wisdom teeth recovery update • what’s helped me so far
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recovery didn’t end after those first few days. it just shifted into something slower.
it lingered in ways i didn’t expect, and my body kept asking for support in different ways as time went on.
this is where i’m at now. what’s still lingering, what’s improved, and what’s helped me the most so far.
day 8 through 11
my mouth is still in pain. it’s let up some, but chewing didn’t really come into play until late day 9 into day 10. even then, i had to chew with my front teeth. the one thing i didn’t think to prepare for was the possibility of the rest of my teeth being in pain because they no longer had this added pressure from the wisdom teeth being there. when they were removed, it removed that constant pressure. some of my front teeth seem to be shifting again & my some of the front teeth have been extremely sensitive of feel loose. as the days go by, it seems to be getting better. the odd taste has definitely subsided a lot as well. which is so nice.
day 12 (march 17th)
the pain is still there. my mouth has wide open holes still but they are significantly smaller than they were and aren’t as sensitive. i can still feel the holes and honestly it’s a little freaky, but it will be worth it. the part that is causing the most pain is my bottom right side. this side was the most impacted tooth i probably had. it was completely sideways and most the tooth was still under the gum, there was just a small part of it was broke through the gum. the surgeon knew this part would likely cause me a good amount of pain but everyone’s timeline ends at day 7 or day 14. 7 is more common though.
day 13-day 20
the same aching pain is there. if i talk too long, or laugh a little too much (which is only possible after oral surgery), my mouth hurts much more. i am still taking it easy. my body hasn’t fully caught up in the healing process. i personally believe it is due to the lack of nutrients from not being able to chew like normal.
day 21-22
i had a few business tasks to take care of this weekend, i had a dropoff at main st. mercantile and right after i had a market from 4-8 pm. halfway through the market i knew i
might have talked and laughed a bit too much. i had a raging headache, my mouth was hurting in places it hadn’t yet. instead of my lower jaw hurting more, the top of my jaw was in mind boggling pain. i am unsure if that helped contribute to my headache but i had to go to sleep after the market and woke up to the headache still lingering. my mouth was in a bit better state, but the annoyance was still there.
day 23 (march 23)
my wounds are still open quire a bit, but they are slowly closing. i find myself making odd facial motions to help readjust my mouth and to help with the pain a bit. my bottom jaw is definitely still aching everyday. which is expected with the healing timeline. i would say at this stage, it is a constant annoyance of throbbing and rinsing your mouth out a million times a day. jaw massages are incredible to do throughout the day and listening to my body is crucial. when the pain gets a little too much, i slow down and cut back on talking, smiling is becoming somewhat easier and that’s great news. there’s definitely progress but there’s still a long journey ahead.
as you can probably tell, i’m well past that 7-14 day mark.
wisdom teeth full recovery timeline
now, when you look at the true healing of wisdom teeth, it’s much different from the 4–10 day timeframe most handouts mention.
the recovery for wisdom teeth removal is averaged between 3-7 days. what is less discussed is the fact that the full healing process takes 3-6 weeks.
the soft tissue within the mouth starts healing in thsoe 7-10 days and the soreness starts to dissolve. but from this point on until about week 6, your socket is fully closing and the bone starts to fill in.
if you have a case like mine and they have to remove any jaw bone, this process can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months.
for me personally, i am really gauging my decisions based on how i am feeling.
i am still avoiding straws, choosing foods that don’t require too much chewing & avoiding my carbonated drinks, such as my beloved olipop. i will probably start introducing carbonation slowly & enjoying without a straw. i will reintroduce straws at about a month post-op. i also opted to avoid eating too much ice cream and things with high sugar because i don’t want to cover my wounds with sugar. the other day, it took me like 7 hours to eat a damn salad with breaded chicken and i will be holding off on salad until i chew with more confidence & not in so much pain.
i was on the last day of my medication on day 12 and i will most likely still be taking something for the pain i am experiencing. i haven’t decided if i am gonna purchase more ibuprofen or if i am gonna try an alternative. i am also going to be starting a pre & probiotic again due to the roughness of what amoxicillin can cause. i’ll be opting for the ritual ones. they are slow release and i used this brand prior and did well with them. i am very grateful my wisdom teeth are finally removed and i know this healing process is long, but temporary and i am gonna continue to do everything in my power to help the process and avoid hindering it in any way. in case you missed part one, you can read why i am so grateful to have finally done the removal.
i am still a bit swollen and i expect to be until my jaw heals a bit more and the wounds inside are actually fully closed. i will say, smiling is a bit painful due to where the incisions are located in my mouth. laughing is definitely the roughest thing to do, but it’s a deal with the pain type of thing. this is why keeping up with my protocol is important to me.
wisdom tooth herbal healing protocol recap
these are the things i found myself reaching for the most during recovery.
products/food i used religiously:
• marshmellow root
• borion arnica cream (walmart or amazon)
• mashed potatoes
• smoothies
• bone broth from two cedar station
products/food i used occasionally:
• bananas
• green beans
products i rarely used or opted out of:
• calming duo tea (i steered a bit clear of this due to the herbs potentially interacting with the medications i was prescribed.)
• any food you had to chew
food i’m enoying now
cabbage (cooked down with butter & sugar, one of my fav snacks)
simple pasta salad, bowtie noodles, sliced olives, sliced tomatoes, sliced pepperoni & italian dressing
cinnamon applesauce
cream of wheat
oatmeal
a slice of hawaiian pizza, because pineapple does belong
what i’d do differently while recovering
i think the only thing i would change during recovery is trying to force myself to be healed quicker. i meal prepped last sunday and monday i felt it wholeheartedly. my body was sore and my head was throbbing. i am reminding myself that i need to give myself grace. the hardest part is not being able to pick up my littles. we opted to wait until i was fully stable and my mouth wasn’t causing me any pain. thankfully, snuggles are still accepted and loved. i’ve always said patience is a virtue and it really is. i have reminded myself to be extra patient while my mouth and jaw heals. i’ve allowed myself to understand when i need rest & to rest without feeling guilty. i’d also pre prep smoothie bags so i could have my favorite smoothie at home without anyone needing to ask for measurements or assistance. i just bought them this time around, but as i’m healing, i got the stuff to make my own. if you read part two, tropical smoothies island green is my favorite and that is the one i am recreating.
overall, if you’ve read all three parts, thank you for being here and following along with my journey.
i hope this helps anyone who still has their wisdom teeth or is hesitant about getting them removed.
if you have any questions, feel free to comment or reach out directly. i’m always happy to help.
and if i can leave you with anything, it’s this. listen to your body and don’t wait too long. what starts as something manageable can quickly turn into something that isn’t.
this set of photos walks through the progression. from before surgery (bluish shirt), to getting home (bluish shirt with blood), to the first night and the days that followed. the final photos in the black shirt were taken sunday.
