Getting Wisdoms Pulled :(

[Konotashi]

I have to get my wisdom teeth pulled on the 16th next month.

I've never been under any kind of anesthesia, so I'm a bit scared about that. I'm also not looking forward to recovery time.

For those of you who had your wisdom teeth pulled, how long did it take before your mouth wasn't sore anymore? Did you look like a chipmunk with stuffed cheeks from the swelling?

The dentist is my #1 fear. I'd rather be thrown in a box with scorpions, tai pan snakes, cockroaches, leeches, and black widows than go to the dentist. So having my FIRST surgery done at the dentist is like my worst nightmare. Being put to SLEEP at the dentist?

[Jax08]

My mouth only hurt when I got dry socket. It was no big deal. Try to relax and let the medicine do it's work.

oh...and do NOT eat Doritoe's until it heals!! Those pointed chips hurt!

[Emoore]

I had all 4 pulled at the same time and had one dry socket.

Whatever you do, don't have the surgery done right around your menstrual cycle. I later found out that this was a contributor to dry socket.

They took me into the operating room, they put the gas mask on my face and started talking to me about something. I barely noticed when they started the IV. . . . and the next thing I knew I was at home in bed. My husband tells me they woke me up to walk me out to the car, but I don't remember it. They gave me some good pain medicine. The only pain I ever had was from the dry socket, so if you can avoid that you should be good.

Get your parents or somebody to go to Boston Market and get a veggie platter with mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and stewed apples. I lived on that after having my wisdom teeth out.

[Lucy Dog]

I had my wisdoms pulled and it was nothing. No swelling and no pain. My mouth was numb from the novocaine for about 6 hours after, but other than that, it was nothing.

I remember going in there and they put a needle in my arm and I was asleep within 5 seconds. Something like 30 minutes later and I was awake the teeth were pulled. I had no idea they even started, but I was completely out of it from whatever they put in my arm.

I remember I even ate steak for dinner that same night. It was like nothing even happened.

[Konotashi]

What's a dry socket?

The closest thing I've had to anesthesia, aside from local anesthetics, is laughing gas which just made me light headed.

[chelle]

Heck I was wide awake for all four of them being pulled. Not pleasant, no. Had a ton of shots first, of course. The shots hurt, the pulling of the teeth didn't. It was just freaky HEARING the crack, pull, crack, pressure of them coming out. Heck, you'll be asleep, you'll be fine!!!!

You could be chipmunk-faced for a bit, but just follow the directions, don't suck on a straw, don't smoke, etc.. and you'll be just fine. They'll give you painkillers and you can sleep it off.

[Konotashi]

We have applesauce, macaroni, and mashed potatoes. I think we have ramen too. (I don't chew my macaroni or ramen at all). I know what I'll be munchin' on! Haha.

[Jax08]

Dry socket is an irritation that hurts like nothing you've experienced. HOWEVER!!! All you have to do is go to the dentist and he'll pack it with a gauze that has some kind of solution on it and it is instantly gone. I think you only get dry socket on the bottom. So, if it starts to really hurt call immediately but don't stress over it.

[onyx'girl]

I had my wisdom teeth pulled about 13 yrs ago, and I was in my late 30's at the time.
It was the weekend of Thanksgiving. I was not totally sedated, just gassed and numbed. I heard everything and the doc had to wrench out the uppers while he had his foot on my chair for better traction. The noise was the worst thing, not me making noise but the sound of my teeth getting taken out. There was a woman in the next chair(partition type practice, not private rooms) and she was freaking over just getting a shot...I wanted go go punch her so she would shut up!
After it was over, they gave me an Rx for pain meds/antibiotics(should have had this done before my appt) so I had to drool my way to the pharmacy and make a fool of myself getting the script filled.
I ended up only taking one of the pain meds, and had no dry socket(don't smoke, and they tell you not to use straws for a few days) and no discomfort other than sensitive face/jaw, where they gave me the shots was as sore as where the teeth were pulled. Very little swelling, if any.
I was surprised it went so smoothly. It took a couple years for the holes to fill in. I have really, really tight teeth/small jaw so getting way back there is always a challenge for the dental techs/dentists.

[Wild Wolf]

I was so freakin' terrified to get my wisdom teeth out. I literally pretended I didn't have to do it until the morning of the surgery. I was so scared, I sat in the chair and shook while the man asked me how I wanted to be anesthetized while my husband tried to comfort me. I begged my husband to take me home, to let me abandon ship.

I used the mask to get put under, and I am extremely glad I did. I am TERRIFIED of being anesthetized, and scared of needles... it was so easy. The surgery was honestly a breeze. He put the mask on me, and after a few breaths of the stinky stuff - I simply fell asleep. It really felt like falling asleep - no strange feelings or sensations. Literally awake one second and completely out the next. My husband held my hand, and told me it looked like I just closed my eyes and went to sleep. It is so easy, I laugh when I think about how terrified I was.

The surgery was super easy. Woke up on good pain medication and had to stay down for awhile because I was quite dizzy. Once everything rolled around into place, I got up and got in the car with my dad and husband. The pain started within hours - and was pretty bad for the first few days. I didn't take ANY medication other than two tylenol every 4 hours... so you can imagine why I hurt. My top teeth came out very easy since they were not impacted - the pain in my top jaw disappeared in a few days. The bottom jaw, my teeth were impacted, took 2 weeks before I felt better. I kept my mouth extremely clean and kept it open to avoid dry socket - I was so paranoid about dislodging those blood clots.

In the end, it's a necessary evil and you can definitely survive it. It's not as bad as it seems, and it will be over before you know it. Take time off, take your medication, stay in bed, watch movies, eat pudding and soft yummy food and keep your head up! Good luck! If you have any more questions, try asking me via PM - I went through this recently and would love to help if I can.