Wisdom teeth removal is one of the most common types of oral surgery. In fact, the outpatient procedure is so common that it is performed on 5 million Americans each year. However, just because it’s common doesn’t mean that everyone is comfortable with it or knows what to do when wisdom teeth removal is necessary. Here’s a quick guide to preparing for this type of oral surgery when it is needed.
- Ask plenty of questions: Make sure you ask your oral surgeon and dentist plenty of questions leading up to your surgery date. Knowing how many wisdom teeth will be extracted, roughly how long the procedure will take, and what side effects you might experience can help you be prepared. Be sure to ask for all the facts before you arrive for your appointment time.
- Plan for transportation: While the vast majority of oral surgeons offer multiple options for pain relief during surgery, sedation is popular among patients. Whether you elect to use general or local anesthesia for your wisdom tooth extraction, you’ll need to make sure you have a friend or family member available to drive you home from this outpatient procedure afterward, as you may not be in a safe state to drive yourself.
- Check medications: If you take any sort of medication, you’ll want to check with your doctor about whether it’s safe to take before or after your oral surgery. Even certain over-the-counter medications can interact with anesthesia or your recovery, so make sure any medication you take will be safe. Your doctor also might give you antibiotics following the procedure. Make sure to finish them to protect against infection.
- Prepare your food: Following your wisdom teeth removal, you might not be able to eat solid foods for a short time. Make sure you’re stocked up on soup or softer foods to help you during recovery. Introduce more solid foods slowly after your procedure to make sure you don’t cause damage.
Any sort of oral surgery, including wisdom tooth extraction, can lead to many questions. If you would like more information on wisdom tooth extraction or other types of oral surgery that you may need, contact us today. We can provide wisdom teeth removal, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, teeth cleaning and more; schedule your appointment today.
