficult. Therefore, in this case, the question: "If you removed the wisdom tooth, how much will it hurt?" - the answer is not entirely comforting. Sometimes this process is delayed up to two weeks.
Easy removal
Depending on the nature and location of the tooth growth, on the number of roots (the third molars can have from 2 to 5), the tooth condition and surrounding tissues from the previous operation, the removal can be simple (ordinary) and complicated. Both before and before another, an x-ray is necessarily performed.
Deletion is considered simple when:
- a tooth or at least part of it appeared from the gums;
- the molar grows evenly or with a slight slope;
- there are no twisted, curved roots in the deleted object;
- the patient does not have purulent inflammation of the gums or hood of the wisdom tooth (pericoronitis).
Of course, if in this case the wisdom tooth was removed, the gum hurts, and sometimes the cheek, because the tissues are injured. Unpleasant sensations begin after the action of anesthesia passes. Usually, the doctor advises the patient to drink an analgesic and lie down calmly. Rinsing during this period is strictly prohibited, so as not to remove a blood clot from the wound. Otherwise, alveolitis (dry hole disease) may begin. It is characterized by fever, acute pain and inflammation. Hot water bottle is strictly forbidden! As a rule, the main problems after simple removal end already in 2-3 days. But if after removing the wisdom tooth, the gum hurts for more than 3 days, and the intensity of the pain intensifies, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes the pain in the gum is associated with the cyst present in it, and not with the surgery, but only a specialist can determine this.
Complex delete
Unfortunately, getting rid of the third molar is far from always easy. More often, a tooth makes both the doctor and the patient suffer. Deletion is considered difficult if:
- the wisdom tooth (especially in the lower jaw) is located at a large slope or horizontally;
- it cannot cut through, that is, it remains in the gum;
- the tissues around the tooth are inflamed, especially if there is suppuration.
In the first and second cases, anesthesia before surgery is performed more severe. The doctor makes the patient an incision in the gums, and sometimes even hollows out the jaw bone to get to the tooth. It is removed in parts, and sometimes it is necessary to drill it, divide it into separate parts, and hollow it out. At the end of all these manipulations, the hole is checked for the presence of pieces remaining in it. In conclusion, a tampon with a medicine is applied to the wound, which the patient must spit out after 10-15 minutes. If this is how the wisdom tooth was removed, how much the jaw will hurt, depends on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body to recover. It is clear that with this removal, significant damage affects both soft and bone tissues. After surgery, severe pain in the wound, sometimes in adjacent teeth, even in the throat and ear, is not uncommon. Some patients experience a rise in temperature and numbness of part of the lips, chin, tongue. To speed up the healing process, the doctor almost always prescribes antibiotics. If after removing the wisdom tooth, the cheek is swollen, this is considered the norm. By about 3-5 days, both swelling and numbness should go away. But if the swelling increases, while breathing difficulties and swallowing begin, a rash appears on the body, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Temperature
If the upper wisdom tooth was removed, and the operation was quick and easy, complications are rare. But in such cases, in individual patients, the temperature may slightly increase (up to about 37.5-37.7 degrees Celsius). This is considered an acceptable protective reaction of the body to tissue injury. Reception of antipyretics in this situation is rarely prescribed. As a rule, by the end of the second day, the temperature returns to normal without drugs. If the lower wisdom tooth was removed and the temperature rose, plus the cheek was swollen and the wound was bleeding, there was no need to panic either. And after such an operation, everything should go away in a day or two (provided that the healing is normal). But there are situations when, during the recovery period of the injured area, complications happen that require the intervention of a doctor. If after removing the wisdom tooth, the temperature lasts for several days, if it rises dynamically, if it suddenly appeared a couple of days after the operation, this may mean:
- there was an infection of the wound;
- inflammation develops;
- there is a foreign object in the wound (a piece of tooth, a root, a fragment of a tampon);
- alveolitis (inflammation of the hole);
- allergic reaction;
- trauma to the tooth adjacent to the removed one (especially in its root part);
- infringement of the nerve.
How are the third molar and ENT organs connected?
In the practice of dentists, patients often complain that after they removed the wisdom tooth, a sore throat became difficult to swallow. This is because the roots of the eights are often located in the immediate vicinity of the trigeminal nerve. If during surgery he was affected or subsequently inflamed, sore throat is noted. In some situations, discomfort in the ENT organs after tooth extraction is a symptom of the onset of alveolitis, especially if there is an increase in temperature. The patient himself is often to blame for this, having removed a blood clot from the hole with rinses or other actions.
There are times when it is not only the throat that bothers, but also the ear, jaw, healthy teeth, neck, and even the chest after the wisdom tooth has been removed. How much the jaw and ENT organs will hurt depends on the capabilities of the body and on the correct behavior of the patient. The patient must strictly follow the doctor’s instructions and not treat at his own discretion, because there are cases when pains in the ENT organs are caused not by surgery, but by the onset of a catarrhal disease.
