This wasn't in the aftercare booklet...
January 4, 2011 6:49 PM   Subscribe

SillyQuestionFilter: When can I make out after having a wisdom tooth out?

I had one wisdom tooth taken out last week. It wasn't a bad extraction because it was already grown in so they didn't have to dig down into the gum for it. The dentist said it was healing fine when I went for a checkup a few days after, and it doesn't hurt or bleed anymore at all. I can, however, still see the open socket, though I understand that's normal, and that the dreaded dry socket would be noticeably painful.

My S/O is coming back into town this weekend after an extended absence so it would be nice if I could do some kissing, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or likely to get me a dry socket. I would ask my dentist, but I feel like an ass.

Thanks!
posted by vanitas to Health & Fitness (10 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Suction would be bad. So you can kiss, but I wouldn't do any tongue kissing until after you have the go-ahead to use a straw.
posted by headspace at 6:52 PM on January 4, 2011


Best answer: Also no offense, but you may have gotten used to your own blood-breath and mouth-gape smells, but they will be brand new to her. Closed mouth kisses will be appreciated.
posted by hermitosis at 6:54 PM on January 4, 2011 [3 favorites]


I had mine dug out a few years ago. Ewww, what an unpleasant time. Your SO should not only NOT venture past your front teeth for, say, two weeks or so, but s/he may not even WANT to do so. Cleaning out the post-extraction warzone isn't all that easy... and cleaning THOROUGHLY isn't even entirely possible. Things are liable to be fairly icky in there, and the odds are good that your dentist probably warned against any harsh, alcohol-based mouthwashes (mine did).

One thing that helped: getting my hands on some needle-less syringes with a 90-degree bend in 'em to gently flush out the post-extraction area. They are gentle enough to not disrupt your healing but also engineered to get at stuff that toothbrushes can't.
posted by julthumbscrew at 7:08 PM on January 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I wouldn't want to kiss you until you could use mouthwash. And you can't yet. And your mouth is icky and smelly inside. So be an ace and don't suck face.
posted by iconomy at 7:29 PM on January 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: OK, thanks, I'll wait a little longer. Though, for the record, I was given the go-ahead to use mouthwash or a straw after a week. How long should I wait, though? My mouth doesn't feel gross now so I don't know when it will, er, stop being gross.
posted by vanitas at 7:40 PM on January 4, 2011


Ohhh, if you can use a straw or mouthwash, the dry socket possibility is probably past. That's good. I wonder about your risk for infection with someone else's tongue in your mouth though? You should really call your dentist and ask though, they've heard weirder things!
posted by iconomy at 8:08 PM on January 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


My dentist/oral surgeon had told me that I was safe from the dry socket after 1 week... Not sure how accurate that was, but I stopped worrying about it after a week and I was fine. Also, my socket didn't fully close up for over a year. It was obnoxious, but not painful. Don't be surprised if yours takes awhile before it's completely healed over!
posted by Glendale at 8:50 PM on January 4, 2011


Ohhh, if you can use a straw or mouthwash, the dry socket possibility is probably past. That's good. I wonder about your risk for infection with someone else's tongue in your mouth though? You should really call your dentist and ask though, they've heard weirder things!

This is so weird to me. Nobody told me about dry-socket or anything. No warnings against straws or tongue kissing. Nothing.

Then again, I did have to pull my own stitches out. GRUMBLE. I think I may have had the worst oral surgeon in the state.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 1:03 AM on January 5, 2011


Best answer: Oh, dude... if you've been cleared for straws 'n Listerine, you are probably past a lot of the goriest of the healing process. Plus you can now disinfect the terrain, as it were Get those needle-free syringes, lavage out your surgery area, swish with Listerine and then GO TO TOWN! :-)
posted by julthumbscrew at 7:47 AM on January 5, 2011


Response by poster: Thank you all! I shall go to town, though I will wash and Listerine first, I'm sure she will appreciate that.
posted by vanitas at 7:25 PM on January 5, 2011


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