Wisdom teeth extraction tomorrow… starting to freak out…

[Barbie]

So… I’m getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow.  All 4.  Under a local anasthetic only.  And as far as I know, I’m only going to get OTC pain killers.

I would go for the sedative or general anasthesia, but given several extenuating circumstances, that’s not an option.  I was feeling fine about it up until now.  A couple days ago I read up on the procedure on webmd and on other sites and came across all the possible complications and nearly backed out but I called my dentist and he explained things to me and answered all my questions.  He offered to let me wait, but given the possible issues of NOT taking them out – infections in the gum, infections that travel into the bone, even tumors, and of course, crowding of my other teeth which once that happens, I’d only be able to fix it with braces (I got lucky and was born with very straight teeth, so I never had orthodontia, and I plan to keep it that way!) – I decided to keep my appointment and go forward with it.

I was looking up foods to buy tomorrow morning before the procedure and came across more sites talking about horror stories about taking 7+ days to recover and all kinds of complications and issues, and I’m starting to freak out.  Not to mention my mom called TWICE tonight to tell me how much it was going to hurt and how much pain I was going to be in for the next several days.  Thanks Mom.

So I’m starting to freak out a little bit.  Ok – a lot!

My dentist is very good and does about one wisdom tooth extraction procedure a day.  Also, he said my extractions should be straightfoward becasue none of the teeth are doing anything wonky.  But… there’s always the chance that something will go wrong with ME.    Not to mention that I really only have Saturday and Sunday to recover.  Some residual pain I can deal with, but I CANNOT be swollen when I go back to work on Monday.  If I’m swollen, I doubt I’ll be able to talk, and I really have to be able to talk to other people about my projects at the office.

Anyway, I know my fellow BBers are so supportive about everything else, so I’m just asking for your support, comforting words, vibes, prayers.

I go in at 2pm EST, so sometime late tomorrow afternoon I’ll post an update.

If you’ve had your wisdom teeth taken out, PLEASE don’t post horror stories about how bad your procedure was.  I’ve read enough scary things to keep me awake all night tonight! I’m really just looking for some comfort.    My bf will be here before and after the procedure, but he hasn’t had his out and thinks I shouldn’t do it at all!   If you had yours out and had an easy time with it, please share how it went and what you did to keep the swelling down and recover quickly!

[katiep]

I got my wisdom teeth out while just using novicane. I would have prefered to go to sleep or something but that was not an option with my insurance. My 3 wisdom teeth were all impacted in the bone and side ways too so I had the worst kind of “issue” you can have while getting your wisdom teeth out. I did get percaset (spelling?) but that was only for a few days then I switched to ib profin. Honestly, not as bad as I thought it was going to be….It sucked when the meds wore off but I just took more and felt fine. I slept for at least the next 2 days but it was just weird afterward keeping it clean and trying to eat without getting food stuck in there. Don’t be too scared, I’m sure you will be fine….it is scary just waiting for it to happen but honestly not that bad at all….you do get funny chipmunk cheeks though and your breath smells….but thats the worst of it!

[mrmac]

I had all four of mine removed, it was not awful but definitely take the weekend to rest. It will hurt but take ibuprofen and keep up with the doses. Applesauce, pudding, mashed potatoes, yogurt, oatmeal, jello, anything mushy than does not require much chewing! You can get bags of frozen peas to keep on your cheeks, I found that they conformed better to my face than ice packs. Keep the gauze in your mouth on the stitch sites to help reduce the swelling, even if it makes you drool a little. You should be able to talk but you won’t be able to open your mouth very wide, or stretch your jaws. You still might be a little swollen come Monday but it shouldn’t be too bad. Good luck! I am sure you will do fine! Hugs and healing vibes! Let your bf take care of you and make sure you get lots of rest and keep the ice/bags of peas on them!

[jerseygirl]

You can scare yourself silly from stuff you read online. Don’t do anymore of that OK?!!! Barbie, I’m confident you’ll do fine as your dentist sounds really, really good. They’ve also seen any after effects that *could* happen and know how to deal with it. Think of this as 2 days you can spoil yourself, watch movies, eat foods you don’t normally have, let your bf dote on you. Between now and your procedure distract yourself. Here’s some (((calm))) vibes for you!

[Barbie]

Katiep – that’s so reassuring that you just had novacaine, you have no idea! I’m sure people do it all the time with just a local, but I’m kinda a wimp when it comes to big ol’ needles coming at me, and I was worried about when the dentist has to cut through the bone. Mine are impacted too, but growing in straight.

Mrmac – thanks for the food suggestions – I didn’t think of oatmeal – yum!

Jerseygirl – yes, I’m actually going in to work tomorrow morning, then leaving at lunch, getting a few groceries and then going to the dentist, so I don’t think I’ll have too much time to dwell on it… except for tonight And yes, I’ve got movies and books and a knitting project ready and waiting!

