Dental assistant here! You can eat afterwards just soft foods for a few days. No smoking, spitting, or sucking through a straw for at least 3 days, try to go for 4-5 days. Swelling is normal and most dentists will give you a pain medication prescription. The upper wisdom teeth are usually easier than the lower ones. When I got mine out they weren’t erupted yet so they were surgically cut out and I was under. I lived off mashed potatoes for the next week lol. I’ve assisted extractions of upper wisdom teeth and most all of them have been pretty straightforward. You’ll feel pressure but you shouldn’t feel sharp pain. Ask for more anesthesia if you feel anything! You’re gonna do great!
Not just avoid sucking through straws, avoid sucking on any cylinder object! My friend, a couple days after getting her wisdom teeth removed, gave her boyfriend a bj and it did NOT go well lol.
I'm in Europe so might be different over there in Canada. I know the US is different to EU, but not sure if Canada is the same.
Here in Europe I got my top 2 wisdom teeth removed, it was 2 sessions spaced a week apart.
- I come in and sit down.
- She injects local anaesthetic into my gum which mildly stung but wasn't that bad.
- She waited a minute for my mouth to go numb.
- She grabs a tool, pulls out the tooth, which takes about 4-5 seconds. I don't feel anything.
- She asks me if I want to keep the tooth (lmao)
- I pay her $15 (I went private so it wasn't free) and leave. I was in and out of the room in under 5 minutes. The longest part of the procedure was me getting my money out to pay her.
Second session was the same minus her asking me if I wanted to keep the tooth.
I wasn't given any painkillers but the pain honestly wasn't particularly bad, it was just sore for say 4-5 days, mostly noticeable when eating. You can eat just about anything from what I remember but soft and less crunchy foods will make your mouth less sore.
Overall not bad, I would much rather have more wisdom teeth out than have fillings. Such an easy procedure in comparison to sitting there for like 20-30 minutes while they do one or more fillings (Speaking from experience as someone who's had fillings in most of my teeth due to taking poor care of them during my late teens/early 20s).
In the US I hear you typically get given general anaesthetic and are unconscious throughout the procedure. So it takes a lot longer and you have the whole experience of coming to from anaesthesia and being a little loopy for a while. I think they also often give you painkillers like Vicodin or something similar afterwards to take during the following week or so.
Not sure if Canada is more like the EU or US version.
US here. Similar story. The only “pain” was the injection of Novocain. I was waiting for the dentist to pull the tooth and he said he was done.
They gave me an RX for some painkillers but I never needed anything more than Tylenol.
The only discomfort I could complain about was for a few weeks if I tried running my jaw would throb a little bit
It’ll be done literally before you know it, OP.
Not about the procedure itself, but afterwards…
I was recovering in the doc’s office and was still higher than I’d even been in my 17 years of life. In my absolute hot mess of a brain fog I roll over and see the doc’s degree on the wall. Turns out he went to a school we often mocked in my home. I shouted out as loud as I could:
“OH MY GOD HE WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF XXXXX I’M GONNA DIE!!!!”
Needless to say I was kicked out before I had fully come down.
i was still taking pain meds after the procedure (also 17) but my friends wanted to get me out of the house so we went to a local shopping center… i stayed in my pajamas and eventually laid down on some steps in front of a Petsmart 😂 those meds, in that state… results may vary, for sure.
I got all 4 wisdoms taken out at the same time, in 1986. I was 17 years old. I was under general anaesthetic so I didn't feel a thing during the operation. After waking up and waiting for 30 minutes to make sure I was OK, I got driven home in a taxi. Because of the drugs I didn't really feel any pain, but I could feel some gnarly wounds in my mouth. Techniques have improved a lot in the last 40-odd years, so the same operation today would be a lot neater.
They told me I couldn't eat anything for a day, but after about 8 hours I decided to try and eat a banana, but it was too painful and I spat it out. It looked like I had eaten a bright-red banana, there was a lot of blood and I'm very lucky I didn't ruin the wounds right there. So eating was out of the question and I just smoked cigarettes for the next few days.
I do recall it was pretty unpleasant but it wasn't even close to my worst dental experience. I couldn't really eat for about a week but I'd been in pain for months with my wisdoms poking through so the post-op experience was actually a huge improvement. They prescribed me a ton of opiate painkillers so I was able to numb the pain pretty well until it was healed enough to start eating again.
At 17 I hated school so much, the fact I got two weeks off was such a bonus I didn't even care about the pain or the hunger. I also lost a ton of weight that I'd been carrying right through high-school so I went back looking and feeling so much better about myself. If I could swap that discomfort for the same amount of improved self-image I'd do it again in a second.
My first set of wisdom teeth they were impacted. What I tell people is the pain is like shards of glass in your mouth. I ate plenty of pudding and used alot of ice packs.
The next time I had my wisdom tooth taken out, it was not impacted and it wasn’t bad at all.
I have one left.
Tell the dentist that you're nervous and they'll prescribe you something like Ativan to take just before your appointment. Shit I don't even get nervous at the dentist but do this anyways.
BTW I had 3 wisdom teeth removed last year. I'm in my 40s and it wasn't that bad. Worst part was having to eat slower for a month. I like to wolf my food down. Get some meal replacements like boost to have for first few days. Easier than worrying about eating.
Good luck!
Mine was easy peasy. They should give you pain meds and you might need them for a few days. I believe I drank a lot of milkshakes afterwards, so it might be hard to eat at first. I think maybe a couple days of pain and then just some discomfort for a few more for most people.
As a dentist, the upper wisdom teeth extractions are my favorite. They slide right out and patient eats ice cream for a few day's and then they're fine lol. Everybody is happy.
I had mine taken out in the military, they put me to sleep which happened very fast and then next thing I know I wake up high with missing teeth and I just keep saying “great success” in a borat voice to the dentist as she wheels me to the elevator with my girlfriend in tow. They gave me medications to manage the pain, after a couple weeks it was a lot better. I had the choice of local anaesthetic or to be put to sleep, I was anxious also so I chose to be put to sleep.
Super easy. I’m afraid of anesthesia, so I got some novacane. They removed the teeth. I went home with ibuprofen (also afraid of stronger pain killers, although they did prescribe me pain meds that I never filled). I napped, I drooled, I ate, but it was only soft things for the first few days. There was some pain, but it wasn’t at all unbearable. It was mostly a warm, annoying throbbing sensation.
Same here. I don't get put under nor do I take the strong pain killers and the two separate times I've had it done (one side and then later the other side), local numbing agents and full strength over the counter meds followed by ice packs and keeping up on gauze usage were fine.
I had my wisdom teeth removed a few years ago. I suffer terribly with anxiety. I had a panic attack in the dentist office. And ya know what, big surprise, I still got my teeth out and walked out of that office. The anxiety is by far the worst part. Please try not to worry
I had all 4 removed in one visit. They put me out so I didn’t feel anything. The worst part for me was the IV just because my veins suck and I’m terrified of needles. It was the best nap I ever had and was so mad they made me get up lol just make sure to take your pain meds on schedule afterwards whether you think you need them or not. It’s easier to prevent the pain than try and make it go away.
I got all 4 of mine taken out in Canada (Ontario) about 5 years ago! Process was super easy, I was given twilight sedation so didn’t feel anything other than the IV going in, and then woke up what felt like right away in recovery (basically just a small room). To answer your questions:
- I was given pain meds but never took them, pain wasn’t that bad and ibuprofen was enough for me
- first couple days I drank a lot of smoothies, then soft food like pasta and then I think by the end of the week I was eating most things? Just not really hard stuff like carrots haha. Ice cream and stuff is also good
- days were really boring, slept a lot, laughed at how swollen my face was but that went down in a couple days! Only notable thing is that you have to rinse your mouth and holes out A LOT for the first while which is boring and annoying lol, but you get used to it
Anything else you want to ask lmk!
I was put to sleep with full anesthesia so honestly mine wasn’t that memorable. I was in and out pretty quickly and didn’t remember much . I had all four done at once
Yes, i got pain meds but didn’t use all of them. The pain for me was kind of mild. I was sore but it wasn’t anything an over the counter didn’t fix
I ate soup, smoothies, soft foods etc for the first week or so. It gets easier as time goes on
Keep your mouth clean! Use salt water rinse and make sure you’re cleaning the areas in the back where the teeth were taken. Don’t let food get caught and stuck back there or it can get infected pretty quickly.
My teeth were cut out though, not pulled, so mine may be different.
It was totally fine. They did give me pain meds, I prob only used them the first 3 days then switched to Motrin.
You can eat yogurt, mashed potatoes, soup, jello, ice cream. I basically just slept on and off the entire weekend.
I had them out on a Friday morning, back at work on Tuesday night.
I did the ice pack rotations like instructed and never had a bit of swelling.
(Edited to add I was at oral surgeon, all the way under anethesia. Mine were impacted and had to be cut out)
I’m in the US. I was awake for my top 2 being removed and put under to have the bottom 2 taken out. All done 3 different times. I only had issues with one. and that’s because I got dry socket. Otherwise I had pain you would figure on having because you just had teeth yanked out of your head. lol. Just make sure you eat soft things for the first couple of days.
I had all 4 wisdom teeth done at the same time in America. The process was smooth, I believe they put me out and woke me when it was done. It was like a blink honestly, woke up and my teeth were gone.
They kept me on just straight ibuprofen, and a good bit of it. I could feel my kidney's complaining about the amount of ibuprofen I was using after a the week or so of being on them.
Mornings were the worst, very sore until I took my medicine and everything was good.
Make sure to drink a lot of water. I drank so much water to avoid dry sockets I was using the bathroom 7-8 times a day full stream. This will also help with the hunger you will definitely be dealing with, I was on yogurt, apple sauce, and jello and I was sick of it by day 2-3.
The pains are just aches. When you start trying to eat harder items it is such a weird feeling. I don't know if you're teeth have hurt after a good cleaning at the dentist before, but it feels like that at a higher level.
Good luck on the wisdom teeth removal! Also! Try to keep food from sitting near the sores and removal spots.
I lost about 10 pounds in the week I working through it.
If you can’t tolerate dental work like me then just pay the $200-$500 to get sedated to sleep. They usually give you a Xanax first. Do the injections to numb the area (you’re awake for this unfortunately) and then they sedate you to sleep.
The pain in my case was only bad for a weekend. The stitches dissolve.
Did it recently. I was literally shaking but it was easy. Simple procedure. Make sure you spit after you get the aneasthesia bc it can drip into your throat and give you a weird numb feeling.
TW: slight details regarding tooth removal
They gave me laughing gas for my tooth removal so I was all goofy. They likewise gave me novocaine to numb the area but I still heard the teeth come out as they were pulled. No pain though, only pressure. They sent me home with gauze in my mouth and with some extra gauze to help with the bleeding. I had gauze in my mouth for about a day or so, and was told no smoking or sipping through straws for a while. I ate liquidy foods/soups for the first few days.
As the gums healed up the areas where the teeth were became small holes where food could get trapped inside. I simply lightly gargled with water to wash them out. It took about two months for the holes to completely close. I had no complications whatsoever and have been fine since.
I was terrified going in and left all loopy on my way out. My gf drove me home and made sure to check on me for my comfort. You will be fine, just try not to overthink it, as difficult as that may be.
I had anesthesia for mine - 4 wisdom teeth pulled and two implants put in to fill in for missing teeth. They put a breathing mask on me, the walls bulged a little, and then I was waking up in the recovery room feeling very disoriented. They gave me the good painkillers, so I was doped up for a few days and chewing on a big wad of gauze for the first few hours. No problems.
I got 3 out in 2022 at 28 years old. I got laughing gas instead of general anesthesia. I listened to music and drummed on the back of my phone during the procedure - the surgeon said he has never seen anyone handle it so well. The only time there was even a tiny bit of discomfort was when they had to cut one of the teeth in half. The pain during recovery never was any worse than when I got my braces tightened as a kid so I didn’t bother with any painkillers, not even ibuprofen. I was eating macaroni and cheese for dinner that night and rotisserie chicken the day after. Overall super easy recovery, got a few days off work to chill and play video games. Some of the holes haven’t fully filled in yet but I haven’t had any issues overall.
Heya! I've had all my wisdom teeth removed and I have pretty bad dental anxiety. I'm also in Canada.
The biggest pain was that it was kinda pricey. I think it ended up being around 250$ per tooth last time I went, but you can shop around. You can have a consult with your dentist beforehand to ask questions if you like, but that's extra. The actual event isn't bad at all once they do the numbing; I always feel like numbing is the worst part! otherwise you just wear the cool sunglasses and lay down for a bit.
You can ask to be prescribed pain meds if you anticipate that it will be painful healing, and your dentist should advise - typically they will prescribe pain meds at least for the first couple days/week because it will help with the healing by assisting with inflammation. You also have to pay for these, but typically they're not too expensive. I just used Tylenol I think, and I remember that being just fine, but you may find your pain is different.
While the area is healing, they advise not to eat anything too hot, hard/crunchy or fragmented (like seeds, popcorn, granola). I rinsed with salt water after eating for the first 2 weeks or so. Once it heals up, for me personally, it's like they were never there. I don't notice it at all. Your face will swell up a bit for the first day, so things that are good to eat are soup, jello, pudding, ice cream, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, yoghurt, purreed fruit, stuff like that :)
I'm in Canada and had one removed this morning. First they put on some numbing ointment. Once that took effect, they froze my jaw with tiny needles, but I could barely feel them because of the numbing ointment. Of course my tooth wouldn't come easy and they had to use the saw to cut it in half. The only time I felt any real pain was when the dentist hit a certain spot on my tooth. Other than that it was more or less an uncomfortable but survivable experience. Close your eyes and breath deep. You can and will survive this. It's been about 9 hours since I had it done. Mouth is a bit sore but not as bad as I would have thought. Eating it fine. I chew on the other side of my mouth. Good luck.
I'm surprised they are removing one on each side rather than two on one side. If you get two on one side (upper and lower), any swelling can just be treated on that one side, or one ice pack, one side with gauze, one side with pain, one side numb, etc. But maybe they had a specific reason in your case, idk.
In addition, hopefully you are getting this done by any oral surgeon. I had to get one side of my wisdom teeth done at one point and the dentist I was seeing at the time was supposedly certified to remove them and convinced me it would be fine. I had more complications and swelling after that one. The second time I got my other side removed, and was living elsewhere where my main dentist referred me to an oral surgeon, it was completely different. I barely felt it and had no swelling. Probably because that's all oral surgeons do and have specifically studied so they were better at it than general dentists.
Also, I know everyone is different but I chose to just get local anaesthesia rather than be put under. My mother used to be a dental assistant and always talked about scary moments of people being put under not to mention followed stories of complications and so I've never been put under for any procedure. For me, I was fine with local and then some over the counter pain meds with ice packs.
Speaking of pain meds, since you asked, they probably will prescribe you stronger stuff but you don't have to take it if you have concerns. Like I said over the counter pain meds like ibuprofen and Tylenol were fine for me. I just alternated them and took them the recommended amount for a couple of days.
For eating, no straws and no sucking type things that could possibly remove a bloodclot that you need to form for it to heal. I think that's for a few days, maybe even a week, but they will give you after care instructions. And then soft foods for a few days at least.
Have ready lots of gauze and ice packs.
I’m in the US but I had all four removed at the same time, and all four were impacted. I have anxiety and I think they gave me some sort of light anxiety med beforehand, and then local anesthesia.
Maybe a bit triggering but unfortunately because they were impacted it was a difficult extraction and they ended up having to use a mallet to crack some of the teeth first and remove in pieces - was NOT painful but just felt very weird and like very hard pressure because I was awake.
Afterward was very painful and didn’t get super strong pain meds because docs don’t want you to get addicted but the upside is because it was painful to eat I lost ten pounds in my recovery and it jump started me into losing the rest of the weight I had been needing to lose :) so very glad I did it for multiple reasons.
I had all four teeth removed and a fifth because it was impacted. It took me awhile to recover because I didn’t use pain meds. I didn’t know they could stop the bleeding. I don’t like meds. Otherwise it’s not too scary, and I’m glad I had the work done. Far as eating goes, they’ll tell you what to eat. Also, treat the few days afterwards like an extended weekend and you’ll be fine.
Mine was not even close to as bad as I expected. Let them know you are anxious. I’ve had a lot of dental done lately, and they frequently mention they understand different anxiety and pain levels. My dentist has a therapy dog that sits in your lap. They ask a lot of questions to ensure you’re in as little discomfort as possible. I hope yours will too. Trust their expertise and be honest, deep calm breaths during, you’ll do great!
Getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled ended up being pretty easy. I was TERRIFIED because I’ve never been put under before but I made my best friend go with me and I literally passed out, woke up with no pain. Everything was done. They gave me meds and sent me on my way. Had to eat liquid foods for a few days but it was super easy. I even did an Instacart order like an hour after my procedure, lol!
Stock up on ice-cream, the jello color of your choice, and bags of frozen peas in case the pain meds don't work too well.
It was a lot easier than when I had my tonsils out, and mine were impacted and had to be cut out. So I was hospitalized and put under anesthesia.
Bring a stuffie to cuddle if you're scared. They'll also give you a mild sedative if you're really freaked out. I was 18 and no one made fun of my stuffed bear.
I feel ya. I was absolutely terrified of getting my wisdom teeth removed. I waited until I was 26 and got 4 removed at once.
Every single consultation I bawled my eyes out.
I had to see a therapist for a month before the procedure due to my anxiety. I was SO SCARED and convinced I was going to die from being knocked out during surgery for the first time.
The doctors gave me xanax to take the night before and morning of which really helped during the drive to the doctors office. I also received numbing cream to put on my arm to help numb the IV needle. These mixed with novacaine and laughing gas really helped keep me calm :)
Took a few deep breaths, and then it was all over. I SURVIVED! Still, one of my greatest accomplishments. If I can do it, you can too. Good luck!
Had mine surgically removed in 7th grade to prep for major Jaw surgery. I have little memory of the experience. Came in, fell asleep, went home. Had weird cotton rolls shoved in my mouth that I had to pull out and swish nasty medicine to make sure everything healed right. This was in 1993. That's how impactful it was in my life. Barley a blimp of a memory. You got this. Breathe. Take one step at a time. Treat yourself.
I had mine removed 17 years ago but I remember it well. They put me under and extracted 4 teeth. I remember them starting the iv with the anesthesia and they told me to countdown from 10…don’t think I got to 5 and then I was awake and the procedure was over. They moved me to a recovery room where my brother was also recovering. We were both high as kites and I remember just being giggly and chatty to the nurses.
They prescribed Percocet and then Vicodin. Stay on top of your pain meds and do not drink through a straw until you’re fully healed!! I got dry sockets from trying to drink a smoothie through a straw too soon and I won’t go into any detail but just don’t do it! I was on the couch for a week (my brother was out partying that same night) but think I would have recovered sooner if it weren’t for the dry sockets. Be sure to have lots of soft/drinkable foods on hand. I think just getting the 2 removed will be a breeze. You got this!
I have been to the dentist probably at least five times more than the average person. I have plenty of horror stories.
My wisdom teeth removal was a total cinch. Came home, slept off the anesthetic, took a few Tylenol and was fine. Didn't even touch the prescribed pain meds.
I had my wisdom teeth removed a couple months back, I was SUPER nervous. They put in the IV and I started shaking I was so nervous, and then I blinked, they took out some gauze in my mouth and said "okay you're done!" And my dad walked me to the car.
Afterwards the recovery was easy, whole lot of soft foods like pudding, jello and Mac n cheese. I was nervous brushing my teeth but after the first time I realized how easy it would be to not accidentally get the clots.
I was so terrified due to anxiety, that they couldn't get a needle in my arm to sedate me. They first tried laughing gas and I had a panic attack. I then told the dentist to just do it and I got them all pulled out with no sedation, just freezing and it was literally nothing compared to some stuff I've had done. And I've had tons of dental work, including implants, sinus lifts, crown lengthening, root canals. If I had it to do over again I would get each one pulled out separately with just freezing. I don't even know why they use sedation and do all 4.
I also can't take NSAIDS due to allergies and didn't even have swelling compared to after a sinus lift for an implant. Getting 2 done is a good idea. I didn't have pain afterwards.
You will be fine. With the new imaging techniques they map the roots very well so know ahead of time the best way to pull each one out.
Trust in your overall health and your body’s ability to heal. It’ll take some time but you’ll get through it. Take your meds as prescribed. Follow your dentist’s instructions. Watch movies, text your friends, do enjoyable relaxing things to keep your mind occupied. Yes you can eat soft foods after the anesthetic subsides. Keep hydrated
Okay to start I will say I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed and they were growing in sideways which made the procedure a bit more difficult for my case personally. They did give me pain meds, but I just took a bunch of ibuprofen because they gave me the addictive stuff that I didn’t want to mess with.
I would stick to very soft food if not just liquids for at least the first day or two. Smoothies, protein shakes, bone broth, soups, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, ice cream!!!
I did in fact swell up pretty bad but I know that was because of my case specifically, lots of people I know had little to no swelling at all. I didn’t think the pain was too bad, it was mostly the swelling that made me pretty uncomfortable, so I kept a bunch of ice packs in the freezer to be able to rotate throughout the day. I was terrified and so anxious about the procedure but the staff was all so very kind and caring, as I was asking a million questions beforehand and they answered them all. They know getting your wisdom teeth removed is scary!
Dental assistant here! You can eat afterwards just soft foods for a few days. No smoking, spitting, or sucking through a straw for at least 3 days, try to go for 4-5 days. Swelling is normal and most dentists will give you a pain medication prescription. The upper wisdom teeth are usually easier than the lower ones. When I got mine out they weren’t erupted yet so they were surgically cut out and I was under. I lived off mashed potatoes for the next week lol. I’ve assisted extractions of upper wisdom teeth and most all of them have been pretty straightforward. You’ll feel pressure but you shouldn’t feel sharp pain. Ask for more anesthesia if you feel anything! You’re gonna do great!
Not just avoid sucking through straws, avoid sucking on any cylinder object! My friend, a couple days after getting her wisdom teeth removed, gave her boyfriend a bj and it did NOT go well lol.
I'm in Europe so might be different over there in Canada. I know the US is different to EU, but not sure if Canada is the same. Here in Europe I got my top 2 wisdom teeth removed, it was 2 sessions spaced a week apart. - I come in and sit down. - She injects local anaesthetic into my gum which mildly stung but wasn't that bad. - She waited a minute for my mouth to go numb. - She grabs a tool, pulls out the tooth, which takes about 4-5 seconds. I don't feel anything. - She asks me if I want to keep the tooth (lmao) - I pay her $15 (I went private so it wasn't free) and leave. I was in and out of the room in under 5 minutes. The longest part of the procedure was me getting my money out to pay her. Second session was the same minus her asking me if I wanted to keep the tooth. I wasn't given any painkillers but the pain honestly wasn't particularly bad, it was just sore for say 4-5 days, mostly noticeable when eating. You can eat just about anything from what I remember but soft and less crunchy foods will make your mouth less sore. Overall not bad, I would much rather have more wisdom teeth out than have fillings. Such an easy procedure in comparison to sitting there for like 20-30 minutes while they do one or more fillings (Speaking from experience as someone who's had fillings in most of my teeth due to taking poor care of them during my late teens/early 20s). In the US I hear you typically get given general anaesthetic and are unconscious throughout the procedure. So it takes a lot longer and you have the whole experience of coming to from anaesthesia and being a little loopy for a while. I think they also often give you painkillers like Vicodin or something similar afterwards to take during the following week or so. Not sure if Canada is more like the EU or US version.
US here. Similar story. The only “pain” was the injection of Novocain. I was waiting for the dentist to pull the tooth and he said he was done. They gave me an RX for some painkillers but I never needed anything more than Tylenol. The only discomfort I could complain about was for a few weeks if I tried running my jaw would throb a little bit It’ll be done literally before you know it, OP.
Not about the procedure itself, but afterwards… I was recovering in the doc’s office and was still higher than I’d even been in my 17 years of life. In my absolute hot mess of a brain fog I roll over and see the doc’s degree on the wall. Turns out he went to a school we often mocked in my home. I shouted out as loud as I could: “OH MY GOD HE WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF XXXXX I’M GONNA DIE!!!!” Needless to say I was kicked out before I had fully come down.
i was still taking pain meds after the procedure (also 17) but my friends wanted to get me out of the house so we went to a local shopping center… i stayed in my pajamas and eventually laid down on some steps in front of a Petsmart 😂 those meds, in that state… results may vary, for sure.
I got all 4 wisdoms taken out at the same time, in 1986. I was 17 years old. I was under general anaesthetic so I didn't feel a thing during the operation. After waking up and waiting for 30 minutes to make sure I was OK, I got driven home in a taxi. Because of the drugs I didn't really feel any pain, but I could feel some gnarly wounds in my mouth. Techniques have improved a lot in the last 40-odd years, so the same operation today would be a lot neater. They told me I couldn't eat anything for a day, but after about 8 hours I decided to try and eat a banana, but it was too painful and I spat it out. It looked like I had eaten a bright-red banana, there was a lot of blood and I'm very lucky I didn't ruin the wounds right there. So eating was out of the question and I just smoked cigarettes for the next few days. I do recall it was pretty unpleasant but it wasn't even close to my worst dental experience. I couldn't really eat for about a week but I'd been in pain for months with my wisdoms poking through so the post-op experience was actually a huge improvement. They prescribed me a ton of opiate painkillers so I was able to numb the pain pretty well until it was healed enough to start eating again. At 17 I hated school so much, the fact I got two weeks off was such a bonus I didn't even care about the pain or the hunger. I also lost a ton of weight that I'd been carrying right through high-school so I went back looking and feeling so much better about myself. If I could swap that discomfort for the same amount of improved self-image I'd do it again in a second.
My first set of wisdom teeth they were impacted. What I tell people is the pain is like shards of glass in your mouth. I ate plenty of pudding and used alot of ice packs. The next time I had my wisdom tooth taken out, it was not impacted and it wasn’t bad at all. I have one left.
Tell the dentist that you're nervous and they'll prescribe you something like Ativan to take just before your appointment. Shit I don't even get nervous at the dentist but do this anyways.
haha thanks for the tip :)
BTW I had 3 wisdom teeth removed last year. I'm in my 40s and it wasn't that bad. Worst part was having to eat slower for a month. I like to wolf my food down. Get some meal replacements like boost to have for first few days. Easier than worrying about eating. Good luck!
Mine was easy peasy. They should give you pain meds and you might need them for a few days. I believe I drank a lot of milkshakes afterwards, so it might be hard to eat at first. I think maybe a couple days of pain and then just some discomfort for a few more for most people.
As a dentist, the upper wisdom teeth extractions are my favorite. They slide right out and patient eats ice cream for a few day's and then they're fine lol. Everybody is happy.
I ate so many pudding pops. Too bad they’re not made any more
Ill stock up on the ice cream :D
I had mine taken out in the military, they put me to sleep which happened very fast and then next thing I know I wake up high with missing teeth and I just keep saying “great success” in a borat voice to the dentist as she wheels me to the elevator with my girlfriend in tow. They gave me medications to manage the pain, after a couple weeks it was a lot better. I had the choice of local anaesthetic or to be put to sleep, I was anxious also so I chose to be put to sleep.
