Tomorrow morning I'm getting all four of my wisdom teeth out.

[LeftyMom]

I post this both as a warning in case I don't react well to the painkillers and post something really loopy tomorrow, and as a solicitation for advice on how best to cope with the recovery.

Thanks in advance. :)

[LeftyFingerPop]

1. It won't be as bad as you may be anticipating.

You will take pain killers before the novocaine wears off, and believe it or not, the after surgery pain may even be tolerable without taking painkillers for too long.

The worse part will probably be this "junk" you get in your mouth for a little while after they are pulled.

Also, I have some more advice. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you get drunk the night of having your teeth pulled, go out on your front porch with your best friend and his wife, dance with his wife to a Three Dog Night song, have your knees buckle, crack your head open on a stucco windowsill, and have to go to the hospital to get 20 stitches in your forehead.

If you think the tooth pain is bad....

The only reason I am saying this is because it...erm...it happened to a friend of mine...thats right...a friend of mine.

[AllegroRondo]

2. I hear recovery can be helped by

posting lots of pics to the lounge. :)

[flvegan]

3. Tomorrow (something loopy)

as opposed to every/any other day?

:shrug:

[LeftyMom]

28. I will kick your wimpy vegan ass.

:P

[flvegan]

32. Shut up.

I'm busy trying to figure out how I can abuse my kids when I have them.

[LeftyMom]

34. Don't worry, I'd probably abort them for fun and liberal cred.

If I didn't, the dogs would probably eat them anyhow. :D

[MaryBear]

36. OMG, LeftyMom

You will behave here now won't you?

[LeftyMom]

38. I guess I have to.

:sheepish:

[MaryBear]

44. Puleeeze

please please please.

gracias and thank you.

[edbermac]

4. I'll send you my DVD of Marathon Man to get you in the mood.

"Is it safe?"

[Breeze54]

21. OH, you're bad!!!!!

:rofl:

[LostinVA]

5. It'll be okay -- you'll probably have more discomfort than pain

[Deep13]

6. Piece of cake.

Seriously. I've had a lot of dental work and an extraction, even if it is a complicated extraction, is easy. It is painless and takes only a few seconds for each tooth.

Suggestions? I'm sure the dentist will give you some. He or she will probably tell you to use an antiseptic rinse and to use ice to control swelling for the first few hours. It there are stitches, you'll need to have them removed in about a week. If they are impacted, you might want some narcotics for the post-op pain. Otherwise, you can probably control it with ibuprofen.

Really, absolutely nothing to worry about.

P.S.: Frankly, I think general anesthesia is more trouble than it is worth. With a local only you will feel nothing and be awake and right away with not nausea or long recovery period. All my extrctions, implants, oral surgeries or various kinds and root canals were done with local anesthesia only.

[racaulk]

7. I had all four of mine taken out last December.

They say the surgery is tougher as you get older, but I'm 31 and I didn't have too many problems. The surgery itself was a breeze. The surgeon put me under general anesthesia and I was out like a light. The next thing I remembered was waking up with gauze in my mouth, my teeth gone, and my friend (who was there to drive me home) was in the recovery room with me.

The recovery itself was tough at first. I slept most of the day after surgery. I was a little nauseous, but only that first day. The taste of blood is disgusting, but I had stopped bleeding by early evening. I was eating solid foods the next day, although I didn't have too much of an appetite until the second day after surgery. I felt this dull, toothache-like pain in my mouth for about a week, but the painkillers the doctor prescribed helped greatly with that.

On the whole, the surgery wasn't as bad for me as I had led myself to believe it would be. Anticipation is the worst part.

Just make sure you have your whole day cleared tomorrow. You'll want to sleep it off, trust me!

[Tyler Durden]

8. What planet are THESE people FROM???

All four, same day, felt like I'd gone 10 rounds with Ali for the next 4 days, and had jowls like Nixon to prove it.

If you asked me to go through that again or have a repeat vasectomy without anesthetic...I'd have to flip a coin.

I hope your's goes better than mine did, but I would PREPARE for the worst: shop, lay in supplies, make arrangements for dependents, etcetera.

[Raven]

9. Watch out for "dry socket".

I know, sounds funny but it sometimes happens with the top wisdom teeth. Ask the Doc about it. Good luck, you'll do fine!

[Raven]

10. More on Dry Socket

I should have included this in my first post. A good description and, it's the lower sockets not the upper that get this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_socket

[LeftyMom]

29. My mom had it.

I'm hoping my recovery will go okay- I spend about half of my workday on the phone, so if my mouth is still swollen on Monday life will suck.

