Wisdom Teeth

[Bonochick]

My wisdom teeth are really startin' to kill me!!!!!!! Blarg! It looks like I'm gonna have to get them out in the near future...

So...people who have had theirs removed...give it to me straight...how bad is it??????

 

[DrTeeth]

They took mine out a few years ago. It doesn't hurt at all, it just feels kinda funny afterwards when you can't feel them anymore.

It bleeds like hell though...

 

[Screaming Flower]

it sucked. and afterwards i looked like a chipmunk for three days cause my cheeks were swollen.

 

[meegannie]

Four the past five years, mine have been hurting on and off. They'll start to come in and then stop. Two of mine have completely broken through, and the other two have partially. My dentist has said that I probably won't have to have them out -- hopefully that'll be the case!

 

[Salome]

the first one was rooted way to deep
so the bleeding went one and one
that one did hurt

the 2nd one never hurt at all

 

[sulawesigirl4]

I too have been putting this off. A few weeks ago mine were so swollen that I had to eat soft food and stuff for a few days. But I don't have health insurance, so I will tough it out as along as possible. blarg. Thank goodness for that over-the-counter numbing medicine.

 

[Out of Control]

It wasn't so bad..I had all 4 done at the same time..Thats the way to go I was told. I just remember waking and thinking..."Cool, it's over already"...then I got to take some percocet (fun!)

 

[HelloAngel]

I'm so glad someone brought this up...


So, how do you know when they need to be taken out? I know they hurt, but what kind of pain? What exactly hurts?

My dentist keeps telling me that I need to look into contacting the oral surgeon to have them taken out, but I'm nervous.

Is it the root that hurts? Or the whole tooth? Or is the gum around it?

 

[jkayet]

I think it varies person to person. I was pretty much fine the next day - that is, once I figured out that I was allergic to the pain killers (I had all the symptoms - dizzy, nausea, my whole body itched, lightheadedness...). My mouth hurt, but not that badly - once I got off the painkillers and just started taking about 3 advil, 3 times a day, I was fine. My face was swollen a little, but it went down quickly. It really wasn't too awful at all!! It's also lots easier if yours are starting to come in already - all four of mine were completely impacted, so it was much more a process. Good luck!

 

[Screaming Flower]

I'm so glad someone brought this up...


So, how do you know when they need to be taken out? I know they hurt, but what kind of pain? What exactly hurts?

My dentist keeps telling me that I need to look into contacting the oral surgeon to have them taken out, but I'm nervous.

Is it the root that hurts? Or the whole tooth? Or is the gum around it?

it kind of depends. people ususally have to have them removed if they're impacted which i think means they're coming in the wrong direction. my top ones just didn't fit and my bottom ones were coming in towards my other teeth so i could feel lots of pressure on my back teeth. there could be gum pain too depending on how and which way they're coming in. i went to an oral surgeon too so i was pretty much for the whole procedure. like everyone said there is lots of bleeding but it's not too bad (except for looking like a chipmunk).

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

I had two taken out because the dentist said if they tried to break through, there would be no room for them. I was knocked out for the whole thing...it didn't really hurt afterwards. The pain killers turned my psycho though...I won't take them again...

 

[ouizy]

Not bad at all - I was dreaming I was in Santorini Greece as mine were being pulled and then afterward - I had no pain, just craved Chinese Food...

 

[BEAL]

I had mine out about 4 months ago. My teeth were laying flat, so that you couldn't even see them. I was told there was a good chance for permanant numbness in my lips after the surgery.....

well, no problems at all. the actual surgeon said there was really a slim chance of losing feeling. I was able to eat solids later that night.

My g/f had hers out 2 months later and got a dry socket. I guess those really hurt so becareful of that.

 

[daisybean]

I had all mine taken out a few years ago (they were impacted).

I was really nervous about the pain thing, but after the surgery it wasn't that bad. Although I had to take an antibruise medicine because I bruise easy, and I only got a little purple. It took about a week before I could or would open my mouth all the way.

 

[Peaseblossom]

OWWWWWCH!!! I had mine out a few years ago- also impacted. I almost passed out when they came at me with the IV(serious fear of needles), then the drugs took so hard that my mom had to take me home still asleep. Therefore, I wasn't able to take my first pain pill. I woke up drooling blood in an empty house. I crawled to the kitchen to look for the prescription, but mom was out getting it. The pain was so bad I just sat on the kitchen floor and cried till she came home. After that, it was all good. Just TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDS and you won't have a problem!

