After the procedure | Inflammation of the wisdom tooth

After the procedure

In order to avoid secondary bleeding, sports and excessively strenuous physical activities should be avoided. An elevated sleeping position is also conducive to recovery. Hot drinks (e.g. coffee) and alcohol should be avoided, as should smoking.

Dental care can be continued normally, but the wound should be avoided. In most cases, the treating physician prescribes painkillers to make the healing process more pleasant. The analgesic should not contain acetylsalicylic acid (e.g. aspirin), as this increases the tendency to bleed.

A cooled, moist cloth can also have a pleasant effect, but no ice cubes. If you are taking anticoagulant medication, you must switch to low-molecular-weight heparin preparations for a short time. You can find further information here: Inflammation after wisdom tooth surgery

Inflammation of the scar

In some cases it can happen that old scars hurt again after some time. Purulent inflammations have also been reported. This is not uncommon and also not necessarily unusual.

This can be caused by a root residue that was forgotten in the tooth socket when the wisdom tooth was extracted. Normally it should be removed, but sometimes it is not noticeable. If an inflammation of the scar occurs, it should be clarified by the dentist as soon as possible.

How long does an inflammation of the wisdom tooth last?

It is not possible to give exact information about the duration of the inflammation without further diagnostics. It depends on the intensity, the immune system of the affected person and also on the cause of the inflammation. If the gums are inflamed when the tooth breaks through, the pain is often limited, so the inflammation lasts relatively long, sometimes for weeks.

A dentist is usually only consulted in an extreme emergency in case of severe pain. The pain often only gets worse after some time. A dentist can administer special ointments, which will reduce the inflammation again.

However, in order to achieve a lasting reduction in pain with elimination of the cause, the tooth must be removed. If it is itself affected in the sense of an inflammation of the root, a root canal treatment can be performed. In most cases, this leads to a reduction in inflammation after just one treatment.