Wisdom tooth removal: How to manage pain after extraction, speed-up healing post surgery

Impacted wisdom tooth: Warm water and salt rinse are one of the most effective ways to keep pain at bay. It also helps in killing harmful bacteria and aids in healing the gums (Image: Canva)

Have you experienced a lingering, dull ache at the back of your mouth? If this ache worsens while chewing or when pressure is applied, you know it is the dreaded wisdom tooth pain. The discomfort can sometimes extend to the jaw or even the ear.

When the third molar in your upper or lower jaw (commonly called the wisdom tooth) does not have enough space to grow, it can get misaligned. Such teeth are impacted and can cause a variety of dental issues, including infections. Your dental surgeon will often recommend removing the wisdom tooth, as it may result in pain and inflammation in the future.

Impacted wisdom teeth are usually present between the ages of 17 and 25; though not everyone might have them. Some people have at least one third molar, while others do not develop any at all. They are often considered vestigial, meaning they have more evolutionary value than functional value. Our predecessors used them to eat hard nuts and uncooked food. Wisdom teeth assist in grinding and chewing such food items. As jaws became smaller over several centuries, there wasn’t enough space for them to grow.

If the tooth is typically aligned, there is no cause for worry. Still, once it starts to ache or experiences tenderness, it is time to visit the dental surgeon.

Symptoms include swelling in the gums near the molars, tenderness in the cheek, and facial pain. If not removed in a timely manner, wisdom teeth can lead to pain, infection, dental caries, and result in damage to adjacent teeth. They may also cause cysts or tumours.

Once your wisdom tooth has been extracted, which is usually done under local anaesthesia, here’s what you can do post-removal:

Salt water rinse: Warm water and salt rinse are one of the most effective ways to keep pain at bay. It also helps in killing harmful bacteria and aids in healing the gums. Initially, it can be done twice daily as the amount of pain experienced is more for the first three to five days. Dentists commonly recommend it soon after the extraction.

Cold compress: Applying an ice pack or a cold compress over the cheek near the affected area is an excellent way to relieve pain and inflammatory manifestations like swelling and tenderness. If an ice pack is unavailable, covering the ice with a towel can provide the same effects and will numb the area for a while.

Clove oil: Eugenol, a component of clove oil, functions as a natural anaesthetic and helps in alleviating pain after extraction. Its anti-inflammatory properties aid in reducing discomfort and irritation in the region of tooth removal. Applying a cotton swab containing a few drops of clove oil should do the trick.

Peppermint: Not only a popular mouth freshener, peppermint has other qualities to its name, like eradicating bad bacteria from the mouth and reducing the pain caused by wisdom tooth removal. Fresh leaves can be kept in the mouth near the area where the wisdom tooth used to be, or a cotton swab with peppermint extract can be applied in a similar fashion.

Other remedies like turmeric, onion, cucumber and tea bags have also been effective. If the pain worsens, it is advised that you consult your dentist and get a prescription for an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug.