Hi, anyone out there can help me, I had 1 bottom molar, and impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed about 10 days ago, today I had it un-stitched. My jaws were still abit swollen but I feel no pain. Is the swell normal? I finished my prescribed course of medication, 4 days ago and I had mild diarrhea today. Also, the dentist did not issue me the syringe to irrigate the holes, what else can I do to prevent the hole from clogging up by food. I'm afraid of infections. lastly, what are the chances now that I have un-stitched the wound, and a dry socket would occur?

Hello covertid,

Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

I'm sorry that I can't really offer too much in the way of dental advice although it might be a good idea to take some probiotics to counteract the effects of the antibiotic.

Were you told to rinse with salty water? If you were it would be a good idea to keep doing that after consuming food even though your dentist forgot to give you the syringe. Try not to eat on that side of your mouth if possible.

I'm sure others will be able to help you more with these problems when they come online.

take care there.

Thank you for the advise, i just went back to the dentist for the syringe. Its hard not to get food from getting into the holes though

Hi covertid,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here.

I assume you had 5 teeth removed? One molar and 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed? Is that correct? Did the stitches come out on their own or were they removed by you?

Swelling of the jaw after wisdom tooth removal is normal. The swelling can last up to a few weeks as it slowly subsides with each day. In some people it lasts longer, in others not as long. Just depends on the individual case.

I read your other post about the dentist now giving you the syringe. It is not absolutely necessary to irrigate the surgical wounds with the syringe. If you do use the syringe only fill it with warm salt water and do not put the syringe inside the socket. Just irrigate gently from the top of the opening because you do not want to disturb the formation of the blood clot and new growth of fibrous tissue.

It is necessary to keep all of your other teeth very clean so you do not accumulate plaque and equally important to rinse 3-4 times a day with warm salt water. Refrain from using any type of mouthwash as the chemicals will irritate the surgical wounds and also can contribute to a dry socket. Be sure to eat a nutritious diet consisting of soft foods until the wounds close over with gum tissue. Avoid food that is spicy as it is too harsh on the surgical sites and chewy food as that requires over usage of your jaw muscles. Avoid anything that can get caught inside the socket like seeds or rice.

It is imperative that you take a probiotic supplement to rebuild the good bacteria that you have lost in your intestinal tract from the medication. Even if your diarrhea stops, it is still wise to replenish the good bacteria for your overall health.

Hope this information was helpful.
Bryanna

Hi Bryanna, thanks for the advice. I only use that syringe to irrigate the holes after every meal while the rest of the time I do normal rinsing. Will it really affect the clotting?. Because From what I read online, quite alot of people can't dislodge food debris from the hole by normal rinsing, even if they are soft food. Thus resulting in foul odour from the holes. Of course if its not required to use the syringe, I will definitely avoid it because there is still this pressure from the syringe that will affect the blood clot, and I really don't want dry sockets. And may I ask, what are the chances of developing dry sockets for now, I'm in day 11 after the extractions. By the way it is only one side that I've extracted with one upper wisdom and one lower impacted wisdom. Thanks alot!!

Oh yeah by the way the sutures were removed by the dentist too

Hi covertid,

Usually a dry socket occurs within the first 2-7 days post op. However, if the sockets are chronically irritated by chewing on them, impacted food debris or excessive usage of the irrigating syringe, then the healing can become comprised.

It is okay to gently irrigate the sockets with warm salt water 2-3 times a day. The purpose of the irrigation is to gently dislodge food debris, not clean the sockets out as if they were dirty. Swishing with warm salt water basically does the same thing.

All oral wounds from tooth extractions are going to have an unpleasant odor until the gum tissue closes over. Of course if food is impacted in the wound the odor will be worse. Also keep in mind that many people will not adhere to a different diet during the healing phase and that is the most common reason for food impaction in the wounds. Something else that would help with the odor and help keep your mouth really clean would be to use a tongue scraper once a day. The best time to use that is after you brush your teeth at night.

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna,

Thank you for the prompt reply. I guess I will just rinse saltwater 4 times a day and irrigate the hole at night before I sleep, to prevent any food lodge inside, is it a better idea?

Thanks alot!

Hi covertid,

Yes, that regimen should be fine.
It's been a couple of more days... how are you feeling now?

Bryanna