Tip for not swelling: The pain meds completely knocked me out, so i'd take one and fall asleep on my side with an ice pack on my cheek, when I woke up to take the next pill, I'd flip over and get a new ice pack. I slept for basically three days and never swelled because of all the ice.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I have all four of my wisdom teeth. My dentist told me that there is enough room for them, and if I take care of them I don't have to get them pulled if I don't want to. I've never had braces or anything but I have as close to perfect teeth as one can get with out them but they haven't moved my teeth at all. It was extremely painful when they came in and only one tooth came in a little crooked. I don't plan on having them taken out.
But hey, this is coming from the same person who is afraid to get a shot of novacain in her gums so she let the dentist drill her only cavity without it. I am not a fan of the denist putting sharp objects in my mouth.
Good luck to those having theirs pulled.

Oh yeah, I've heard being awake while they do it is much worse than being knocked out.

 

[Diemen]

I've still got all my wisdom teeth, and I haven't had any pain or swelling or anything yet. *crosses fingers*

 

[cass]

I have definitely met an angel here on earth. Dr JJ Fahey...MY HERO!! I had no money and serious trouble with my wisdom teeth. I'd heard he helped people , so I humbly rang him and in 2 sessions he pulled all 4 out using local anaesthetic and charged me $20. What a man!!! the bottom 2 really didn't want to come out, it was an ordeal for both me and him.......but I live to tell the tale
I decided they are called wisdom teeth because it is a "wise " thing to do, to face your fear and deal with it.
Good luck...if I can handle it(I'm the biggest sook on planet) you can too.

PS "MY Hero" JJ Fahey, goes to China in his holidays and does dentistry in the streets for free. He is very elderly now, but not looking like slowing down. I love him.

 

[Bono's shades]

I had to have them taken out when I was 16. For me the novacain shots were the worst part - needles freak me out. They practically had to strap me down so they could give me the shots. But then it was pretty smooth sailing. I don't even think I had much pain or naseau afterwards. I do remember being bummed because it's not much fun to make out with your boyfriend when your lips are numb from novacain. We were both happy when THAT side effect went away.

 

[Lilly]

my mouth is forkin ginormous, as those who know me can tell you. my wisdom teeth pretended to come in the week of my ap tests this year...but have since stopped and remain to be seen. howEVER, i don't believe i'll need them out as there is plenty of room for them back there. <-there's me wisdom teeth

 

[Giant Lemon]

I had my wisdom teeth out last summer, and it wasn't really that bad at all. The reason I had to have them out was because they were "impacted"- I'm not sure what that means, but the dentist told me that there was no room for them to come in and if they did they'd totally screw up the rest of my teeth.

Anyway, they gave me an IV that completely knocked me out, but when I came out of it I was able to walk to my car just fine (don't worry- my mom drove me home!). I only had to take my pain medication that day and the next- after that I experienced very little pain (not enough to take Vicodin). The only annoying part was that I couldn't open my mouth completely for about 2 weeks- it was kind of hard to eat food at first, but I got used to it.

One last thing: I was told by tons of people that getting the stitches out didn't hurt and felt like nothing. Let's just say that's a whole lotta crap. I experienced more pain getting the stitches removed than during the aftermath of the operation. But it still wasn't anything bad. On a whole, getting my teeth removed wasn't too bad at all.

 

[Bonochick]

Wow! Thanks for all the great replies!! I hope more poeple will reply as well!

I've been feelin' some pain on and off for awhile, but I was thinking I should have them taken out sometime before the end of the year while I'm still on my dad's dental insurance.

 

[lazyboy]

And does getting them give you headaches?? I have been feeling weird lately, like a strange null headache every now and again at the top of my nose, front of the forehead,a nd think it might be related to the bit of a tooth coming out at the back of my mouth!
A friend of mine told me he had headaches at the other side of his head from them, anybody else?!

 

[daisybean]

I used to get horrible earaches before I got mine pulled.... well I always had earaches but these were bad.

trust me you will feel better once you get em out.

 

[agentorange]

Actually, I just got mine out last Monday! I only had three, but the two bottom ones were very impacted, so my procedure was probably a little abnormal. My surgeon said it was about a 45 min. procedure, but I don't know since I got the gas and an IV. So far, my experience has been that the pain and side-effects are more annoying than unbearable. Mine bled very little after the first few hours, but , between the anesthesia and a couple of days of mepergan, I wasn't comfortable driving until Saturday! I was often going into some dreamy/haze state. One of my tooth-holes was pretty much unnoticeable from day two or so, one is pretty much healed up, and the other is still very tender.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Lordy Cass you were lucky! I had all mine done in one go and usually these days they out you in hospital as a day patient. But my dentist insisted it would be best for me to be in the chair. I had to get an outside anesthetist to be present cos I'm diabetic and they didnt give me a general, just a local. But the guy was injected some kind of drug into my wrist that was making me totally spin out which was kinda good cos it hurt like hell when they were doing it and I had an infection they didnt see 1st. I cant remember much, except feeling this far away pain and screaming. They said that was normal though...the hallucinagens or something...And it cost me $600

Very worth it in the end. We dont need them. Stupid teeth they are.

