4 Tips for Sleeping After Wisdom Tooth Extractions

A wisdom tooth extraction, like any major surgery, can leave you feeling sore for a while. Your treatment area may be achy, sensitive, or stiff for around 3-7 days. As a result, sleeping during recovery can be challenging if you don’t take precautions. Your Murphy dentist is here to offer some helpful advice. Continue reading to learn about four tips that will help you ensure a smoother rest and recovery process after your wisdom tooth extraction.

Sleep in the Right Position

After wisdom tooth removal, it’s important to take care of your mouth, even when it comes to sleeping positions. Proper positioning during sleep can contribute to quicker healing. Specifically, ensure that your head is elevated while sleeping. This elevation can reduce swelling in your mouth and promote the blood clotting process, aiding in healing.

Conversely, failing to elevate your head may slow down the healing process. To elevate your head, consider sleeping on your side, as this will naturally prop it up.

Don’t Sleep with Gauze in Your Mouth

Following wisdom tooth removal, your dentist will insert gauze into your mouth to apply pressure to the incision site and minimize bleeding. However, it’s essential to remove the gauze before sleeping for the night. Sleeping with gauze in your mouth is unsafe as it poses a choking hazard and can lead to discomfort during rest.

Additionally, having gauze in your mouth is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. To mitigate these risks, it’s advisable to remove the gauze several hours after surgery.

Use Pain Medicine & Ice Packs

As mentioned before, experiencing mouth pain is typical after wisdom tooth removal, and if left unaddressed, it can disrupt your sleep. To alleviate discomfort and promote better sleep over the next few days, utilize pain medication and ice packs.

However, it’s crucial to follow specific guidelines for using these remedies correctly. Adhere to the dosage instructions for any pain medication you take. Similarly, apply the ice or cold pack to your jaw for ten-minute intervals. This duration should suffice to numb the pain and facilitate better sleep.

Avoid Staying Up Late

Getting good sleep is crucial for a smooth recovery after the extraction. Poor sleep can cause delays in healing or unwanted side effects. Therefore, it’s important to avoid staying up late after your surgery and aim to go to bed at a reasonable time.

Your body requires ample rest during the recovery period. Specifically, the hours between 10 pm and 2 am are when your body undergoes significant repair processes. Missing out on sleep during this time can hinder your recovery progress by depriving your body of essential rejuvenation.

By following these suggestions for sleeping after wisdom tooth extractions, you can enhance both your healing process and your rest. Be sure to implement these tips in the days following your treatment to promote a smoother recovery. Rest well!

About the Practice

At Lincoln Park Periodontal & Dental Implant Group, we are honored to serve individuals and families in Dallas and the surrounding regions. Our practice is committed to delivering a wide range of services, including wisdom tooth extractions. If you’d like to know more about wisdom teeth extractions or schedule an appointment with Dr. Andrew Barnett. Please visit the Lincoln Park Periodontal & Dental Implant Group website or contact our office at (214) 691-2614.