Hole
Third molars, since they are chewing teeth, are almost always large in size. Therefore, even if the wisdom tooth was removed in the simplest way, the hole or hole remains significant. In some cases, even stitches are applied. The threads are used both absorbable and non-absorbable. If before the operation there was a cyst in the area of the G8 roots or purulent inflammation, the hole is left open. Over time, it is delayed, the gum section is restored and ceases to bother. With complex manipulations with the dissection of the gums or with the hollowing out of the bone tissue of the jaw, sutures are necessary.
Many are worried if they sutured after they removed the wisdom tooth, how much this place heals. Of course, the process of tissue repair in this case will be longer, and if the suture threads are not absorbable, you will have to visit the dentist again to remove them. But you still don’t need to be upset. The main thing is to ensure that inflammation and suppuration do not occur in the suture area.
Hood
Sometimes the third molar may have its own hood. It is nothing more than a portion of the gums, a fold hanging over the tooth that has begun to erupt.
There is nothing good in this, since with such a “design” something like a pocket is formed in which particles of food remain, which are very difficult to remove. Those that cannot be cleaned out begin to gradually rot, which is an excellent environment for the development of bacteria. They, in turn, contribute to the development of inflammatory processes and the appearance of caries. Symptoms of this phenomenon are as follows:
- unpleasant odor from the oral cavity, despite careful processing;
- soreness at the site of teething;
swelling of the gums and cheeks;
- discomfort from the sensation of the presence in the mouth of a foreign object.
The correct solution to the problem is cutting off the hood, and often getting rid of the tooth. If only the hood was removed from the wisdom tooth, then the doctor considered it correct to save the third molar. This is what happens in situations where the G8 is completely healthy, does not interfere with adjacent teeth, grows smoothly and does not change the bite. The procedure for excising (removing) the hood itself is simple and easy to carry. Sutures after it are not imposed. Problems may occur if the doctor retains a wisdom tooth that has not completed growth. In such cases, the hood may form again.
If the patient is diagnosed with pericoronitis (inflammation of the hood), antibiotics and special baths are prescribed after excision.
Removed the wisdom tooth . What to do?
First, it should be noted that the dentist decides on the removal only after an x-ray. It must be done even if the tooth is perfectly visible to the naked eye, since the doctor must be aware of the presence and location of the roots intended to remove the molar. Pregnant women also can not refuse this procedure.
Any removal is carried out with anesthesia, so the process itself is almost always painless. The only exceptions are cases with a strong inflammatory process and cysts on the roots of the tooth. In this situation, the patient will have to suffer a little.
But the lucky ones who didn’t feel anything during the operation can’t avoid pain, because any anesthesia stops within half an hour or two. So, the worst is over - they removed the wisdom tooth. What to do next?
General recommendations do not differ from those given after the removal of any other tooth. They are as follows:
1. Do not eat, drink, smoke for 2 hours.
2. Do not try to independently examine (for example, fingers, tongue) the damaged area.
3. Do not place any ointments, tampons with iodine and the like on the wound.
4. Do not rinse anything!
5. Do not use compresses and a heating pad!
6. In the first hours after the operation, try to ensure peace of mind.
7. In case of resumption of severe pain, drink an analgesic.
But when handling the third molar, there are some additional tips. So, if after removing the wisdom tooth, the cheek is swollen and the swelling does not drop for several days, the temperature rises, the throat hurts, the bleeding does not stop, numbness appears, you need not to wait until everything goes away by itself, and immediately consult a doctor. You can’t take medications on your own, even antipyretic drugs. There are cases when self-medication lubricated the symptoms, which subsequently nearly cost patients their lives.
Wisdom tooth removed than rinse?
The answer is simple - nothing! As noted above, it is very important to keep a blood clot in the well. Otherwise, you can significantly extend the healing time of the wound. If this happened, and a plaque appeared in the hole, and the gums around were swollen and very sore, you need to go to the hospital. The doctor must completely clean the hole (scrape off the plaque) and treat it with antiseptics. At home, you can make baths (without intensive rinsing) with decoctions of chamomile, calendula, celandine herbs, as well as baking soda solutions at the rate of a little less than a teaspoon per glass of water, 3% hydrogen peroxide or the drug “Chlorhexidine” bought in a pharmacy. It helps perfectly.
Rinsing the oral cavity and the area of the operated site can be carried out only if enough time has passed after the wisdom tooth has been removed. How to rinse when the need for preserving a blood clot has already disappeared? Traditional medicine offers a number of decoctions and tinctures. The most popular herbs used for this purpose are chamomile, sage, oak bark, calendula, celandine. They are brewed and insisted together and individually at the rate of 1 spoon of dry raw materials per glass of boiling water.
You can also use lemon balm. The infusion of it is very pleasant in taste and smell. Prepare it as a general principle. It is also beneficial to drink teas from this plant.
Another great weed is chicory. A decoction from its roots is used not only as a substitute for coffee, but also as a good anti-inflammatory. When preparing the drug, the roots must be crushed and boiled for at least 5 minutes.
In addition, in folk medicine, solutions are popular:
- ordinary table salt (a teaspoon without a slide on an incomplete glass of water);
- drug "Furacilin" (tablet per glass of water);
- potassium permanganate (the color should be pale pink).