I love you guys! I’m feeling much better. And I’m going to stop googling variations of “wisdom teeth extraction pain”!!!

[Monkeybun]

And whatever you do, don’t drink anything through a straw. I didn’t have wisdom teeth out, but i did have a regular molar extracted, and it went well. Dentist said no straws, no rice, nothing that can get stuck. I listened, and healed up great.

Just get some good movies and books lined up, and vegetate afterward. Naps work well too

I was lucky though too. My dentist prescribes vicodin for any dental surgery lol.

[LoveChaCha]

I had my two top wisdoms out last September. I was on vicodin afterward. Hehe. It worked wonders. I was drowsy.. Zonk.

It takes a while for the gum to get back to normal, so you might get food stuck. I suggest stocking up on toothpicks.

[mrmac]

Definitely no straws, they can cause dry sockets! No carbonated drinks, only if it is flat.

Milkshakes, mac n’ cheese, soup/broth, smoothies, ice cream, NO rice!, cottage cheese, just a couple more ideas! The next day you will probably be able to eat more solid things but only if you chew with the front part of your mouth, You will master this! All I wanted was a cheeto! I managed it by chewing with my front teeth. Best cheeto I have ever had!

[Monkeybun]

Oooh I loved milkshakes. And frosty’s from Wendy’s lol. Eaten with a spoon of course

[mrmac]

Yum Wendy’s frosty! Ooh you made me want one now…

[Michelle&Lolli]

If they are not impacted, it should really just be like removing a tooth. Mine were not impacted but I kept getting cavities in them so I had mine removed. I choose to go to an oral surgeon cause i had a REALLY bad experience with tooth removal when I was four and if any teeth were being removed, I was being knocked out. Turns out, I could’ve just stayed awake. It took several days before I was really able to eat lots of solid foods but I was only in pain for maybe 2 days. It turned out to be less severe than I thought – probably because of all of the horror stories we hear.

So you should be fine! It will be all ok and you will find that you worried for nothing! Hugs

[Beka27]

You will do great! If you get a Rx, check to see if the surgeon’s office will call in your Rx when you’re ready to leave the office, so you only have to swing by and pick it up.

(((Healing vibes!)))

[RabbitPam]

I think every doctor should be allowed to remove a person’s mouse as soon as an important procedure is scheduled. I can’t stand the internet for some things, and this is one. I’m really glad you’re going ahead and having it done.

I went to a dentist in my teens to get one impacted wisdom tooth removed. Had it done in a chair and he gave me gas so I guess it was general anesthesia. I remember waking up and he was finishing up stitches (no, I didn’t feel a thing. This is NOT a horror story!) on the opposite side. Turns out all 4 were impacted so he said he got it over with for me all at once. I felt fine, had meds and lots and lots of yummy milk shakes.

I also swelled up and turned yellow – looked like a chipmunk, but it didn’t hurt, just looked silly. I remember I was trying to find a summer job and actually went into a store asking if they were hiring. They must have thought I was nuts – or storing nuts in my cheeks! Anyway, best thing that ever happened was getting it all done at once and never worrying about them again.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Me and my sister both had our wisdom teeth pulled without being put to sleep. Afterwords just keep ice on it and remember to take your pain meds! I was just miserable the first day because I hated biting down on the gauze. My sister however was chatting and laughing the first day. Most of the time you get laughing gas if you aren’t put to sleep. That apparently makes you kind of out of it. I however could not deal with the feeling of laughing gas. It made me feel all tingly and weird! So I did it without the laughing gas! Two of my teeth and two of my sisters were impacted.

I’m sorry to say but no matter how much ice you put on it everyone seems to swell up (you might get lucky) my sister and I both looked like chipmunks after a couple days. and I sadly turned yellow. It doesn’t hurt, but it is kind of hard to open your mouth. It did hurt if I touched my face though.

Well good Luck!

[Sarita]

Vibes to you Barbie. I have never had my wisdom teeth extracted so I cannot offer any advice only vibes.

[Andi]

It will be fine

I had all four of mine taken out at the same time, they were growing totally sideways into my other teeth, i had no choice but to get them removed. I was put under, and at that time this was my first surgery. When i woke up all stoned from the drugs all i could think about was all the cats and dogs i watched wake up after surgery and how silly they looked…. that was me, i must have looked like that! I foudn that so funny, i was laughing and the nurses kept telling me to lay down, and be quiet :p

My one recomendation…. don’t eat solid food as long as they say. I wanted a burger so bad and felt good. Though i didn’t eat solid food for a bit, I did eat it to early and ended up getting an abcess. So it was my own fault. It wasn’t ‘that’ bad it just looked bad because I was all swollen.

I would have this procedure done again if i needed to.