 

[christiana]

Funny that you bought this up... I just got two of them removed this morning!! It hurts like hell!!! (sorry to scare you... )

My face is swollen up and I can't eat anything... I got two stitches on the one on my lower jaw and now I can't even open my mouth. I feel pain whenever I'm trying to swallow something. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

I think painful or not depends on how you teeth come out. The one on my lower jaw was impacted quite firmly...

Originally posted by BEAL:
I had mine out about 4 months ago. My teeth were laying flat, so that you couldn't even see them. I was told there was a good chance for permanant numbness in my lips after the surgery.....

I was like that too... The roots of one of my teeth were overlapped with the nerves under the jaw so the dentist transferred me to a bigger hospital. I was quite afraid but then the surgeon told me that this is not that unusual and the chance of having problem is very slim...

Lazyboy, I've got headache when mine were coming out too. I guess that's normal then.

 

[GypsyHeartgirl]

When I was 19, mine were so bad they were impacted in my jaw and I couldn't open my mouth all the way. I could hear cracks whenever I tried. I had to tear little pieces off a sandwich and stick them in through what I could open of my mouth. They also ached, and hit nerves that ran up the side of my head. Ouch.

I knew I had to take them out but I was so scared. When they x-rayed them, you could see they were laying on their sides in the bend of my jaw. They had to cut them out but because I drank a soda that morning they wouldn't put me all the way out. As I was going under, I could hear the girl attendants (not much older than me) giggling and asking me if I smoked pot or screwed guys, saying they wouldn't tell anyone. They knew I was under truth serum. I wonder if they did that to everyone. They really should've been fired but I never told on them.

While they were taking them out it was like slow motion. I could feel them slowly moving them back and forth to work them out, but it didn't hurt. That's really all I remember. I don't know if most people are all the way asleep, all the way awake or half like me.

The worst part was the first 2 days after. Of course I couldn't eat anything, and my mouth and jaws hurt. Maybe it was worse for me because they were impacted. They gave me strong pain pills that made me fall asleep, dream of being hit by trains and falling bricks, then wake up in a rage. Whenever I stood up, I could feel my pulse pounding in the holes and it felt cold and creepy. After the first two days it wasn't bad, I just had to eat soup or soft things until the holes healed and wash my mouth out with salt. Then after they healed up I was just glad I could open my mouth and eat like a normal person again. I hadn't for so long because of my jaws being stuck because of the impacted teeth. Years later now, I have lost 2 jaw teeth and wish I could have those wisdom teeth back, I have room now!

Well Bonochick, I know the feeling, it's something you have to do but you don't want to, but it'll be a relief once it's over, and one day you can tell someone else about it. Take care!

 

[enggirl]

I had mine taken out around 6 years ago...it was either right before or right after my appendix wnet haywire (can't remember exactly).

Anyhoo, my wisdom teeth were HUGE, so the doc had to put me completely out and then break them into pieces to get them out of my head!

The nurse was so mean--she forced me to wake up and then sit up--in a room with polka-dot wallpaper...boy, did that wallpaper spin! I retched on the way to the car and then decided to sit right down on the sidewalk--made hubbie go get the car, thankyouverymuch.

The face swelling went down in about a week, but the rest of it just sucked. Oh, and my husband had to change my dressing for the first day--he had to stick his fingers in my mouth and pull the gauze out and replace it b/c I was too sickly and woozy to do it myself!

When they tell you to do the nasty warm saltwater rinse for a few days afterwards--DO IT! I did, but obviously not enough, because I dry socketed. It was AWFUL! I'd feel this rock-like thing and when I'd stick my finger back in my mouth, I could use my nail to pull this dried coal-like thing (I guess it was a rock of dried up blood) out of the holes in my mouth! Gross! This went on for a while. I had them out in August and I was sick on and off until October.


So good luck.

 

[sharky]

Hmm...it sounds like how bad the teeth are impacted makes it better or worse. I had my taken out when I was 15. No problems. If you do it though, have the doctors put you under. Oh...pretty drugs. A little pain, a little bleeding for me and that was about it. Oh and yes, do the salt rinse but RINSE! for some reason the first few days I thought I had to rinse and swallow. Don't do that...ick! and do make sure someone takes you. I was in no state to drive afterward [which was good because I didn't have a license at the time] and was a bit woozy. When I woke up, the nurse and my mom were talking to me and I was too out of it to answer.