Happy weekend! A bit early. I know that this is a crafty blog and all, but for today, let’s think of that as it’s day job. On the weekend, it can do whatever it wants. And today it wants to talk about my teeth. And how they came out.
Given that most of my friends had their wisdom teeth removed quite a while ago, I’ve heard a lot over the years about what should be expected. Rather than go over the things you’ve probably already heard a thousand times, I thought I’d share the things that surprised me about my experience. I know every mouth and every person a mouth belongs to is different, so not all of this will necessarily apply. And maybe none of this would surprise you?
And… uh… if you’re squeamish, you won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t read this. Although I have tried to keep it reasonable.
So, here we go.
1. X rays are digital. Okay, so I’ve seen this in other medical offices. It’s not crazy new. And my kids may not remember anything OTHER than digital. But I still can’t believe how fast we see the images now– no waiting for the films to develop. I walked down the hall from the exam chair, did a quick panoramic X-ray, and TA DAH! Here’s my whole mouth on the computer screen. If you like to examine this kind of thing, you can see that I only had three wisdom teeth. There never was a fourth. So my mouth was always asymmetrical. Well, ever since the bottom one came in a dozen years ago. (This isn’t the first time I’ve shared an x-ray.)
2. The doctor did not prescribe antibiotics. Instead he prescribed some sort of prescription mouthwash. He said that studies showed that the efficacy was the same without the intestinal upset side effects. I was stoked that I didn’t have to worry about how to deal with taking them, puking them up and then trying to decide how/when to take them again.
3. I only needed gauze the first day. For some reason I expected I’d be a mess for days, but 24 hours after surgery, the bleeding had stopped.
4. The top teeth are easy to remove. The bottom ones are so difficult that they drill it into four sections first. Because I was alert during the process, I saw that it took them 90% of the total time to get the bottom one out, and the remaining 10% to do both of the top ones.
5. My problem with eating wasn’t the chewing. Chewing didn’t bother me all that much. My problem with eating was that for a while I couldn’t open my mouth enough to fit both a fork and food into it. I needed really small bites. I guess all of the jaw swelling kept me from opening it.
6. I was eating pretty normal food the next day. Just in small bites.
7. I accused the doctor of attaching my cheek to my gum where it hadn’t been previously. At my one week follow-up I was convinced that he’d changed the anatomy of my cheek. He promised that he gets accused of that all the time and that it’s just the swelling and it’ll be gone in another week or so.
8. I failed to realize that yawning would be bad. So I yawned. Yawning is bad. At least for 4-5 days after. For me.
9. I still don’t know what I think about the anesthesia. There were 3 options. Local. Local + gas. IV sedation. I didn’t want to get completely knocked out. That freaks me out. But I knew local alone would not make me very happy. So I chose the middle. I guess the answer is that there is no perfect option. I guess I’d do it that way again. I’d just like to be able to forget a few little details. Like hearing the doctor say “you’re about to feel a ridiculous amount of pressure.” But I don’t remember hearing much else– I had my iPod in my hand and would crank it up when I didn’t want to hear something.
10. I still puked. I tried so very hard to make sure I was eating before AND with the Ibuprofen and Percocet, and I was actually kind of excited to think about the Percocet just letting me sleep for a while and not feel anything. But I still felt. Loopy, not good. And it made me puke. I’d done everything I could to avoid it, but didn’t end up missing out on that. So I only took it that one time. There’s precious little that’s worth puking for. Precious littles, that’s all.
11. I got nothing crafty done. Well, I read one crafty book that I’ll be talking about soon. But I thought I’d have a few days worth of sketching/planning. In reality, I was showered and dressed and out the door 48 hours later. I realize the insanity of having plans for “down time”.
And now that I’m mostly normal again, I am so so so relieved to have this done. I’m hoping to be done with the ibuprofen in a few more days. And so glad wisdom teeth can’t grow back!
And completely unrelated to the above but TOTALLY CRAFTY and a nice little treat for those of you who bothered to read this far: We’re posting the next Spoonflower I Spy Swap on Monday! Finally!
Thanks for that info! I have my wisdom teeth in, and they never hurt but I can feel them & my other teeth adjusting to the fact they are still in. I am thinking about getting them taken out but am SUCH a pansy when it comes to pain. If it doesn’t hurt I don’t want to fix it but I know I should. O well your post did help though because most of my friends like to be a little dramatic.
