Forums > General Discussion   Shooting the breeze...

Wisdom teeth postop: how to tell somethings wrong?

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Created by newguy > 9 months ago, 22 Apr 2014
newguy
654 posts
22 Apr 2014 11:01PM
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I'm hoping a few of you guys here have had the lovely time of having your teeth removed and the ensuing week of having ballooned cheeks and throat. I just had a question - it has been a week since my operation and the swelling has decreased dramatically and the pain is lessening - feels like a good old fashioned shirt front to the jaw now - just 2/10 pain wise. Everything feels like it is healing fine except I have this very bad taste oozing from one of my sites where a tooth was taken out (had all 4 in one go). Bit of scoping the net says it may simply be some food stuff stuck or dead blood cells giving off the smell so nothing to worry about and it should pass with simple rinsing and patience.

So is this something I should call the dentist about or not worry? I guess I have been looking too much into it with the fear of developing dry sockets which I don't know if I have or not. Heck I missed this easter swell for this surgery!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - cheers!

GPA
WA, 2529 posts
22 Apr 2014 11:05PM
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Sounds normal. Just had one out myself a couple of weeks back. Dentist told me to rinse with warm water/salt mix 3-4 times a day. I'd say you are a week away from it being normal.

Wollemi
NSW, 350 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:55AM
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'the pain is lessening - feels like a good old fashioned shirt front to the jaw now'... Whatever that means.

But, hey - GPA's advice is correct, 1/3rd tspn salt in warm water a few times per day.

FormulaNova
WA, 15093 posts
23 Apr 2014 6:32AM
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When I had mine done, they made me brush my teeth before I was allowed to leave. They wanted to make sure that the sockets were brushed to remove any muck, so that I would not avoid this once I went home. It's been a while now, but I don't recall any substantial problems or leakage.

I did notice over a period of time that I would get fragments of the broken wisdom teeth surface though.

I think I got lucky and didn't swell up much at all. The pain was the same as before the operation and gradually disappeared after a year or so. I had a bit of numbness in the tip of my tongue too, and that went away after about a year, so if you get it, don't worry too much about it.

kiteboy dave
QLD, 6525 posts
23 Apr 2014 8:54AM
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Buy some whole dried cloves from the herb section of woolies. suck on one, sit it right in the affected cavity. Natural pain killer / healer. did the trick for me.

hargs
QLD, 634 posts
23 Apr 2014 9:31AM
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If you were developing a dry socket the pain would be increasing & you would know about it, they are no fun.
Did you have your wisdom teeth removed by a dentist or an oral surgeon? Were they removed under local or general anaesthetic? Did they use sutures to close the extraction sites & if so do these need to be removed?
The warm salt water rinsing advise is correct. However, if in any doubt as to how things are healing I'd get them checked ASAP.
Oh yeah - I am a Dentist.

Darkspi
SA, 171 posts
23 Apr 2014 10:15AM
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take some more of those drugs they give ya you wont care anymore

ikw777
QLD, 2995 posts
23 Apr 2014 10:49AM
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I had one out and felt no pain during the procedure, and I didn't require any pain killers afterwards. The little bugger just slid right out and i went on as if nothing had happened. Must be one of the lucky ones?

newguy
654 posts
23 Apr 2014 9:58AM
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Cheers guys, yeah it's all following how you guys are all explaining so stoked there are no complications. Guess I'll just have to put up with the foul taste for a bit longer. Any chance I can go for a paddle do you guys think? It's been 6 days or so now. My only worry is if something nasty in the ocean gets in

hargs
QLD, 634 posts
23 Apr 2014 12:06PM
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newguy said..

so stoked there are no complications.


I wouldn't just assume that this is the case. If you're getting a foul taste from an extraction site I'd be getting it checked ASAP. Sure it may just be food stuff/plaque etc stagnating at the extraction site causing a rotten taste, but then again it could be some other post operative complication that needs attention. My advice would be get it checked, ASAP, better safe than sorry. Just my professional opinion.

myusernam
QLD, 6155 posts
23 Apr 2014 12:29PM
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hargs said..

If you were developing a dry socket the pain would be increasing & you would know about it, they are no fun.
Did you have your wisdom teeth removed by a dentist or an oral surgeon? Were they removed under local or general anaesthetic? Did they use sutures to close the extraction sites & if so do these need to be removed?
The warm salt water rinsing advise is correct. However, if in any doubt as to how things are healing I'd get them checked ASAP.
Oh yeah - I am a Dentist.


HI HARGS, just so I know for my daughter, I take it it's better to go with an oral surgeon rather than a dentist for extractions?



JulianRoss
WA, 544 posts
23 Apr 2014 10:35AM
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Seriously newguy, you have been given unbiased advice from a dentist, who sees this stuff every day, who has no financial gain from giving you his professional opinion, gratis, and you take the advice from someone who once had a tooth removed? Hargs, why bother?
Rant over...

hargs
QLD, 634 posts
23 Apr 2014 12:44PM
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Hey myusernam,

Really depends on the degree of difficulty, as some wisdom teeth are exceptionally easy to remove & some are very, very difficult.

If there is any question over the difficulty of removing any of your daughters wisdom teeth then I'd advise having them removed by a specialist oral surgeon.

At the end of the day they do the really difficult cases day in day out. There are always potential risks associated with any surgery, but it would make sense that the risk of potential post operative complications should be less when a procedure is performed by a specialist. Feel free to P.M me if you have any queries. Hargs

evlPanda
NSW, 9207 posts
23 Apr 2014 12:53PM
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Call your dentist.

Wisdom teeth removal obviously varies greatly. I was good to go after an hour or so. No pain. all good.

My wife got an infection that made her cheek swell up huge and go dark. Went back to dentist and he said "Nah, that's all OK!" What a dick. Went to another dentist and he said "Nah, that's bad!" She took a course of anti-biotics.

So anyway during this we drove down to Sydney for a holiday. We stopped at a McDonald's on the way. The place mats were "Domestic Violence Awareness" thingies. So there we are with these "be on the lookout for domestic violence" posters everywhere and my wife is there with dark sunglasses on and a dark, swollen cheek. We got some looks.

jbshack
WA, 6913 posts
23 Apr 2014 11:41AM
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Had all mine out in the chair years ago and wife messed up my pain killers and doubled everything. One of the coolest weeks of my life

Sailhack
VIC, 5000 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:55PM
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Had all 4 wisdom teeth out in one hit from a surgeon - went home feeling blissfully good from the drugs and with a craving for scrambled eggs. One mouthful and it was like I went from 2 drinks into a bender, straight to 7am - 'Hangover' movie-style within seconds! I bounced off all the walls & only just made it to porcelain steering-wheel in time. Ended up with a massive headache/hangover type thingy...fun times.

myusernam
QLD, 6155 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:58PM
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jbshack said..

Had all mine out in the chair years ago and wife messed up my pain killers and doubled everything. One of the coolest weeks of my life


yeah, had mine done in the adf and they sent me home and forgot to give me anything. (one was sideways and difficult) went back the next day and they were pretty apologetic and gave me some strong stuff. thanks hargs.

FormulaNova
WA, 15093 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:16PM
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Sailhack said..

Had all 4 wisdom teeth out in one hit from a surgeon - went home feeling blissfully good from the drugs and with a craving for scrambled eggs. One mouthful and it was like I went from 2 drinks into a bender, straight to 7am - 'Hangover' movie-style within seconds! I bounced off all the walls & only just made it to porcelain steering-wheel in time. Ended up with a massive headache/hangover type thingy...fun times.



I had all mine done by the surgeon, although 2 could have been done in the dentist's office. He had the nerve to ask me if I wanted the top two removed there, and the other 2 in surgery. Well, duh, why not have them all removed while I am knocked out and feel nothing! I very much doubt they charge per tooth, or even if they do, if the hassle of a dentist removing them is any way better than the surgeon doing them all at the same time.

I remember coming home and being offered soup, and instead devouring some chicken and chips. After being starved for so long, I needed solid food, even if I had to chew it with my front teeth.

I didn't think the panadein forte did anything at all... until I ran out of them

TurtleHunter
WA, 1675 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:18PM
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Sailhack said..

Had all 4 wisdom teeth out in one hit from a surgeon - went home feeling blissfully good from the drugs and with a craving for scrambled eggs. One mouthful and it was like I went from 2 drinks into a bender, straight to 7am - 'Hangover' movie-style within seconds! I bounced off all the walls & only just made it to porcelain steering-wheel in time. Ended up with a massive headache/hangover type thingy...fun times.


haha I did the same but I had driven 1000km before having to quickly pull over before vomiting out the car door. Only 200km left and I had to have a bit of a nap before making it home.
I know probably not one of my smartest decisions to drive home after the op

newguy
654 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:34PM
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Loving the stories on here Funny how we all have a good story about getting these bloody teeth out! I never said I didn't take Hargs advice for which I am grateful of. Cheers Hargs! Once I read it I called the dentist up and have the check up penned at the end of the day. Hopefully I can get advice on how to eat food again as I am over porridge, mashed foods and the likes - heres to the day I can sink my teeth into some fish and chips!

