Getting my wisdom teeth out and I'm scared - reassuring stories?

[pennylane]

I just got mine removed today. So far no pain at all. I was out cold. But afterwards I was fine. I'm taking painkillers, but no pain yet. If you would like day by day updates I can PM them to you or something.

I wasn't TOO swollen. However, I was still numb all over my mouth. My lower lip and my tongue were numb for a couple hours, and it was hard to swallow painkillers (even though I had no pain... it was a "preemptive strike") cuz i didn't know if it was still on my tongue or not. First I got feeling in the tongue after about 2 hours. Then feeling in the lower lip a couple hours later.

I've been eating nothing but soup all day. Actually just one cup of soup and jello. I don't mind starving a little. I can move up tomorrow I guess. What I'm afraid of is getting food stuck in the socket and having my teeth smell bad. I gues I'll have to see how I feel tomorrow when I wake up.

But so far so good.

 

[N8Magic]

Paige,

Back in Grade 13 I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed. 2 were impacted if I remember correctly.

I went to the local hospital and got put under via a general anesthetic, as I wasn't too sure I wanted to see the Dentist pulling away at my teeth. When I woke up, I was in moderate pain so the nurse came by and gave me a nice shot of Demerol to put me back to sleep.

I then woke up much later in the hospital room and was in moderate pain again. The nurse gave me a couple of Tylenol-4's and released me to the care of my parents.

I had the teeth removed on a Wednesday, and I took the rest of the week off from school and stayed in bed. I kept an ice pack that you could tie around your head (no :camera:'s) on the swollen areas, and popped my Tylenol-4's every 6 hours. I was pretty zoned out on the painkillers, but the teeth really didn't hurt unless opened my mouth really wide. During this whole process, I was flushing the sockets every few hours with a saline (I think) solution to keep the sockets somewhat sterile.

By Saturday I was able to go out with my friends with NO swelling or bruising.

The key is keeping the ice on at ALL times to keep the swelling and bruising down. Also, don't forget to keep those sockets sterile as you do not want to get dry socket, which is a nasty infection.

Best of luck, and i'm sure you'll do fine.

 

[glen]

definately take the valium

 

[Aquaman]

I suggest a local........... if you go under general you will get a very sore facec. With local they take a bit more care taking the teeth out since your still awake.

You will do fine.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Linux23]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Don't have them put you under.

Request Valium (make sure that someone drives you there, stays there and drives you back home ... you will NOT be coherant enough to take a bus/taxi trust me).
Request local anesthesia and laughing gas.

Do you know if any of the wisdom teeth are impacted or look difficult to extract?

The day of the procedure, don't eat anything in the morning unless it's something really light (like toast).

is Valium, that powerful?

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Linux23

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Don't have them put you under.

Request Valium (make sure that someone drives you there, stays there and drives you back home ... you will NOT be coherant enough to take a bus/taxi trust me).
Request local anesthesia and laughing gas.

Do you know if any of the wisdom teeth are impacted or look difficult to extract?

The day of the procedure, don't eat anything in the morning unless it's something really light (like toast).

is Valium, that powerful?

That's what I'd like to know. For me it WAS that powerful then again maybe I have a low tolerance for drugs.

I acted REALLY weird that day, the stories I was told.

 

[DaveSimmons]

My dentist referred me to an oral surgeon who knocked me out for the extractions. My dentist said it's less strain on the jaw muscles and possibly less trauma to the jaw if you're out and not tensing your muscles.

I had a bit of pain for a couple of days, but nothing horrible -- I only ended up taking one of the precription painkillers and didn't use the rest of the bottle.

Good luck, and if possible don't be awake for it

edit: and like RossMAN says, get someone else to drive you home.

 

[Lvis]

I had all four of mine done, at the same time. Simple extractions, is what the dr. called it. I just had novacaine, and couldn't tell when he took them out. They don't just yank on them with a pair of pliers, they sort of pry them out. Very gentle, really.

I never felt any pain, during or after. I didn't care for the taste of blood in my mouth though, that was the worst part.

Good luck.

 

[littleprince]

My gf got hers out last week.
Took out all 4. Laughing gas, and tylenol with codene after words.
She said it wasnt that bad. And shes a petite little girl that doesnt take much pain. A bump or a cut usualy results in a bit of tears.
That night and the next day hurt a bit, but she was fine a few days later.

 

[zippy]

I had mine out last September. I hope the pain goes away soon.

No seriously though, it'll be uncomfortable/painful for a few days but then it's over and your mouth won't hurt (from incoming wisdom teeth) ever again.