Oh, dental work is the worst! I had to get a wisdom tooth out surgically and then the wound got infected. I had to beg my dentist for antibiotics that I only got after three (!) weeks of agony! I couldn’t eat properly for 2 months, it was horrible. Now, my new dentist casually said at my last check-up that I have to get another wisdom tooth removed (that has never bothered me…), I nearly started screaming and crying. So I said… I will think about it (another 3 years! Ha).
I feel your pain!!
Esther.
Glad you’re feeling better!! I still have mine and recently had general anesthesia for the first time and I don’t want to repeat that again if possible.
Eww, I had general anesthesia, and it made me SOOOO sick. I would go through labor again before having my wisdom teeth out. At least at the end of labor you get a sweet little baby. All I got at the end of my wisdom teeth surgery was several days of throwing up.
My wisdom teeth were the first time I was knocked out, ever. And I was absolutely sure I was going to die. I was trying not to sob too loudly while they strapped me in the chair and the nurse said “oh, you poor thing” and gave me nitrous too. Pretty sure THAT’s what made me puke later, when it turned out I didn’t die. And I didn’t need any painkillers later which was a good thing because when I took one for fun, it made me puke too.
Having my wisdom teeth removed was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I had gas + local, but as soon as I heard the first crack when they drilled into my bottom two (which were sideways), the gas lost all effect on me. Then I had dry socket and my dentist was just creepy and liked to rub my hair. It took me years to force myself back to the dentist (a different one, of course).
I also chose the middle option. They told me I might puke, but for whatever reason, I never imagined it would be in the car on the way home. All over the dash. And my pants. And my new Fossil handbag. :/
I had the gas+complete knock out bc I’m very nervous about needles. I knew that I wouldn’t want to be even somewhat awake for it. My boyfriend said I was a terror and that I scared all the kids in the waiting room.
But after that, I was fine. I wasn’t too loopy (couldn’t talk for the same reason you can’t eat well) but I could think and type, so I texted my mom requests. I actually went shopping the next day and was off the hard meds in 2 days, the large dose of Ibuprofen by the 3rd, and all meds by the 4th.
I only got nauseous if I stood up, so my dad carried me inside and I avoided standing like the plague until the next day. That said, I also got an anti-nausea medicine, which I’m sure helped tremendously.
I only ever got 2 wisdom teeth, and one got pulled. My one and only option was local, and the idiot dislocated my jaw getting it out :o/ My jaw has never been the same since! I didn’t get to recuperate either come to think of it… I did get to take it home, but the tooth fairy failed to show up.
I still have all 4 of my wisdom teeth and turn 36 this month. This post scares the bejeebers out of me…
I had four molars pulled before I got my braces. That was pretty traumatizing… Especially since I wasn’t numb yet when he tried to crack the first one out of place. I kicked him… But it was purely instinctual/reactionary. I just flailed and he was in the way.
OH gosh I feel old! Or maybe it’s just a touch of demetia, although doesn’t that happen when you get old??… anyway I had this done ohhh like 15 years ago and all I remember is giggling so uncontrollably loud that my husband could hear me in the waiting room-laughing gas. And lets see then I remember taking the teeth home to freak out my husband because he was having the same procedure the next week. Hahaha! I am pretty sure they didn’t knock me out but I am thinking I did something in between. Guess I should have blogged it, oh wait that was before blogging…=D
Ok- I’ve been told for years to have this done and avoided ever getting around to it. I think I may continue in my avoidance. I didn’t realize on top of everything I already had heard about the procedure that it involved so much puking. Having to puke but being unable to open ones mouth? Does not sound pleasant at all….
I had mine out about 8 years ago. I didn’t puke and didn’t need any painkillers. I don’t even really remember it hurting that much afterwards, only the back of my head. It wasn’t really that bad. I even still have the teeth, all sealed up in a little special bag, kinda gross but slightly fascinating :)
Thank you so much – my daughter (22) is having hers out in a few weeks, and I’ve been really worried about it. It sounds like they’ve seriously improved the process, and I’m relieved that your experience wasn’t worse.
okay now i have to share this. i was 16 when i got mine out and i just had local and gas. after the first tooth came out i remember telling my doctor “great job! you are good at this”. one of the other teeth broke during extraction and the dentist said “block your throat!” and he had to pick it out of the back of my throat before i swallowed it. when it was over, they went to get my mom and i asked for chapstick. i was apparently very numb because in the time my mom and doctor reviewed “aftercare” i managed to apply red chapstick to my entire chin and part of my cheek. it stained. it was a great look :) i strangely have nothing but fun/adventure filled memories of my wisdom teeth coming out.