Just got home from getting my three wisdom teeth pulled. I’m sitting here with two bags of peas tied to my head
I’m not in any pain, and I just downed a pint of ice cream my girlfriend got me in about 5 minutes. I had this sudden horrible urge to pee not long ago, and I peed for about 5 minutes straight. (I couldn’t eat or drink all day, and I had an IV strapped to me during the operation).
I’ve just been hanging out in my room listening to music with my peas. My girlfriend stopped by but she had to leave to go to our School play’s Cast Party. I’m bummed that I m might miss it, but considering how great I feel I may go anyway. I actually seriously considered going to see one of my icons, Bob Dylan, at the 9:30 club in D.C. tonight, but the fact that it is standing room only and that my appointment was 1 1/2 hours late pretty much counted that out.
Good for you! I have needed mine pulled for several years now and I am too chicken to have the dirty deed done. So my hat is off to you for being so brave.
Advice from someone who’s been there - if they gave you pain pills to take later, TAKE THEM. My first day went fairly well because I was still dopy from what they had given me, but partway through the second day I wanted to smash my head through a wall, because that pain might hurt less. I had neglected to take my pills. I learned my lesson real quick!
I had all four removed, though, in the hospital under general anaesthesia because they were impacted. Most of my pain wasn’t from the gaping holes left in my jaw, but from having my jaw dislocated during the surgery. They told me about that part after it was all over.
But then, I have a friend who had hers yanked, and she was eating burgers a week later. Most people who have wisdom teeth out recover very quickly and without much pain, Ashkicker, so don’t be too scared. Besides, it’s a special kind of fun to eat nothing but ice cream and jello for a week!
I have to shake my head when I read about all of the Dopers who have been laid up in bed for a week and couldn’t chew solid food for two weeks etc. after they had their wisdom teeth removed.
Two of mine were impacted, but it still only took 58 minutes to do the whole procedure and I was playing basketball 3 hours later and ate pizza for dinner.
I had all four of mine removed at once. They wouldn’t give me gas, I had to have novocaine. The novocaine wouldn’t take, so they had to give me numerous shots. In addition, three of the teeth had to be broken apart to be removed.
They sent me home with pain pills. I got home from the dentist and had to puke, and promptly ripped out the stitches by doing so. I was eighteen at the time and had a sucky job at Pizza Smut. The next day, my face was so swollen I couldn’t even talk. The bitchy manager insisted I call my co-workers to see if someone could take my shift. After several phone calls, a co-worker agreed to take my lousy six hour shift, if I would take THREE of her eight hour shifts. Nice people huh.
I was swollen for a week. As for the pain pills, I couldn’t take them because they contained codeine which makes me puke for hours on end.
Not a pleasant experience, in the least. I haven’t been back to the dentist for 22 years. My teeth, however, are in excellent shape.
I had an abcessed tooth (#15, using the standard numbering system) pulled on Monday, and I was surprised to read (on the handout sheet) that I wasn’t supposed to talk on the phone afterwards. My mother explained that this is because most telephone mouthpieces are quite germy, and the dentist doesn’t want his patients to get an infected socket.
I was able to eat some pot roast for dinner that evening, but I admit to drinking SlimFast for a few meals.
I’m beginning to suspect something went horribly wrong during my surgery. :eek:
I had 4 impacted teeth, so I was put under general anesthesia. My only memory was having an assistant lead me towards a chair and toss a magazine into my lap. I looked down and saw it was a Redbook . I mumbled something about Sports Illustrated, and fell asleep. I then remember coming to in a car on the way home. I tried to say “I’m hungry”, but was shocked to find that I could not move my jaw.
It took about 10+ days before I could attempt to eat normal food again. For the first 5, I ate and drank little because my mouth would not physically open wide enough to fit a spoon, and I was forbidden from using straws. I developed a rather comical system of pouring milkshakes into my mouth, and then tilting my head back while waiting for it to seep through my teeth.
The pain was horrible. To make things worse, I was given a non-narcotic painkiller, which, ironically killed very little pain. This is a WAG, but I think it was because I was only 15 at the time (I’m 16 now). The only effect they had was keeping me awake. I was so bored I read my little brother’s 870 page Harry Potter book in 24 hours.
The swelling didn’t go away for two weeks. During those two weeks, school started, and my yearbook picture was taken. My head looks like an og damn football. sigh
Did they let you keep the teeth? I still have most of my wisdom teeth from the extraction: I had to have them taken out in the surgery ward of a local hospital, since they were impacted and sitting directly on a couple of major nerves in the jaw, risking jaw paralysis (I was in music college at the time, and that would have put a serious crimp on my voice career). One of them broke during the operation and was in there pretty deep: the rest of it had to work its way out of the jaw over the next couple of weeks. When it finally worked its way out, I mentioned that the shard looked like the jawbone of an ass. My sister said, 'takes one to know one". Finally got it about a week later when the meds wore off.
. I mumbled something about Sports Illustrated, and fell asleep. I then remember coming to in a car on the way home. I tried to say “I’m hungry”, but was shocked to find that I could not move my jaw.