 

[Linux23]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
My dentist referred me to an oral surgeon who knocked me out for the extractions. My dentist said it's less strain on the jaw muscles and possibly less trauma to the jaw if you're out and not tensing your muscles.

I had a bit of pain for a couple of days, but nothing horrible -- I only ended up taking one of the precription painkillers and didn't use the rest of the bottle.

Good luck, and if possible don't be awake for it

edit: and like RossMAN says, get someone else to drive you home.

i drove myself home, in a snow storm the day i had mine pulled. and the taste of blood was very unpleasant.

 

[Siddhartha]

The extraction itself did not hurt. I did have some discomfort, not pain, for a day afterwards. Asprin was strong to take care of the discomfort.

 

[ManSnake]

I had mine out 6 years ago, all at the same time. They were impacted too, so I had general anesthesia. I was on liquid diet for a few days and I lost close to 20 lbs!!! The pain, it was tough!!

 

[sygyzy]

I had mine taken out I think senior or junior year of HS. My parents were asked if they wanted to put me under. They asked how extra it was then said "Nah, that's worthless. He doesn't need that!"

None of my wisdom teeth had shown through. They just took huge needes and numbed the area then took a scalpel and cut my gums. Then the dentist took some sort of pliers and they shattered each took into 2-3 pieces. Then he pulled them out. It took at least an hour and I was awake the whole time. I could hear the shattering, the dentist grunting as he wiggled each one back and forth, and the flow and taste of blood in my mouth.

FUN STUFF!

 

[HappyPuppy]

It's gonna hurt. Get over it.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
It's gonna hurt. Get over it.

Did you miss the part where I said I didn't worry about the pain? You're talking to someone with rhuematoid arthritis - pain, sometimes extreme, is part of my everyday life. YOU try taking multiple cortisone shots in the small joints of your hands! I'm not worried about the pain. If I could do that, wisdom teeth + drugs isn't gonna hurt that bad.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Wisdom teeth are so overrated. I let mine grow in naturally and so did everyone i know. We are all fine. My parents have theirs too and they have no problems.

I remember reading a article some time back that says wisdom teeth extraction is a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry, and that most patients dont even need them pulled. Or if they do, it's only one or two. Not all four. If three of your teeth are already grown in I would just leave them. Get the impacted one removed though.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: HotChic
I know a bunch of you have horror stories. But I'm anxious enough already - not about the pain, but about hearing my teeth crack, oddly enough. Anyone have good stories, or helpful hints?

Don't worry, the drugs are worth it.

 

[xcript]

I'll be having all four of my impacted wisdom teeth out in the next week or so. I was feeling pretty good about it, but after a quick search of the terms 'impacted', 'wisdom', 'teeth', & 'removal' at groups.google.com and reading the horror stories... OMG.. I'm fairly certain suicide would be preferable.

Later..

 

[Azraele]

xcript: Don't sweat it. If you read the possible complications from just taking an aspirin, you'd freak. You'll both be fine.

I had all 4 of mine out (impacted). I got sick after I woke up from being knocked out. In the next day or so, I had chipmunk cheeks from the swelling. I ate soft foods for a while, but I healed up just fine.

 

[ggavinmoss]

I had 2 out in 98 and 2 out in January. The first time it was over in under 10 minutes. He just cut through my gums (when I was numb) and yanked them out. The second time I was put under (one was pretty impacted) and it went like clockwork.

I too have heard the horror stories, but if you have an oral surgeon that you trust or have heard good things about, then you should be fine.

-geoff

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: ggavinmoss
I had 2 out in 98 and 2 out in January. The first time it was over in under 10 minutes. He just cut through my gums (when I was numb) and yanked them out. The second time I was put under (one was pretty impacted) and it went like clockwork.

I too have heard the horror stories, but if you have an oral surgeon that you trust or have heard good things about, then you should be fine.

-geoff

True.

It sounds like you're going to a regular dentist, and if he thinks he can do it fine, you might consider going to an oral surgeon. This is what they do all day. My guy was great.

 

[Electric Amish]

I was eating solid food the next day.

amish

 

[Vortex22]

Request local anesthesia and laughing gas.

That's what I did. It was... interesting

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: HotChic
I know a bunch of you have horror stories. But I'm anxious enough already - not about the pain, but about hearing my teeth crack, oddly enough. Anyone have good stories, or helpful hints?

They gave me percodans afterwards. Its worth looking forward to. They give you the warm fuzzy feeling inside.