[Lis]

I had, not just the wisdom teeth, but also my front canines, all extracted in one surgery. The wisdoms didn’t bug me at ALL. The canines did, because the first thing my mom handed me was a milkshake with a straw, but you won’t have that issue because you won’t be missing teeth in front.

I got mine done at like 9 AM, and by about 3, I was begging my dad to let me go to marching band practice and just practice marching with them. The only reason he said no was because I was hopped up on vicodin that the doctor prescribed me.
I barely took pain pills past the first day. Couple ibuprofen (here’s a tip – your prescription painkillers are just 800 mg of ibuprofen – or the amount in 4 mortin instead of the normal 2) here and there, but nothing big.

[Lis]

Oh, also, one recommendation if you get sick of ice cream and soup – purreed peaches. I lived off them for a week.

[Barbie]

Thank you all so much for your support and advice! You are great, and you were right…. it was much easier that I’d hyped myself up for

So it’s almost 1am here, and I’ve been meaning to get online and let you all know how it’s going, but I’ve been pretty wiped out . Took a nap and then spent the rest of the evening just watching tv and figuring out how to eat and drink while my lips were still completely numb. I was starving b.c I didn’t eat more than a few plain crackers and juice in the morning before the surgery because I was so nervous. The surgery went well. I just brought my ipod and listened to music while they did it. I was completely numbed up with novacaine or something and they also gave me nitrous oxide so I was relaxed but still completely conscious. No complications and very little swelling so far. I’ve been icing as much as possible with bags of frozen lima beans and alternating tylenol and ibuprofen every 4 hours so I havent had too much pain either (I hope I haven’t jinxed it now!). I’ll be living on chicken broth, ice cream, sherbet, yogurt, and baby food for awhile! I’m craving some pizza and/or french fries right now though, so that’s a bummer – won’t be eating that for awhile. Just hoping for a fast, easy recovery now!

Thanks again!!!!

[mrmac]

I knew you would be fine! It is amazing how much you crave all those things that you can’t eat just eat, isn’t it?! Bags of peas and lima beans are the best! You physched yourself up too much! I am glad you haven’t had much swelling and are keeping up with your meds! Many healing vibes and kisses from my bunnies coming your way! Heal Barbie heal!

[jerseygirl]

Good to hear Barbie! (((Anti-chipmunk-cheek vibes)))

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Yay, glad to hear you are doing great. See they did give you laughing gas, and that must have helped. I personally found it really scary because I was completely awake and aware because I could not deal with laughing gas!

I did not have that much trouble with pain afterwords, the only thing that annoyed me was not being able to eat solid food and not being able to brush my teeth!

Vibes to you so you heal quickly and painlessly!

[RabbitPam]

I think I got a whiff of your laughing gas because I’m still laughing about the lima beans! I was going to ask which is better, frozen lima beans or peas but mrmac beat me to it.

Congrats on joining the gummy bears club. We who gum our food in the back salute you!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Congrats on joining the gummy bears club. We who gum our food in the back salute you!

Haha, I think I probably ‘gum’ my food the most because I had four permanent teeth removed and I had my four wisdom teeth removed. I am the most experienced in the teeth removal department!

[Beka27]

I’m happy things went well!

(((((((((((((Healing vibes!)))))))))))))

[LoveChaCha]

Speaking of wisdom teeth, my bottom ones are beginning to ache Oh man…

I only got my 2 top teeth taken out because it would have cost more than 1 grand. Seriously? O_O

When I got my two top teeth taken out, I got shots. I felt the shots but didn’t feel anything else after that, lol.

[Barbie]

Thanks you all!

Yeah, mine was pretty expensive too, but thank goodness for dental insurance! I’m ready to get back to real food now – I need something with crunch! But I’m afraid of getting a dry socket :/ Gah! This is just annoying now! Still having some pain though. Dumb. Lol.

[MimzMum]

And NO SMOKING! lol *wags finger* And that’s why they tell you not to suck on a straw either, those are two things that will give you dry socket.
Congrats on coming through it okay! I had the doc put me completely to sleep for my extractions because my right side was impacted. I just didn’t want to know what was going on, so I went for the whole enchilada. My first foray into the world of heavy surgical medications…lol.

I was so silly after waking up (which took awhile) that my sister-in-law and I were cracking loud jokes in the recovery room. The doc kept coming in and scolding us for not letting me rest. I think we were just making his other patients nervous. lol….

I slept for about 6 hours when I got home. At least while you’re asleep you don’t have to think about how much you want pizza. But I’m a mouth breather too, so that was a little uncomfortable each time I woke up. ~_~
It’s insane what dentistry costs! I just went in with crown trouble and for just looking at me and grinding the surfaces down a bit (didn’t help my pain) I got charged $103! If your dentist does an extraction a day, he must be knee deep in BMW’s by now! 0_o

Ah well…you never have to go through it again! Good on ya for basically taking the surgery straight like that…I take my hat off to you! Feel better soon!

[Author]

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