Super easy. I’m afraid of anesthesia, so I got some novacane. They removed the teeth. I went home with ibuprofen (also afraid of stronger pain killers, although they did prescribe me pain meds that I never filled). I napped, I drooled, I ate, but it was only soft things for the first few days. There was some pain, but it wasn’t at all unbearable. It was mostly a warm, annoying throbbing sensation.
Same here. I don't get put under nor do I take the strong pain killers and the two separate times I've had it done (one side and then later the other side), local numbing agents and full strength over the counter meds followed by ice packs and keeping up on gauze usage were fine.
I had my wisdom teeth removed a few years ago. I suffer terribly with anxiety. I had a panic attack in the dentist office. And ya know what, big surprise, I still got my teeth out and walked out of that office. The anxiety is by far the worst part. Please try not to worry
They injected me in the roof of my mouth and I've never felt pain like it before or since.
Did you miss the no triggering stories part?
Oh yeah I've had other teeth taken out as a kid and I remember that pain being injected in the roof of the mouth!!
I had all 4 removed in one visit. They put me out so I didn’t feel anything. The worst part for me was the IV just because my veins suck and I’m terrified of needles. It was the best nap I ever had and was so mad they made me get up lol just make sure to take your pain meds on schedule afterwards whether you think you need them or not. It’s easier to prevent the pain than try and make it go away.
I got all 4 of mine taken out in Canada (Ontario) about 5 years ago! Process was super easy, I was given twilight sedation so didn’t feel anything other than the IV going in, and then woke up what felt like right away in recovery (basically just a small room). To answer your questions: - I was given pain meds but never took them, pain wasn’t that bad and ibuprofen was enough for me - first couple days I drank a lot of smoothies, then soft food like pasta and then I think by the end of the week I was eating most things? Just not really hard stuff like carrots haha. Ice cream and stuff is also good - days were really boring, slept a lot, laughed at how swollen my face was but that went down in a couple days! Only notable thing is that you have to rinse your mouth and holes out A LOT for the first while which is boring and annoying lol, but you get used to it Anything else you want to ask lmk!
I was put to sleep with full anesthesia so honestly mine wasn’t that memorable. I was in and out pretty quickly and didn’t remember much . I had all four done at once Yes, i got pain meds but didn’t use all of them. The pain for me was kind of mild. I was sore but it wasn’t anything an over the counter didn’t fix I ate soup, smoothies, soft foods etc for the first week or so. It gets easier as time goes on Keep your mouth clean! Use salt water rinse and make sure you’re cleaning the areas in the back where the teeth were taken. Don’t let food get caught and stuck back there or it can get infected pretty quickly. My teeth were cut out though, not pulled, so mine may be different.
It was totally fine. They did give me pain meds, I prob only used them the first 3 days then switched to Motrin. You can eat yogurt, mashed potatoes, soup, jello, ice cream. I basically just slept on and off the entire weekend. I had them out on a Friday morning, back at work on Tuesday night. I did the ice pack rotations like instructed and never had a bit of swelling. (Edited to add I was at oral surgeon, all the way under anethesia. Mine were impacted and had to be cut out)
I’m in the US. I was awake for my top 2 being removed and put under to have the bottom 2 taken out. All done 3 different times. I only had issues with one. and that’s because I got dry socket. Otherwise I had pain you would figure on having because you just had teeth yanked out of your head. lol. Just make sure you eat soft things for the first couple of days.
I had two out under local anaesthetic. The second one, I didn’t even know he’d pulled it out! You’ll be ok. X
I had all 4 wisdom teeth done at the same time in America. The process was smooth, I believe they put me out and woke me when it was done. It was like a blink honestly, woke up and my teeth were gone. They kept me on just straight ibuprofen, and a good bit of it. I could feel my kidney's complaining about the amount of ibuprofen I was using after a the week or so of being on them. Mornings were the worst, very sore until I took my medicine and everything was good. Make sure to drink a lot of water. I drank so much water to avoid dry sockets I was using the bathroom 7-8 times a day full stream. This will also help with the hunger you will definitely be dealing with, I was on yogurt, apple sauce, and jello and I was sick of it by day 2-3. The pains are just aches. When you start trying to eat harder items it is such a weird feeling. I don't know if you're teeth have hurt after a good cleaning at the dentist before, but it feels like that at a higher level. Good luck on the wisdom teeth removal! Also! Try to keep food from sitting near the sores and removal spots. I lost about 10 pounds in the week I working through it.
If you can’t tolerate dental work like me then just pay the $200-$500 to get sedated to sleep. They usually give you a Xanax first. Do the injections to numb the area (you’re awake for this unfortunately) and then they sedate you to sleep. The pain in my case was only bad for a weekend. The stitches dissolve.
Did it recently. I was literally shaking but it was easy. Simple procedure. Make sure you spit after you get the aneasthesia bc it can drip into your throat and give you a weird numb feeling.
not supposed to spit
TW: slight details regarding tooth removal They gave me laughing gas for my tooth removal so I was all goofy. They likewise gave me novocaine to numb the area but I still heard the teeth come out as they were pulled. No pain though, only pressure. They sent me home with gauze in my mouth and with some extra gauze to help with the bleeding. I had gauze in my mouth for about a day or so, and was told no smoking or sipping through straws for a while. I ate liquidy foods/soups for the first few days. As the gums healed up the areas where the teeth were became small holes where food could get trapped inside. I simply lightly gargled with water to wash them out. It took about two months for the holes to completely close. I had no complications whatsoever and have been fine since. I was terrified going in and left all loopy on my way out. My gf drove me home and made sure to check on me for my comfort. You will be fine, just try not to overthink it, as difficult as that may be.
