Saturday, July 11, 2015

Surviving Wisdom Teeth Removal


This past 2 weeks I have endured the pain, struggle and sacrifice that comes with wisdom teeth removal.  

The truth is that the experience varies from person to person.  For me the pain wasn't so much of a physical pain, but rather an emotional one due to the fact I couldn't eat the foods I wanted.  All in all, it was a humbling experience haha.

Before I went into surgery I was incredibly nervous.  I spent hours looking at wisdom teeth aftermath videos on YouTube and researching articles.  I was also really nervous about how I would react under anesthesia.  

There are three ways a person can react:




Turns out I'm the emotional type.  I don't remember much after the IV was placed under my arm.  My dental surgeon did a good job of relaxing me while I drifted into unconsciousness.  

I do remember waking up and uncontrollably crying.  I just thought to myself, Oh! That's what they mean about being emotional under anesthesia.

My dental surgeon's assistant tried calming me down by saying, "Relax, relax it's just the medication."

 Everything was blurry for a while, I was crying and numb all over my mouth.  I couldn't get up on my own but I had control of my mental faculties, for the most part.

My first three days after the surgery would probably be the worst.  The swelling is what got the better of me.  For a long time I couldn't brush my teeth properly or touch my top and bottom teeth together. 

For the first 24 hours it is recommended to use cold to soothe the swelling and pain. This is what I used, it worked quite effectively:   





After the 24 hours, I transitioned to heat by warming damp towels in the microwave.                  


As for my diet during the past 2 week it has been limited to:







Trader Joe's Carrot Ginger Soup was good. It reminded me of squash soups I have had in the past.
I also doctored up my instant mashed potatoes by adding cheese and cilantro in it.
For a treat I had a taro milk slush from Chewy Boba Company, sadly I couldn't have the boba but it was still delicious! 
* Gnocchi and fish are also good meal choices as you approach the 2nd week.


Although I wouldn't say getting your wisdom teeth removed is an enjoyable experience, it is not unbearable.  Just make sure that you are prepared, that way you will have an easy recovery.  Good luck to any of you who have to get the procedure done yourself!




Ciao,

       Monique

2 comments:

  1. Having the wisdom teeth removed early on is saving you from pain and even more complications. The list that you made (including the reactions when under anesthesia) is funny, but true. Also, I love the meal plan that you have plotted, as they're very healthy and nutritious as well. Thanks for sharing the list on how to survive having the wisdom teeth removed. Take care!

    Dorothy Payne @ DrMonicaCrooks.com

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  2. Thank you, I really appreciate you taking a look at this post!

    ReplyDelete