Getting Ready for your Wisdom Teeth

It’s that time again parents! Back to school is here, and that means dental checkups and cleanings. It could also be time for your older children to have their wisdom teeth checked and possibly removed. This can be a stressful situation for you and your family, but there are a few simple and easy steps to turn this routine procedure into a smooth and easy process for the whole family. Follow the tips that we will be talking about below to make sure the experience is as simple and your child can have a quick healing process and be back in school in no time!

Wisdom teeth usually appear between the age of 17-25, but they can appear sooner. Do you have a child or a family member who is approaching this age and is experiencing some pain in their mouths? It just might be time to have this outpatient surgery to remove these teeth. Having your wisdom teeth extracted is the removal of some, if not all, four permanent adult teeth located at the very back corners of the top and bottoms of your mouth. Your wisdom teeth are the very last teeth to grow in and appear. These teeth are usually removed if your mouth doesn’t provide enough room for them to grow in. Most people don’t have enough room in their mouths for these four extra teeth. They can become impacted in your jaw or mouth when these teeth don’t have the proper room to grow in. This can cause very serious pain, infection, and many other issues.

Even if your mouth does have enough room to accommodate them and you don’t have to have them removed, most dentists will recommend having them removed anyway just to eliminate any risk of pain, infection, or any bother. You don’t need these extra four teeth anyway! But when it comes time to have them removed, there is a checklist of things to do and prepare before you or child has the procedure. Begin to think about these things now before the surgery is well underway.

Make sure you have transportation for you or your child to and from the doctor’s office or hospital. If general anesthesia is used, the patient will be left very groggy and ‘out of it’. This is no condition for you or your drivers’ aged child to drive home after this procedure. It’s safer not to worry about how the patient is getting home. Make a plan ahead of time, and make sure you stick to it!

Make sure you talk with your dentist or oral surgeon before the surgery and know when you or your child needs to stop eating and drinking before the surgery. This eliminates any risk of getting sick during the procedure or shortly after due to any reaction to the medications or anesthesia used during the surgery.

Make sure you’ve discussed you or your child’s prescription medications with your doctor before the procedure. Know if you can or cannot take them before the surgery and how far in advance you need to stop taking them if you can’t mix them with any medications or anesthesia used during the surgery. Also, know ahead of time what over the counter medications you can and cannot take before and after the surgery.

Ask a ton of questions! If your child is getting ready for extraction, they could be nervous about what’s to come. During pre-surgery appointments and checkups, ask questions and help them understand what’s going to happen and what to expect during recovery. With a little more knowledge and the promise of ice cream and other delicious, creamy, and easy to eat comfort foods and a few days off from school it might make the situation a little less stressful for your little ones.

Ahead of time, make sure you know what kind of anesthesia will be used on you or your child, so you can know or explain how the body can respond to it. This is also an opportunity to share if you or your child are allergic to any anesthesia and gives time to make a plan if that is the case. It is also good to discuss with your doctor how it will make you feel before and after the surgery and how everyone reacts a little differently to each kind of anesthesia.

After the surgery, you or your child will most likely be given some kind of medication to help reduce or eliminate swelling and infection. Make sure you know ahead of time what these medications might be, understand how you and your child will take them through recovery, and also research if you can if there could be a risk of an allergic reaction.

Stock up ahead of time with recovery items. You won’t want to head to the grocery store with a child who’s just had this done or if it’s been done to you. You’ll want to head home and start resting and recovering right away. Ask your doctor if any prescription meds you or your child might be on after the procedure can be picked up before the procedure so you don’t have to stop at the pharmacy after the surgery either. Stock up on ice packs or frozen bags of peas to put your or your child’s cheeks to reduce swelling and to ease any pain. Stock up on soft foods, soups, and lots of hydrating liquids. Comfy clothes, pillows, blankets, movies, and good books wouldn’t hurt either!

Emergencies happen. Something might happen and you’re not able to take your child to the oral surgeon or to pick them up after their surgery. You might not be able to be there to help them rest or recover. Just in case this happens, have a plan B in place before the surgery happens. Make sure you have a spouse, family member, or trusted friend on call just in case anything should happen.

If it is approved by your dentist and oral surgeon, look into ClearFast. Instead of showing up with a hungry and dehydrated child, who could be incredibly unhappy and end up with more IV sticks because they are so dehydrated, research and ask about this pre-op drink. It is incredibly carb-rich, and acts like a liquid food that softly nourishes and hydrates your child before surgery. It can also help reduce post-op nausea and vomiting.

Make sure your home is ready for post-op care and rest. Make sure your child has a safe and comfortable place to recover that allows them to rest. Keep their head propped up to help reduce swelling and let any excess blood from the wound not pool in their mouths (gauze will be inserted and changed to help with this, not to worry). Keep items that they’ll need just in reach of their recovery area. That way they can reach and get what they want and need without asking you every single time. Plan out meal times and check-in that they are staying hydrated and keeping ice packs on their swollen cheeks.

When you or your child go in for an extraction, make sure you are dressed comfortably for the surgery. Don’t wear jewelry since you will probably be asked to remove it. Avoid wearing contacts since your eyes will be closed or you’ll be asleep for the majority of this extraction. Don’t wear makeup, tie back your hair and avoid wearing perfume, colognes, and body sprays.

Even with the pain of letting summer go – don’t let a wisdom tooth extraction be any more painful than it needs to be. Keep all of these ideas and suggestions in mind as you are prepping for the extraction or be aware that they will help you soon. Keep up open communication with your dentist and understand that this could be a possibility for you or your child. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to our offices to discuss this topic. We will happily walk you and your family through this common everyday procedure!