Wisdom teeth...

I know this is a bit silly.. but I have to get 4 wisdom teeth out soon. Im terrified.

I have never had any stitches before or taken anything stronger than a simple panadol! The last needle I had would have been immunisations years ago..

Everyone at my work keeps telling me they will give me panadine forte and I will probably be off with the faries because I never take any painkillers... also they keep telling me how big an puffy my cheeks will be!

I have already cancelled the appointment twice and I'm very close to chickening out a third time! Its terrible it is such a simple little procedure!

Please tell me I am not alone out there with my irrational fear!

I know it's scary. I had my wisdom teeth out, all four, and I was scared about it too. But it wasn't bad AT ALL. I had almost no swelling and I truly had very little pain. I didn't even know the surgery had taken place, they hooked me up to the anesthetic, then I woke up thinking I hadn't even been "out" and it was all over (apparently I was awake the whole time w/ the kind of anesthetic used, but I don't remember a thing). I took the prescription painkillers for only 1 day and then I was just taking over-the-counter ibuprofen.

It is scary, and everyone's experiences are different but for me it wasn't nearly as bad as I was anticipating. Go ahead and get it done. If you keep putting it off you will just regret it later and it will be more of a problem when you do have to get them pulled.

I agree-I had mine out, and I asked for the gas because the novacain shots never work for me, I was very loopy and close to asking the nurse out, but you really couldn't feel it.  Not to scare you but mine were impacted and they had to remove a small portion of my jaw to get the tooth, and I couldn't feel anything more than a little pressure.  Same with the stitches.  It was like "I know this should hurt, but it just feels kinda funny".  The only problem I had was I tend to drool in my sleep, and I bled a little and made a big mess on my pillow!

So don't be too worried, because the end result will be better that now!  Good luck!

BTW: If they have to do stitches, ask for the ones that dissolve on their own.  My dentist didn't tell me about these, and I had to go back a week later to get them out, and he didn't do anything other than snip it and just pull the thread!  Weirdest feeling I've ever had!

are they impacted or are they up?

i have 3 of mine out. all under local anaesthetic. i had my lower out 2 weekks ago. i was particularly worried about that as a branch of the mandibular nerve can run v close to the tooth and extraction can cause some damage. i was very worried going in. i am a panicker anyway. but honest to God, it was absolutely fine. really and truly, i was laughing at myself for being so afraid.

i was a little sore afterward - just achey, but went on to work afterward. some of my colleagues were messing with my head beforehand. one had just done a stint with and oral surgeon and was telling me of the horrors shes wittnessed, but honestly it was fine. the same friend offered to write me a prescription but honestly i needed nothing but paracetamol and only for 12hrs

Mine were impacted, and they hurt quite a bit. The week after was a bit rough--I suggest not eating a lot of hard foods, and don't work out. I tried and nearly passed out. But it could have been from the meds--the vicodin had a weird affect on my body and my reaction times slowed and I got shaky and stuff.

But don't be nervous--from what I've heard, nobody else had the same reaction I did. You'll just go to sleep for like an hour and wake up high on drugs and everything will be dandy with the exception of some normal soreness.

Im a retired dental assistant.

It is a fairly routine surgery for any oral surgeon.  First and for most try not to listen to any horror stories.

Follow all instructions you are given to the letter for both pre-op and post-op care.  Very important.

The problems mainly happen when patients rush their recovery or dont listen to their dentists.

Its not that bad really. Yes your cheeks will get a little puffy but an ice pack takes care of it. Also buy a big bottle of ibprophen. The pain killers will make you sleepy so the ibprophen helps when you need to stay awake. Slushies and italian ice will be your friend too. Just some other advice the gauze that you have to keep in your mouth tastes awful. Normally dentists are very generous and will knock you out or will numb you up pretty good.

I understand how scary it can be. I had all four wisdom teeth out at 19 and had never been under anesthetic before. Mine were all impacted. I was very swollen and sore for 4 days afterward and then I was fine.

Some things I recommend:

Take your antibiotics! Seriously.

Don't drink through a straw. I've heard dry sockets are pretty painful.

If they keep bleeding past 24 hours, wet some teabags and bite on them (this was recommended by my oral surgeon when mine were still bleeding the next morning).

I tend to have major reactions to pain killers so I agree with the ibuprofen suggestion.

Take it easy! It's going to happen so you may as well relax and go with the flow :)

Good luck!

I had mine out a few years ago and I was terrified.  I dealt with pain for years because I was so afraid.  My husband finally talked me into going through with the procedure.

It was nothing!  I was out for the whole thing and when I woke up I didn't even realize anything happened.  I couldn't take the pain meds because they made me sick but found that I didn't need them.  I had minimal pain, no swelling and no bruising. 

I had mine taken out when I was around 19  many years ago lets say..lol Its wasnt bad at all I was scared too. No swelling, just a little bit of pain I also cant take pains meds, motrin worked well for me and was wide awake when it was done.

Hey crackster...

I had to write when I saw this. I am going to be totally honest with you and keep in mind this was only my experience ONLY!

