Hi guys!
This week I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed here in Germany. Having been born and raised in the United States, I expected to be asleep during the procedure, but they only offered me local anesthesia (because Germany does things differently), so that’s what I got... I was wide awake the entire time, but I was completely numb. The worst part was hearing the drilling and feeling a little pressure, but it was much easier than I expected.
Here's what my wisdom teeth looked like:
The top two had broken through the gums already and they were super easy to remove- about 5 minutes each! The bottom two were a little more tricky... They were impacted and had already attached to my jaw... So they took a lot longer to remove and required much more force. Still, the whole process took about an hour and a half, and I was on my way home to begin recovering.
I was concerned about dealing with the pain once the numbness went away. They gave me a prescription for ten 600mg Ibuprofen pills and then wished me luck... haha. I knew that wouldn't be enough to deal with the pain, and it wouldn't really help me heal more quickly (other than slightly reducing inflammation), so I began researching natural ways to relieve pain and speed up my recovery.
Before I share what I found, I would like to remind all of you that our bodies are very capable of healing if they are given the proper "ingredients" to do so! This means that, no matter how tempting it may be, you cannot just eat ice cream and pudding during the recovery period! There are healthier alternatives that are still yummy but provide your body with some nutrients, e.g. yogurt, fruit smoothies, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, chicken noodle soup, etc. There are plenty of suggestions on the internet already, so check it out!
Okay, so here are the natural alternatives that I have been using to recover quickly and comfortably :)
- Arnica montana! (pellets)
Arnica montana is much more than a beautiful flower. It has been used as a homeopathic remedy since the 1500s for it's pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. When compared to ibuprofen, some researchers consider arnica to have a stronger effect. There are always those that doubt natural remedies and they believe the effects of arnica result from the placebo effect exclusively. Whatever the case may be, it's worth a shot, especially since there are no potential interactions that could occur if you are taking any other medication!
So, I bought Arnica D 30. Every 4 hours or so, 30 minutes before or after eating, I dispensed 5 little pellets onto a spoon and put them underneath my tongue, where they would be absorbed more easily. I started taking Arnica about an hour before my surgery to get my body ready to fight and I continued to take it as needed.
After I purchased my Arnica D 30 (which is the same as Arnica X 30), I read on livestrong.com that Arnica C 30 is stronger and more effective for intense pain. I'll explain why- The "D" indicates a 1:10 dilution and the "C" a 1:100 dilution, and then both would then be diluted 30 more times. So, for example...
Arnica D 30 dilution = 1/10/30 = 0.0033
Arnica C 30 dilution = 1/100/30 = 0.0033
Homeopathic remedies have a stronger effect the more diluted they are (sounds crazy, I know). Another thing to keep in mind is that Arnica is toxic when taken in large quantities, so don't overdo it!
- Ice!
Ice is super important, especially during the first 24 hours, to reduce inflammation. 20 minutes on, 10 minutes off. This will drastically reduce swelling, which will enable your body to heal more quickly. You don't want to look like Quagmire for too long (corny Family Guy reference).
Giggity.
- Black tea!
First and foremost, stop the bleeding! You need to establish a blood clot where every tooth was pulled to avoid getting a "dry socket", which can become a pretty big problem in the future.
The dentist gave me a few strips of gauze to deal with the bleeding, which I replaced every hour (as I was supposed to), but I hadn't stopped bleeding yet. So I decided to try replacing the gauze with black tea! Black tea contains tannins, which cause blood vessels to shrink, help blood to coagulate, and to some extent kill bacteria due to their antiseptic properties.
So, I seeped the teabags in hot water for about 3 minutes and put them on a plate to cool. Then, when they were at about room temperature, I put them over the wounds (same way as the gauze). After about 30 minutes, I removed the tea bags and the bleeding had stopped completely!
- Essential Oils!
I have been using essential oils for about 3 years now and I am absolutely in love! I've had an oil to treat every single condition that I have come across in the meantime, e.g. hives, strep throat, acid reflux, the common cold, etc. You can use them both topically and internally (in vegetable capsules).
Note: Every brand of essential oils is NOT equal. It is very important to ensure that you are using therapeutic grade oils, especially if you take them internally. I will make another post about this in the future. My brand of choice is Young Living! Check out the following link to explore their products- https://www.youngliving.com/
Clove Oil
Clove oil has been my absolute best friend during these past few days of healing. It is nature's topical anesthetic. It may have a bit of a weird taste (depending on the person... I don't think it's that bad), BUT it's worth it to numb the pain within seconds. Clove oil also reduces swelling, promotes a healthy immune response, and kills bacteria that may cause infection.
After I stopped the bleeding, I replaced the tea bag with gauze that had 3 drops of clove oil on each side. I did this every time I put new gauze in. After the first day, they suggest that you stop using gauze. So I simply put some clove oil on a Q-tip and rubbed it on the wound and along the gums. You can do this as much as you want, because it's natural and causes no harm to your body :) I also rubbed a drop or so of Clove on my jawline to numb the pain from the outside as well.
Copaiba Oil
Copaiba has super anti-inflammatory properties! It also kills bacteria and reduces pain.
I used Copaiba in three ways:
- Externally, on my chipmunk cheeks
- In my mouth, applied directly on the wound and on my cheeks with a Q-tip
- Internally, in a vegetable capsule, which I will describe below
PanAway Oil
PanAway is excellent for reducing pain and inflammation and promoting circulation and healing. BUT it can only be used topically!
So, whenever I was really in pain, I simply rubbed a few drops of PanAway along my jawline (sometimes with Clove and Copaiba).
- My homemade essential oil pill
Many people won't be comfortable taking essential oils internally, although they are completely natural, but I do it all the time and have never had a bad experience. Some people suggest that you mix a carrier oil in the vegetable capsule (shown below) to dilute the oils, but I usually just take them full-strength.
Here's what I took 3x daily during recovery:
3 drops Copaiba Oil
3 drops Thieves Oil
3 drops Oregano
3 drops Frankincense
I will do more posts in the future explaining each of these oils more specifically. But in the meantime, there are plenty of resources online that you can check out. You should never just take someone's word without doing your own research.
- Pineapples!
These yummy fruits have a very beneficial protein-digesting enzyme in them called Bromelain, which is a potent anti-inflammatory. Pineapples also contain a significant amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, potassium, and manganese, all of which contribute to faster healing!
I have been drinking as much pineapple juice as I can. However, if you feel comfortable chewing fresh pineapple pieces, it contains much more Bromelain because it hasn't been processed.
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It has been 3 days since my wisdom teeth were removed. I am experiencing no more pain and minimal swelling. The healing process has been so much easier than I expected, thanks to the methods that I have described above.
The natural remedies don't end here, people! I have also been taking supplements (like Zinc and Omega-3), using other essential oils, and eating foods that contain vitamins and minerals that are essential to healing! I encourage you to open your eyes to natural alternatives and use the resources that the world offers us. You won't regret it.
DISCLAIMER- This post is merely a compilation of the research I have done in order to make my own medical decisions. I am sharing it with you, NOT as medical advice, but rather to lead your research in the right direction if you are also considering using natural alternatives. You should always conduct your own research prior to introducing anything new your body that a doctor has not approved. I am not a medical professional.