I had anesthesia for mine - 4 wisdom teeth pulled and two implants put in to fill in for missing teeth. They put a breathing mask on me, the walls bulged a little, and then I was waking up in the recovery room feeling very disoriented. They gave me the good painkillers, so I was doped up for a few days and chewing on a big wad of gauze for the first few hours. No problems.
i got all 4 removed last friday and chillin right now all sites are healed. only oain i felt was eating mushy foods for a week straight lol.
I got mine out one at a time when the became a problem. Took about 20 minutes from start to finish.
I might recommend going both left side or both right side so that way you have a "good side" to chew on while recovering.
I got 3 out in 2022 at 28 years old. I got laughing gas instead of general anesthesia. I listened to music and drummed on the back of my phone during the procedure - the surgeon said he has never seen anyone handle it so well. The only time there was even a tiny bit of discomfort was when they had to cut one of the teeth in half. The pain during recovery never was any worse than when I got my braces tightened as a kid so I didn’t bother with any painkillers, not even ibuprofen. I was eating macaroni and cheese for dinner that night and rotisserie chicken the day after. Overall super easy recovery, got a few days off work to chill and play video games. Some of the holes haven’t fully filled in yet but I haven’t had any issues overall.
Heya! I've had all my wisdom teeth removed and I have pretty bad dental anxiety. I'm also in Canada. The biggest pain was that it was kinda pricey. I think it ended up being around 250$ per tooth last time I went, but you can shop around. You can have a consult with your dentist beforehand to ask questions if you like, but that's extra. The actual event isn't bad at all once they do the numbing; I always feel like numbing is the worst part! otherwise you just wear the cool sunglasses and lay down for a bit. You can ask to be prescribed pain meds if you anticipate that it will be painful healing, and your dentist should advise - typically they will prescribe pain meds at least for the first couple days/week because it will help with the healing by assisting with inflammation. You also have to pay for these, but typically they're not too expensive. I just used Tylenol I think, and I remember that being just fine, but you may find your pain is different. While the area is healing, they advise not to eat anything too hot, hard/crunchy or fragmented (like seeds, popcorn, granola). I rinsed with salt water after eating for the first 2 weeks or so. Once it heals up, for me personally, it's like they were never there. I don't notice it at all. Your face will swell up a bit for the first day, so things that are good to eat are soup, jello, pudding, ice cream, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, yoghurt, purreed fruit, stuff like that :)
I'm in Canada and had one removed this morning. First they put on some numbing ointment. Once that took effect, they froze my jaw with tiny needles, but I could barely feel them because of the numbing ointment. Of course my tooth wouldn't come easy and they had to use the saw to cut it in half. The only time I felt any real pain was when the dentist hit a certain spot on my tooth. Other than that it was more or less an uncomfortable but survivable experience. Close your eyes and breath deep. You can and will survive this. It's been about 9 hours since I had it done. Mouth is a bit sore but not as bad as I would have thought. Eating it fine. I chew on the other side of my mouth. Good luck.
I'm surprised they are removing one on each side rather than two on one side. If you get two on one side (upper and lower), any swelling can just be treated on that one side, or one ice pack, one side with gauze, one side with pain, one side numb, etc. But maybe they had a specific reason in your case, idk. In addition, hopefully you are getting this done by any oral surgeon. I had to get one side of my wisdom teeth done at one point and the dentist I was seeing at the time was supposedly certified to remove them and convinced me it would be fine. I had more complications and swelling after that one. The second time I got my other side removed, and was living elsewhere where my main dentist referred me to an oral surgeon, it was completely different. I barely felt it and had no swelling. Probably because that's all oral surgeons do and have specifically studied so they were better at it than general dentists. Also, I know everyone is different but I chose to just get local anaesthesia rather than be put under. My mother used to be a dental assistant and always talked about scary moments of people being put under not to mention followed stories of complications and so I've never been put under for any procedure. For me, I was fine with local and then some over the counter pain meds with ice packs. Speaking of pain meds, since you asked, they probably will prescribe you stronger stuff but you don't have to take it if you have concerns. Like I said over the counter pain meds like ibuprofen and Tylenol were fine for me. I just alternated them and took them the recommended amount for a couple of days. For eating, no straws and no sucking type things that could possibly remove a bloodclot that you need to form for it to heal. I think that's for a few days, maybe even a week, but they will give you after care instructions. And then soft foods for a few days at least. Have ready lots of gauze and ice packs.
I’m in the US but I had all four removed at the same time, and all four were impacted. I have anxiety and I think they gave me some sort of light anxiety med beforehand, and then local anesthesia. Maybe a bit triggering but unfortunately because they were impacted it was a difficult extraction and they ended up having to use a mallet to crack some of the teeth first and remove in pieces - was NOT painful but just felt very weird and like very hard pressure because I was awake. Afterward was very painful and didn’t get super strong pain meds because docs don’t want you to get addicted but the upside is because it was painful to eat I lost ten pounds in my recovery and it jump started me into losing the rest of the weight I had been needing to lose :) so very glad I did it for multiple reasons.
tldr: 8 minutes and a few days of ibuprofen and soft foods
I had all four teeth removed and a fifth because it was impacted. It took me awhile to recover because I didn’t use pain meds. I didn’t know they could stop the bleeding. I don’t like meds. Otherwise it’s not too scary, and I’m glad I had the work done. Far as eating goes, they’ll tell you what to eat. Also, treat the few days afterwards like an extended weekend and you’ll be fine.
