numb right chin, jaw, cheek after cleaning wisdom tooth hole
 

I really don't know if this is where I would even come to ask a question like this but im extremely desperate for some sort of help. I got my wisdom teeth pulled about a week ago. I felt food in my one hole so i took a pick to it and was trying to get it out. i guess i went a little deep and i extremely gently scraped the bottom floor of the hole. now my mostly my chin and some parts of my right side of my jaw and cheek are "asleep" i can still feel stuff but it's like the feeling of numbness wearing off. i know the mandible has a lot of nerves and i probably hit one. i told my doctor and he said theres nothing to do but be patient and it'll come back eventually. every other professional i've asked has said the same thing. im going on day three feeling like this. by the end of day 2 i was beginning to feel some itches on my right side like at different spots. some said this was a good sign but I need more clarification. I can't stop crying because im afraid it's going to get worse or just stay permanent. please someone try to give me some kind of help the more feedback i hear the better i feel. i just don't want a paralyzed face. and im extremely terrified. thank you

Hi saraestevao,

Just so you, it is not a good idea to ever put anything inside of the extraction site. The hole from the tooth is very deep into the bone as it is where the roots of the tooth were. It is not just a hole in the gum tissue. So sticking anything in there can disturb the formation of the clot, it can cause bacteria to enter the wound/bone or you could touch a bundle of nerves that could cause some neuralgia or parenthesis to occur. Think of it as an open wound to the bone... that will give you an idea of deep it is. So please try to refrain from doing that again, okay. The sensation of having food trapped in the hole could just be inflammation from the surgery. So it is best for you to leave it alone. If there was food trapped in it, either it would have come out when you rinsed with warm salt water or it would have caused the area to become swollen and painful. If that were to occur then you wound not mess with it but you would see the dentist. Okay.

No one can tell you when the numb feeling will subside or if it will subside completely. The nerves that you touched will take time to heal. Sometimes it gets slightly better... then nothing changes... and then one day it's just gone. Hopefully in your case the numbness will not be permanent.

I wish I could be more optimistic, but there is just no way of knowing what the outcome will be.

It is best to avoid eating on those wounds until they close over with gum tissue. I know that is hard, but try not to. Keep rinsing with the warm salt water (only) 3-4 times a day until the gum closes. Eat nutritiously, avoid sugar, soda, anything crunchy or too spicy... and drink lots of water throughout the day. All of these things help your immune system to work better. Take vitamin C, a multi vitamin and a B complex as these help with the healing.

Hope you feel better soon,

Bryanna