Brushing your teeth is something everyone does in the morning. But after getting your wisdom teeth taken out, when can you start brushing again? Some people worry that brushing might hurt or make their discomfort worse after surgery. These worries are normal, but you don’t need to stress. Here are some simple tips for a smooth recovery
In the first 24 hours after your surgery, a blood clot forms over the area where your teeth were removed. This clot helps stop the bleeding and is important for healing. During this time, it’s crucial to follow your surgeon’s advice carefully. Usually, you need to wait 24 hours before brushing or rinsing your mouth. If you disturb the clot, it could lead to a painful issue called dry socket.
Also, try not to spit or use straws in the first few days after surgery, as this can also displace the clot and make healing harder. After 24 hrs you can begin to clean towards your last molar next to the surgical site. If you are using a rotary brush or electric ultrasonic brush – turn it off and then lightly manually clean the gingiva by the surgical site in small circles. Once done brushing do NOT spit out the toothpaste instead bend over and gently let the toothpaste fall out. The goal is to be gentle to the surgical site and preserve the blood clot to optimize wound healing outcomes given the circumstance that the mouth has a lot of bacteria all the time.
After a few days, you should notice that the swelling in your mouth and cheeks is going down. Between days 7 and 10, the stiffness and pain in your jaw should start to go down and improve.
After 72 hours, you can slowly return to your usual oral care as the blood clots should have stabilized by now. Remember to brush your tongue too, as it helps get rid of harmful bacteria and keeps your mouth fresh..