Well, I had my wisdom tooth pulled last year at 29. This was the first time I had ANYTHING pulled from my body. I wasn't really scared because I have never had a bad experience with a dentist. My tooth  and the back of my mouth had been hurting for a few weeks and I just couldn't take it anymore. So I go in and have it looked at and he was shocked that I still had all my teeth back there. Well, it was a small hole in the tooth and then he brings out this damn metal pick and starts jabbing my tooth. Oh my god...I mean....oh my god, he hit something and I'm like **** that hurt! so I had to rinse and spit and he was quite rough. Then he tells me he can't do it that day that I need to come back. WHAT????? I don't know why I actually came back. So, a week later, I am in the chair and they are putting some numbing agent on my gum and I am like okay. Can't feel my cheek but that's okay. And I thought that was it....I didn't know about the shot. I AM TERRIFIED OF SHOTS AND HAVE HAD HORRID EXPERIENCES WHILE I WAS IN THE STATES GETTING SHOTS FROM UNQUALIFIED NURSES. Anyhow, He sticks this huge needle in my mouth and dammit, I can feel it. He's like, "you can feel that"? YES, YES I CAN...NOW DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! I actually get 2 shots in my mouth. And guess what? That's not the worst part. The pliers were hurting me and that damn drill was so scary. But when he was pulling, it hurt and he jabbed me. It felt like he was breaking my teeth apart or something. It took forever. I was sweating and flustered when he was done and then he had to give me stitches. Whew! PLEASE follow your dentists instructions though. No rice or anything that can get stuck in there. Drink plenty of water and make sure you are constantly cleaning your mouth. YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET AN INFECTION. Okay, my story is done and I am sure there are some of you laughing out there in internet land at me but hey I'm a baby when it comes to these things.....

you know what just me here. i think you would be doing the op a massive favour if you deleted your completely unhelpful post.

like seriously, what benefit do you think posting something like that will be? FFS

Because crackster wanted to know the truth and other people's experience with getting a wisdom tooth pulled, that's why I posted it. What part of my experience offended you? I'm not going to tell this person that it is going to feel like a tickle when it's not. That would not be helpful or kind, that would be misleading and I would be lying.  Now, if crackster have a problem with my answer since it is her question then I would be more than willing to take it down. But for you to respond like that makes me wonder if your mad at something else and is taking it out on a complete stranger...WOW!

Have a nice day!

I was afraid too. I had four out at the same time, impacted. Great!

I'm not gonna lie, it sucked a bit, but as far as pain goes, you could do a lot worse to me. I even woke up in the middle of it, when they were sewing me up. And you know what? I thought it was funny. Because I was on laughing gas. I was like, "Heh, they're sewing ME!" ... Yeah. I'm bright. They told me to close my eyes and go back to sleep. So I did.

My face didn't swell very much at all, although I know some people claim to look chipmunkish after.

Really, it's not that bad. Psyching yourself out over it for days is probably the worst thing about it! Spitting out blood after was kind of miserable, but that stopped after a short time. And that happens at the dentist! But seriously, just do it and get it over with. It's not a big deal; over in a few days.

I had my wisdom teeth taken out when I was 20.  It really wasn't that bad . . . I had never had surgery of any kind, never been under anesthesia.  (I've never even had a cavity and I'm almost 23.)

Needless to say, I've never had a rough experience with a dentist.  This occasion was no exception: they gave me the gas, told me to count back from 10 (I think I made it to 7 . . . maybe), and the next thing I knew, I was waking up groggy in the oral surgeon's chair.

My mouth was a little puffy, a little sore the following days, but I took my antibiotics, ate really soft foods and lots of liquids and I think I maybe took a total of 2 Vicodin out of the bottle that they prescribed.  If you can take Tylenol to help with the pain, do that.  (Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can interfere with bone development, though, so talk to your oral surgeon about what they recommend for over-the-counter pain meds.)

Frozen veggies and heat packs helped with the discomfort.  Other than that, relax, get someone to drive you home and take it easy.  You'll be more than fine.  :)

The only part that I would say was "less than great" about my experience was the fact that I totally lost my taste for Jell-O for a good two years.  (Maybe not a bad thing though . . . ) ;o)  You'll see -- a week of eating mashed potatoes, yogurt and Jell-O makes them all sound not-so-appealing for a while . . . Ha ha.

You hear the horror stories because the other ones are boring, like my wisdom teeth story.  I got mine out at 17.  I remember them starting to give me anethesia and the surgeon introducing himself.  The next thing I remember is waking up groggy on a couch in another room, everything all done.  My mom took me home and I took a painkiller they prescribed and took a nap.  Woke up and had soft food for dinner.  I had no bruising or swelling to speak of and other than avoiding drinking through a straw I was back to eating normally within a day or two.

True about hearing horror stories because the other ones are boring I suppose..

Thanks everyone - at least I know I'm not the only chicken about it all!

Mine aren't impacted or anything they are just hurting alot at they grow... bit tired of them hurting.

I had never heard of not drinking through a straw! I would have thought that would have been OK!

Still nervous but I hope I wont wuss out!  

not impacted????  you're fine :-)

let us know how it goes!!

Original Post by crackster:

Still nervous but I hope I wont wuss out!  

hi crackster

here's some motivation to go through with it - it's a radical weight loss program -  only eating light fluids and bland stuff = weight loss.

Maybe dentists will have a new but completely unsustainable revenue stream offering the Molar Diet.

PS

Just go to an oral surgeon , ask around to find out who most people think is the best one, they all are good- most likely. And some general dentist are very good too; but since you are scared, go to the specialist.

I had mine out and went hunting the next day...no swelling ........i did have a bit of a hangover coming off the drugs they gave me but it was easy for me.

Definitely ask for a recommendation from your dentist and maybe call one or two for an additional recommendation.  You should be just fine.  Call the office before hand to find out what the recommended care is.  If they don't have before and after care handouts or information consider choosing another oral surgeon.  Definitely use the frozen veggies for ice packs and you'll know when you're ready to be off the pain medication.