Tooth extraction and bone graft and marijuana

August 10, 2018 5:27 PM

Had two teeth removed and bone grafts put in...can I smoke just a tiny bit of weed?

Hello,
You are not my periodontist, oral surgeon, or dentist.

I had two teeth removed today - upper right #2 and #3. I also had bone grafting done to prepare the area for implants. I've been all over the web to see that smoking and weed are not recommended after this type of procedure. I am a cigarette smoker and a weed smoker. I can go without the cigarettes for a few days, but the weed thing is self medication and I doubt I'll sleep without it.

The Oral Surgeon gave me an antibiotic, ibubrofen 600 mg, and hydrocodone/acetaminophen (1 every 4-6 hours as needed). I'm not in much pain, just general discomfort. The worst is keeping my tongue out of that area. I have stitches that will dissolve, so dry socket is not an issue.

I can live without the cigarettes (and if it goes well, I hope to never go back) but I'm asking specifically about just a few hits of weed from a bowl - literally, just 3 hits. I would be careful not to suck too hard, and would keep the extraction area covered with some moist gauze while smoking. Is this really going to fuck me up? I just don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight...

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks so much!

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

could you eat it instead? I hear dry sockets is the absolute worst.
posted by velebita at 5:42 PM on August 10, 2018 [6 favorites]

Ideally if you have a bong get a friend to suck the smoke into the (what is that part called) and just pass and inhale the smoke gently.
posted by sammyo at 5:52 PM on August 10, 2018

I had this same procedure on one tooth, smoked pot afterwards, and nothing happened. The problem as I understood it was with sucking and the (negative) pressure it puts on the wound, so don't do that.
posted by rhizome at 6:14 PM on August 10, 2018

NO! a friend of mine had a bone graft get infected because she didn't follow the directions and it was the most awful, horrible pain plus it ended up taking months to heal in the end. Don't risk it.
posted by fshgrl at 6:26 PM on August 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Hmm. Won't the hydrocodone knock you out pretty good? Have you tried taking it yet? It can have paradoxical effects for some people—I definitely know people who have experienced taking it late at night and having it wake them up for several hours, rather than knocking them out—but generally, it should make you pretty sleepy.

It doesn't seem worth the risk to smoke unless not doing so would produce effects that could damage the graft (e.g., nausea and vomiting). Smoking and bone healing don't go well together, as far as I've read.
posted by limeonaire at 6:27 PM on August 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I just had a tooth pulled and a bone graft. I had stitches too, and I was definitely told that dry socket was still a concern and that smoking was the thing most likely to cause it. I wouldn’t chance it.
posted by FencingGal at 6:29 PM on August 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Anyone with medical experience is going to say no, do not inhale things while you are recovering from mouth surgery. Just no. Suction is a problem; smoke vapor is a problem; particulates in the mouth is a problem.

Chance of a problem because of them is low, but very much non-zero, and it's like asking, "I have a concussion, so, how much headbanging to rock music is okay? Just a little bit?" ... the medical advice, and even the friendly not-your-medical-professional advice is always going to be, "umm... no. Not safe. Not even a little bit is safe."

Can you eat it instead? (I know; very much not the same.) Maybe do one of the saute-in-butter options and mix it with something where you won't notice the flavor? (Hrm, liquid-ish diet, probably. Saute in oil and add to soup?)
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 6:36 PM on August 10, 2018 [9 favorites]

I feel you so so so much. I understand it's the suction that's the problem, because if you suck too hard (heh) you'll dislodge the clot/scab sealing the area. I am a bigggggg pothead, huge, and if at all possible I'd try edibles or just eating a couple Benadryl to knock me out. Get well soon!
posted by masquesoporfavor at 7:29 PM on August 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I had wisdom teeth removed when still a cigarette smoker 35 years ago and ended up with a dry socket, likely as a result of some limited smoking after. Believe me, you DO. NOT. want a dry socket. I couldn't believe the level of pain from something so seemingly simple. Can't say your case might result in that, but I would avoid the risk if at all possible.
posted by ClingClang at 7:52 PM on August 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Two cones won't make things worse. Just don't go apeshit.
posted by h00py at 7:03 AM on August 11, 2018

Sure, go ahead (IANAL IANAD IANAN)

It's not just the sucking that can screw it up. Smoking anything causes capillaries all over your body to shrink up a bit, which is most definitely what you DON'T want to happen around the tissues in your mouth trying to heal themselves. Healing tissue doesn't get oxygen, healing tissue dies, you get dry socket. Look it up. Especially, look at pictures. Not fun.

Also, of course, TBH, not guaranteed, so it comes down to, how lucky do you feel, Punk?
posted by qurlyjoe at 9:00 PM on August 11, 2018