How to Reduce Cheek Swelling After Wisdom Teeth Removal 

(here's the link : http://www.oralanswers.com/2010/08/why-you-get-swollen-cheeks-after-wisdom-teeth-removal/)

If you don't want to look like a chipmunk after your wisdom teeth are removed, here are a few suggestions:

1 - Ask the oral surgeon if he or she can get you some corticosteroids. There have been some studies (here's one) that suggest that steroids can reduce cheek swelling after the wisdom teeth are removed.

---> Okay, maybe I'm not taking steroids, but I got the anti-inflammatory part covered.

2 - Heat applied three or more days after surgery can help reduce cheek swelling. Be sure to use water that isn't too hot - you don't want to damage your skin!  Heating pads and hot water pads are good suggestions.

Don't apply heat until at least three days after the extractions.

---> Okay, need to remember post 72 hours, heat. Okay, got it.

3 - Keep your head elevated. If you keep your head elevated, it is harder for the fluid to stay up in your head due to the force of gravity.  If you spend a lot of time lying down in bed,  you may find  that you have puffier cheeks!<--- Ahhhh, no wonder! That's all I've been doing post-surgery.

So last Saturday, I had an appointment with a dentist to have a dental check-up. I have been ditching dentist for the past 2 years because I kept forgetting to make any appointment until the last minute where I need to go back to Dublin. I have also been etching to get my wisdom teeth out as all of them only erupted partially and you know how difficult it is to clean them because they are place soooo back in the mouth and it is almost impossible to clean them without wretching your jaw wide open, getting the jaw sores. In fact, one dentist I once saw in Dublin because of my anxiety that there might be cavity in one of the teeth (which there wasn't, wasting my 40euros for an x-ray, aigoo), advised me to remove the wisdom teeth as it might cause problem in the future. So yesterday, I went to the appointment asked the dentist for an opinion whether I should removed them or not. 

He checked them out and said that the upper ones can easily be removed by ?normal(?I don't know what's the correct term they used, but you get the idea hopefully) extraction but they right lower one would require a surgical procedure. Within minutes, there I was committing myself to the surgery. One: I don't really want to come back again just for the procedure, Second: I had no idea, and did not imagine at all that it would be very painful and it involves cutting of bones, risks of nerve injury etc. You know(mode mengada), I usually go for bowel surgery, vein surgery, laparoscopic this, laparoscopic that, I never have thought removing a teeth would carry that risks. But anyway, since the dentist had already given me the LA injections, I just proceed with the rest with EYES completely shut (I guess that's human nature in response to fear and pain..hehe). In fact, they even had my styled with a fancy pink and yellow sunglasses whilst I was on the surgery table. Okay, maybe not table, but the dental fancy chair thing. After it has ended, the dentist told me and dad that the surgery was difficult as anticipated, because the tooth was totally horizontal and that the ?mandibular nerve was really close to the tip of the ?root. (Can't recall the anatomy)

While still under the local effect, I was smiling and thanking the dentist and staff and little did I know that the pain after the local has gone would be horrible. No wonder the staff there was really concern about me, telling me should take this pills, should now rinse, should not spit, use salt water, use Oradex etc. I was, 'Okay'. 

Expect no food after 24 hours. In fact, I was late for the appointment that morning that I didn't take any breakfast, I only ate little the night before because I had this terrible stomache, so I am practically starving the whole day after the surgery. Only God knows how grateful I should have been when I am able to sit and enjoy even a slice of bread.

I had to force my mouth to swallow the pills with some water. and that's my dinner yesterday.

However, today, my mum just came back from Sarawak and made me Moi. :D hihi happy. and I am totally covered in term of pain, so Alhamdulillah, pain-free at the moment. Only the swelling is still there, but I should expect it to lessen in a few days I guess. Now, I need to take my cocktails of antibiotics & anti-inflammatories.

So, people out there, please be thankful for being able to enjoy any meals to your heart content. I am so going to go to Pizza Hut when the thing has healed. Tringin nak makan that cheesy stuffed crust pizza. Hehe. 

This the the horizontal third molar that I was talking about. Totally tidoq. hihi

 

40 jam selepas procedure: Pipi memang la dah tembam, tapi ni tambah tembam sikit. haha. I know you couldnt even spot where the swelling is. Takpala.. T_T

teringin.