For the last three weeks, the pain in my left gums and cheeks put me in agony. I initially thought that it's just a tooth decay and a tooth extraction would suffice. It turned out that it's the impacted wisdom teeth that caused me so much pain! Not one. Not two. Not three. But four.
All this time, I've been thinking that at 23, I do not have a single wisdom tooth. I WAS WRONG. My wisdom teeth are just there... sleeping, pushing other teeth, and causing me pain. If you're the same as me and even if you haven't felt any pain yet, you should take time to visit a dentist and take a panoramic xray. Just to give you a heads up, it may cost 600-1200 pesos (12 USD) in the Philippines.
If you have an impacted wisdom tooth (or teeth), it's best that you get rid of it as soon as you can. Don't wait for it to become disturbingly painful. Plan and schedule with your dentist for an oral surgery to remove the impacted wisdom teeth.
Since it is a surgery, it will cost you a big amount . As for me, I spent 16,000 pesos for just two wisdom teeth and around 1,000 for medication. It's quite cheaper compared to the other clinic/hospital where I inquired, and given that my surgery took 3 hours to finish.
TYPES OF IMPACTED WISDOM TOOTH
I found a cute explanation and visualization of the different types of impacted wisdom teeth. Source and credits to http://superchlorine.com/2011/09/wisdom-teeth-personalities/
PRE SURGERY PREPARATIONS
Get plenty of sleep.
Make sure you tell your dentist about your medical history. Things like allergic to a medication or excessive bleeding will be crucial for your dentist to know before the operation.
Eat. You will miss eating solid food after the surgery 😂 My despedida meal is sisig.
DURING THE SURGERY
You will be given anesthesia. My dentist is always asking me if there's enough anesthesia or if I feel pinching hurt. She also constantly reminds me of the normal things to feel.
The surgery will take hours depending on the difficulty and the number of teeth you want out. For me, it took 3 hours since she only cut a small portion of the gums to allow faster healing by avoiding cutting the bones. She used a drilling machine to cut my lower left wisdom since it was too big. I swear I saw her sweat but never did I saw her crinkle her forehead 😊
She let me bite a gauze with a solution for 30 minutes. She even gave me extra gauze and opened her clinic's door for me.
POST ORAL SURGERY STARTER PACK
Prescriptions may differ for each of the patients but generally, these are what your dentist/surgeons will be prescribing you:
Antibiotic (As for me, my dentist prescribed a 300mg Clindamycin every 6 hours for the next 7 days after my surgery).
Painkiller[s] (My dentist prescribed a strong painkiller Etoricoxib 120 mg that should be taken at least 10 hrs or if I feel extreme pain only. She also prescribed mefenamic acid that I can take in between the 10 hour period only if I couldn't handle the pain. Glad that I didn't have that need yet)
EDIT: I experienced excruciatinf painthis morning which is my 2nd day after surgery. I took mefenamic acid on top the of the eterocoxib. The experience was hell.
Tranexamic Acid (This medication is mainly for bleeders. Since I dont bleed much, my dentist say I can opt not to drink this. This should only be taken if there's an excessive bleedint)
Gemicidal Gargle (Povedine-Iodine Solution 1% is what was prescribed to me. Basically, it's a mouthwash recommended for post-oral surgeries or it can also be used as an everyday gargle because it can kill germs better that normal mouthwash)
You'll also be needing Ice Pack (For the next 24-36 hours, a cold compress will be helpful to alleviate pain or swelling. It is recommended to put cold compress every other 30 minutes for the first day after the surgery. The cold can help in faster blood clotting.)
DOs AND DON'Ts AFTER THE SURGERY
- At least for the first 2 days, eat soft or pureed food only. Aside from the pain that hinders you to chew, there is a high chance that large food particles may get in the stitched gums and may cause infection. We don't want that! Also, do not use straw to drink as it can force your gums and may cause bleeding (again).
Since you're diet is limited and you're not fully recovered yet, avoid strenuous activities. Avoid carrying heavy objects or running or getting into fights 😇 You can work given that you don't lift weights but it is advisable to have complete rest.
Put cold compress on the affected area.
Gargle twice using the prescribed solution or as recommended. This should be done after gently brushing your teeth. Do not spit it. Instead, just let the gravity takes action.
Eat ice cream! This is what I love the most except literally after surgery because I'm hurting real bad. But after I rested, I enjoyed eating soft ice cream.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on my dentist's advice, my own experience, and research. The medication is not exactly what your dentist would be prescribing you as I said that it's different for each person. If you feel that I committed a fatal error, please feel free to leave a comment. Meanwhile, I hope this helps you understand new things or at least be aware of your own oral health.