Mark _australia
WA, 23583 posts
23 Apr 2014 1:58PM
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jbshack said..
Had all mine out in the chair years ago and wife messed up my pain killers and doubled everything. One of the coolest weeks of my life


Does she know u have life insurance? may not have been accidentally "messed up"

sn
WA, 2775 posts
23 Apr 2014 3:32PM
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TurtleHunter said..

haha I did the same but I had driven 1000km before having to quickly pull over before vomiting out the car door. Only 200km left and I had to have a bit of a nap before making it home.
I know probably not one of my smartest decisions to drive home after the op


I dunno if they breed us tough - or dumb in W.A.

Late last year at Joondalup hospital, I had UPPP+M surgery to help with my breathing
[soft palate cut back and modified, dangly clanger thingo reduced heaps, tonsils removed, back of the tongue messed about with etc.]
Checked out of hospital and walked to the cinema where the Sandwichmaker was killing time waiting for me.

The kebab shop between the hospital and the flickers ambushed me, and forced a chilli kebab down my neck.
not the smartest thing I have done, but must have been entertaining for the locals.

When I told the surgeon a couple of days later he went white - then almost wet himself laughing


stephen

busterwa
3782 posts
23 Apr 2014 4:03PM
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one of mine got removed 2 weeks ago on a friday afternoon ;-(. They spent 15 min with the pliers then a few min with the crow bar thing and pliers , it still didn't dislodge. They then drilled the tooth in half cut the gums and pulled it out in 2 bits. !
I didn't ask for any anti infection medicine so it got infected.

They shoved a disolvable bleeding thing in it. For days the taste is terrible

Make sure you gargle Listerine or salt water to clean it on a regular basis

strongly recommend going back to the dentist for a check-up to make sure its not infected etc.

myusernam
QLD, 6155 posts
23 Apr 2014 6:57PM
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whenever i think of dentists i cant help but remember this..


FormulaNova
WA, 15093 posts
23 Apr 2014 5:45PM
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newguy said..

Loving the stories on here Funny how we all have a good story about getting these bloody teeth out! I never said I didn't take Hargs advice for which I am grateful of. Cheers Hargs! Once I read it I called the dentist up and have the check up penned at the end of the day. Hopefully I can get advice on how to eat food again as I am over porridge, mashed foods and the likes - heres to the day I can sink my teeth into some fish and chips!



Don't wus out. Eat something good. As long as you cut it up into small pieces or 'chew' it with your front teeth, you are fine.

I didn't last more than the trip home from the hospital before I wanted real food. After what felt like 2 days of not eating in the hospital, I needed food!
Not soup, real food!


pweedas
WA, 4642 posts
23 Apr 2014 6:00PM
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busterwa said..
...Make sure you gargle Listerine or salt water to clean it on a regular basis

strongly recommend going back to the dentist for a check-up to make sure its not infected etc.


I don't think the listerine is such a good idea.
I think it might have alcohol in it and this prevents the bleeding from clotting up, so it just bleeds for ages.

A lot of mouth wash's have the same problem so don't use unless the dentist recommends one.
Salt water is safe. and cheap.

And,.. I've stil got all my wisdom teeth at my ripe old age and I think that's what makes me wise enough to see right through all that conspiracy theory stuff.

My bet is, .. flysurfer, pm33, aboominator, milsy, japie and choco don't have any at all.

Dezman
NSW, 818 posts
23 Apr 2014 8:50PM
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"Wow you have tough bones" as the dentist ground away at it with a power tool from bunnings, hmmm the last guy said the same thing!
Well I'm still shutting myself so his words did't calm me down much, lucky I took five Valium beforehand. Its when a dental surgeon looked at my X-rays and said gee iv never seen someone roots penetrate their sinus so far before in my whole career 'he wasn't young' ....that gave me some worry!
So bones of steel and teeth so tough that have to be cut out, I'm cleaning regularly and hoping I die with the rest in place.
Oh your tooth problem....keep it clean.

kendrascott
1 posts
30 Apr 2014 5:27PM
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Try and get to the dentist at least once a year, though it is recommended that you go every six months. This will help you keep away from any serious troubles with cavities. You might need installment payday cash advances to help pay for a serious surgery, such as a root canal. It is much easier to just get typical checkups in the first place.



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Forums > General Discussion   Shooting the breeze...


"Wisdom teeth postop: how to tell somethings wrong?" started by newguy