[Breeze54]

11. My sister looked like a chipmunk for 3 wks after her's

were removed! I swear and she was in a lot of pain! It hurt a lot when she laughed.

Suggestion: Buy straws!!! They make recovery easier! ;)

I hope it goes well for you. Poor thing.

[LeftyFingerPop]

12. Also, although it is rare...

I believe for every 3 out of 1000 people that get all 4 wisdom teeth pulled at the same time, their head falls off during the surgery. Watch out for this.

[MsKandice01]

22. LOL!

:rofl:

[Bullwinkle925]

13. Good luck .

When my daughter had them out - years ago - she was eating Chinese food later in the day. I know - she's a bit weird - but in retrospect, it was probably the drugs!! :+

It will be over with before you know it!

Take good care!

[Madrone]

14. I had all 4 of mine out in my late 20's

I'm 34 now. Anyway - from what I remember I was MISERABLE for the first 24 hours, and each day I felt progressively better. The first day was most definitely the worst.

[Ms_Dem_Meanor]

15. Sleep and plenty of GOOD drugs!!!

I did the same thing plus a molar back in 2000. The worse thing about me getting 5 teeth pulled was it was done around Thanksgiving and Christmas! I hope everything goes well in the end. :)

[eyesroll]

16. Mine went easily--

I was awake under local (no nitrous, just novocaine) and it took about 45 minutes. Didn't even bother with the prescription painkillers (I don't react well to opiates -- I just took some advil and dealt with what was basically a dull ache).

I was 17, and my parents made me take three days off from my summer job...I was bored and ready to return to work within about 12 hours.

Good luck...just avoid straws, try not to smoke if you do, and either get some frozen peas or fill rubber gloves with water, then freeze. You'll be bruised and chipmunk-ish for awhile.

[AlCzervik]

17. Stay away from using straws no matter how much you want to use one.

keep your head up on a couple of pillows and try advil gel caps, i skipped taking the Vicodin they gave me when i had mine out and advil worked fine for me. Be well and i wish you a speedy recovery chipmunk cheeks.

[flvegan]

18. I just read all the responses, and your biggest pain

is going to be cleaning the house after your dad and sis have had to fend for themselves for a couple of days.

[LeftyMom]

30. I'm thinking about setting it on fire and starting over.

It might be easier.

[flvegan]

31. You fucking vegan/PETA/ALFers are all alike

arson solves everything, eh...Coronado?

Pathetic.

[LeftyMom]

33. meh.

:shrug:

It's something to do. ;)

[flvegan]

35. Yeah, well you miscreants never see shit through

I've got a veal processing plant 10 miles south of me that burned like hot Monkey desire, yet it still operates.

Fucking amateurs.

[LeftyMom]

37. Well, 10 miles south of you is 3009 miles from me

and I have to be at the dentist in the morning. :shrug:

Call me, I want to talk for a few while my mouth is still normal sized. :)

[flvegan]

45. As usual, all about you

and your "causes"

Sorry, I have veal calves to liberate. Should I give you the link to the online application to PETA money so idiots can try to play "connect the dots" for morons?

[LeftyMom]

46. But if there are no veal calves

what will His Holiness eat?

Sorry, had to do it.

[flvegan]

48. That's like

finding fault with Paul Watson for using a non-hybrid ship to ram whalers.

[LeftyMom]

49. Well, if Watson was a homophobic feudal lord, anyhow.

;)

We're probably not going to see eye to eye on this one. Oh well.

[flvegan]

51. You read that on the wwe.com site.

Watson had nothing to do with steroids. Jesus.

[LeftyMom]

52. Why do I feel like the drugs kicked in before I even have any?

[Richardo]

19. Is there a resource that shows which dental anesthetics are not animal-tested?

My sister-in-law has some dental problems and is very sensitive on this issue. (no pun intended)

Best of luck tomorrow! :hug:

[jpgray]

50. Googled a few times but turned up nothing

I know someone who suffered through a filling without anesthetic for reasons of veganism--it was excruciating. He sweated so much it went through two layers of clothing to soak the dentist chair. That's commitment! :D

[Richardo]

61. Thanks for trying!

:pals:

[derby378]

20. I had that done when I was a teenager...

I spent the next five days recuperating on the couch and hunching over the toilet. Expect a lot of blood for the first two days. But the angled syringe they'll probably give you to wash out the holes in your gums is pretty sweet.

[MilesColtrane]

23. Percodan and a dark, quiet bedroom. n/t

[billyskank]

24. All at once?

Wow. I'd have thought it would be more sensible to do one side at a time. But what do I know? Hope it all goes as easily for you as it did for me when I had one pulled in 2004 (no pain at all).