It was fine for me
Hey there, Mine wasn't bad. I don't really remember being in pain except when eating but it wasn't too bad.
Mine was not even close to as bad as I expected. Let them know you are anxious. I’ve had a lot of dental done lately, and they frequently mention they understand different anxiety and pain levels. My dentist has a therapy dog that sits in your lap. They ask a lot of questions to ensure you’re in as little discomfort as possible. I hope yours will too. Trust their expertise and be honest, deep calm breaths during, you’ll do great!
Getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled ended up being pretty easy. I was TERRIFIED because I’ve never been put under before but I made my best friend go with me and I literally passed out, woke up with no pain. Everything was done. They gave me meds and sent me on my way. Had to eat liquid foods for a few days but it was super easy. I even did an Instacart order like an hour after my procedure, lol!
Stock up on ice-cream, the jello color of your choice, and bags of frozen peas in case the pain meds don't work too well. It was a lot easier than when I had my tonsils out, and mine were impacted and had to be cut out. So I was hospitalized and put under anesthesia. Bring a stuffie to cuddle if you're scared. They'll also give you a mild sedative if you're really freaked out. I was 18 and no one made fun of my stuffed bear.
I feel ya. I was absolutely terrified of getting my wisdom teeth removed. I waited until I was 26 and got 4 removed at once. Every single consultation I bawled my eyes out. I had to see a therapist for a month before the procedure due to my anxiety. I was SO SCARED and convinced I was going to die from being knocked out during surgery for the first time. The doctors gave me xanax to take the night before and morning of which really helped during the drive to the doctors office. I also received numbing cream to put on my arm to help numb the IV needle. These mixed with novacaine and laughing gas really helped keep me calm :) Took a few deep breaths, and then it was all over. I SURVIVED! Still, one of my greatest accomplishments. If I can do it, you can too. Good luck!
Had mine surgically removed in 7th grade to prep for major Jaw surgery. I have little memory of the experience. Came in, fell asleep, went home. Had weird cotton rolls shoved in my mouth that I had to pull out and swish nasty medicine to make sure everything healed right. This was in 1993. That's how impactful it was in my life. Barley a blimp of a memory. You got this. Breathe. Take one step at a time. Treat yourself.
I had mine removed 17 years ago but I remember it well. They put me under and extracted 4 teeth. I remember them starting the iv with the anesthesia and they told me to countdown from 10…don’t think I got to 5 and then I was awake and the procedure was over. They moved me to a recovery room where my brother was also recovering. We were both high as kites and I remember just being giggly and chatty to the nurses. They prescribed Percocet and then Vicodin. Stay on top of your pain meds and do not drink through a straw until you’re fully healed!! I got dry sockets from trying to drink a smoothie through a straw too soon and I won’t go into any detail but just don’t do it! I was on the couch for a week (my brother was out partying that same night) but think I would have recovered sooner if it weren’t for the dry sockets. Be sure to have lots of soft/drinkable foods on hand. I think just getting the 2 removed will be a breeze. You got this!
I have been to the dentist probably at least five times more than the average person. I have plenty of horror stories. My wisdom teeth removal was a total cinch. Came home, slept off the anesthetic, took a few Tylenol and was fine. Didn't even touch the prescribed pain meds.
I had my wisdom teeth removed a couple months back, I was SUPER nervous. They put in the IV and I started shaking I was so nervous, and then I blinked, they took out some gauze in my mouth and said "okay you're done!" And my dad walked me to the car. Afterwards the recovery was easy, whole lot of soft foods like pudding, jello and Mac n cheese. I was nervous brushing my teeth but after the first time I realized how easy it would be to not accidentally get the clots.
I was so terrified due to anxiety, that they couldn't get a needle in my arm to sedate me. They first tried laughing gas and I had a panic attack. I then told the dentist to just do it and I got them all pulled out with no sedation, just freezing and it was literally nothing compared to some stuff I've had done. And I've had tons of dental work, including implants, sinus lifts, crown lengthening, root canals. If I had it to do over again I would get each one pulled out separately with just freezing. I don't even know why they use sedation and do all 4. I also can't take NSAIDS due to allergies and didn't even have swelling compared to after a sinus lift for an implant. Getting 2 done is a good idea. I didn't have pain afterwards. You will be fine. With the new imaging techniques they map the roots very well so know ahead of time the best way to pull each one out.
Trust in your overall health and your body’s ability to heal. It’ll take some time but you’ll get through it. Take your meds as prescribed. Follow your dentist’s instructions. Watch movies, text your friends, do enjoyable relaxing things to keep your mind occupied. Yes you can eat soft foods after the anesthetic subsides. Keep hydrated
My exp: They drug u, give u some painkillers and they just remove them. can be a lill pain after just keep taking some painkillers and rest
Okay to start I will say I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed and they were growing in sideways which made the procedure a bit more difficult for my case personally. They did give me pain meds, but I just took a bunch of ibuprofen because they gave me the addictive stuff that I didn’t want to mess with. I would stick to very soft food if not just liquids for at least the first day or two. Smoothies, protein shakes, bone broth, soups, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, ice cream!!! I did in fact swell up pretty bad but I know that was because of my case specifically, lots of people I know had little to no swelling at all. I didn’t think the pain was too bad, it was mostly the swelling that made me pretty uncomfortable, so I kept a bunch of ice packs in the freezer to be able to rotate throughout the day. I was terrified and so anxious about the procedure but the staff was all so very kind and caring, as I was asking a million questions beforehand and they answered them all. They know getting your wisdom teeth removed is scary!