:hi:

[BlueIris]

25. Just don't let the surgeon or the pharmacy give you generic drugs and you should be okay.

Insist on brand name, make them write "Do not substitute" on the goddamned script and don't be afraid to ask for more effective pain management if what they prescribe doesn't work for you. Also, take the pain meds before the anesthesia from the surgery has fully worn off.

[flamingyouth]

26. My partner had all of his out last fall.

He was fine in about two days. He hardly took any of his painkillers. Good luck. :)

[Beer Snob-50]

27. my 17 yo son had his out this morning

he is home right now, eating jello, watching comedies (without a paddle, animal house, and stripes to name a few) and just allowing his mother to baby him.


my wife can come to your house and baby you tomorrow if you would like.

[Saboburns]

42. er, um

Painkillers, Jello, and Babied by Mom?!?

Fuck it, I'm in.

{calling me Dentist in the morning}

[AndreaCG]

39. After major dental work

I found Advil to be more effective in stopping pain than the tylenol with codeine my dentist prescribed. Take more than normal of the advil up to 800 milligrams. I don't know how percodan compares.

My mother BEGGED me for some of the unused tylenol with codeine. She's such a junkie. ; )

[MilesColtrane]

55. Aspirn and Ibuprofen are blood thinners.

You might be better off at the beginning taking what's prescribed because you want your wounds to clot and not continue bleeding.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are hard on the liver and taking too much over too long a time can destroy it. Narcotics are easier on your body.

[AndreaCG]

63. The dentist in the South Bronx DID prescribe Advil

Prescription strength, 800 milligrams.

I don't think he trusted his clientele not to abuse the codeine. Kind of racist to me...

My periodontist gives me tylenol with codeine.

[MaryBear]

40. LM, it depends

on the state of your mouth/roots and the skill of your oral surgeon.

Do avoid caffein.

mb

[JI7]

41. i had them out when i was about 16 , the pain is horrible and pain killers don't help

but my wisdom teeth were impacted and they had to cut through the gums to remove them. i couldn't eat much for over a week. it was over 2 weeks before things just started to get to normal. but i lost a lot of weight. my mouth was also swollen and my face looked very puffed up.

i'm not sure how bad it will be for you. but if it is painful my advice would be to just try to sleep it off through the days.

[bamacrat]

43. I had all 4 of mine out at once.

They just pulled out no cutting, wasnt that bad. Worst part was going easy when you start to eat again so you dont pop the stitches.

[Tektonik]

47. I had all four of mine out a few yrs ago

It's not so bad really, the worst part is picking stuff out of your 4 new food pockets in the back of your mouth :P

Plus you get a bottle of vicodin you can peddle to middle schoolers :P

[Rhythm]

53. I had the last three done about a year ago...

Two of them were broken, and the other was causing alignment probs for the other molars.

Take it easy for a couple of days, stay away from straws ("dry socket" sucks), and use the good drugs as you need to.

You'll be fine in no time.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

54. Take good care, my dear LeftyMom!

I hope all will go very well......:hug:

[msanthrope]

56. Teabagging..... No, not what you are thinking....

Use wrung-out-with-warm-water-Lipton or Tetley tea bags...place them on your sore gum and chew lightly...the tanin will help shrink the membranes/provide some relief.....

Also, make sure you have plenty of straws in the house.

[Robeson]

57. Take good care LeftyMom...

...you'll be drowsy with the drugs, but it will pass soon. Best of thoughts to you... :hug:

[Roon]

58. Don't do what I did after I got mine pulled

I ate peanut brittle. I was sure sorry afterwards.

[badgerpup]

59. Some good points about blood thinners...

If the dentist writes you a script for "___cet", it has tylenol (acetemeniphen) in it.
Don't take extra tylenol if you're taking this...makes your liver unhappy.
Zinc helps with healing, but don't take it on an empty stomach or it'll rip you up one side and down the other.

Ummm...ice packs for your jaw, movies for you to watch, books- you may or may not be able to focus.
Soft, cool foods for a day or two (milkshakes, smoothies)...you'll know when you can handle the Chinese.

Don't wait until you are writhing on the floor before taking your pain meds. Catching it early means you will use LESS to keep your pain under control.

Demand TLC and some service, damn it! ;)

Best of luck to you...had all four of mine out when I was 17...and they didn't knock me out because I didn't have a ride home.

[JCMach1]

60. I had to have my impacted and sideways ones cut out!

It was very painful... The drugs helped, but was out of it for several days.

[philosophie_en_rose]

62. If you have a prescription, start your antibiotics right away.

Otherwise, you'll puff up like a blowfish. I waited for some reason, with unfortunately round results.