Alicia64 Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 He's 17 and only has two wisdom teeth. I thought everyone had four. I've bought a bunch of soft food like ice cream, pudding, yogurt etc. But if you have any tips, I'm all ears! Thank you!! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) No straws - the suction can pull out stitches and open the wounds. Carefully follow the schedule - 20 minutes ice packs on the face, 20 minutes off, 20 on, 20 off - for the first day, and ice at least several times during the night and during the second day. It's a little frustrating, but early, consistent icing means less pain and swelling going forward. Moldable ice packs are better than actual ice or a hard pack - if nothing else, frozen peas work great. You would need to have several bags to rotate, since they may melt and not be cold enough 20 minutes later. Make a time chart for any meds, and mark off when he gets them. Will they be using general sedation or conscious sedation? If general, you might want to have someone else available to help you get him into the house, in case he's still woozy. Either way, someone else would also be helpful to pick up any prescription meds. Edited January 5, 2021 by klmama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Mine wanted food that was not sweet. Refried beans, mashed potatoes,and slightly over cooked Mac and cheese were favorites. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 12 minutes ago, klmama said: No straws - the suction can pull out stitches and open the wounds. Carefully follow the schedule - 20 minutes ice packs on the face, 20 minutes off, 20 on, 20 off - for the first day, and ice at least several times during the night and during the second day. It's a little frustrating, but early, consistent icing means less pain and swelling going forward. Moldable ice packs are better than actual ice or a hard pack - if nothing else, frozen peas work great. You would need to have several bags to rotate, since they may melt and not be cold enough 20 minutes later. Make a time chart for any meds, and mark off when he gets them. Will they be using general sedation or conscious sedation? If general, you might want to have someone else available to help you get him into the house, in case he's still woozy. Either way, someone else would also be helpful to pick up any prescription meds. I didn't even know I was supposed to do the ice thing. But thank you for all of these great tips!! Great tip re: having his brother help me get him into the house. 1 minute ago, City Mouse said: Mine wanted food that was not sweet. Refried beans, mashed potatoes,and slightly over cooked Mac and cheese were favorites. I bought mashed potatoes and refried beans. I forgot about mac n cheese. Thank you! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Record him coming out of the sedation so he can laugh at it later. Do not post it anywhere!! And don’t do it for you to laugh at him. A lot of teens think it’s funny to see themselves coming out of sedation, so only record him if he will want to see it later and if he’ll think it’s funny. Don’t do it if you think he’ll think you’re making fun of him, though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 2 minutes ago, Alicia64 said: I didn't even know I was supposed to do the ice thing. But thank you for all of these great tips!! Great tip re: having his brother help me get him into the house. I bought mashed potatoes and refried beans. I forgot about mac n cheese. Thank you! Wendy They ought to you a list of all the ways to help him recover. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 My kid really didn't have any real issues, and they're a total wuss/ hypersensitive. I do agree about ice and recording medication times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livetoread Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Make sure he sleeps with his head well elevated for at least the first two days/nights. Makes a difference with pain and swelling. I slept in a recliner myself when I had mine out at 40 something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerfectFifth Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) If he has any pain after the first couple of days it may be infected. My kid just went through this in December. I thought it was normal pain until she woke up with a second head coming out of the side of her cheek!! Great mom moment. LOL Heavy duty antibiotics and she was fine in a couple of days but it was bad!!!! Lots of gross puss. ETA: This also happened to my nephew a couple of months earlier. Different dentist, different city...it turns out infection is a lot more common than I thought Edited January 5, 2021 by PerfectFifth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Explain to your kid what the process entails. No one explained to my 18yo what the procedures were, and she had a panic attack before sedation. Then, afterwards, she was crying and struggling and asking for me. They couldn't get her blood pressure under control, and they not only wouldn't come get me ,but they told her I was unavailable....for hours. I had absolutely no idea. I told the orthodontist she was traumatized, and he didn't seem to care because the surgery itself went well. I was in the waiting room the entire time, as they require. I am still very angry, and we won't be going back to that provider. I am glad she vomited in their recovery room right before we left. They deserved it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 -keep his head elevated for 48hrs; recliners are very helpful -frozen bags of vegetables, like peas, work very well as “ice bags.” I kept four on hand for wisdom teeth only- threw them away after we were done using them. I rotated them in and out of the freezer. I highly recommend a silky king size pillow case which can be comfortably tied on top of ds head with the ice bags or froz veggies held in the pillow case just at the right spot so your ds can snooze and not worry about holding the ice bags. It was a huge help for my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livetoread Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 26 minutes ago, East Coast Sue said: -keep his head elevated for 48hrs; recliners are very helpful -frozen bags of vegetables, like peas, work very well as “ice bags.” I kept four on hand for wisdom teeth only- threw them away after we were done using them. I rotated them in and out of the freezer. I highly recommend a silky king size pillow case which can be comfortably tied on top of ds head with the ice bags or froz veggies held in the pillow case just at the right spot so your ds can snooze and not worry about holding the ice bags. It was a huge help for my kids. Yes, our surgeon gave us something like a long tube sock that we stuffed with ice packs and then tied the ends around the top of our heads (plural because three of us had them out within a couple of years). It worked well keeping the packs in place, and it was easy to switch the packs out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Keep the sock ice pack thing forever if they give you one. It's a nice twistable shape that's easy to use on say, a hurt foot (I used my dd's old one when I had extensor tendonitis). For my family, DO NOT USE THE PRESCRIPTION FOR OXYCODONE! My first kid was so dizzy and nauseous and it took us half a day to figure out she was reacting to the med, not the procedure. Second kid did just fine alternating tylenol and ibuprofen for pain. Dh was parent on duty for first dd so I didn't see her when she came out of surgery. I was parent on duty for second dd. I was taken aback by how out of it she was when they brought me back. They were telling me how great she was doing and she just looked almost comatose to me. It was all normal--I just wasn't expecting it and was a bit worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 You can have anything from 0 to 4. I just had them pulled out under a local, used a salt gargle for a week and took some paracetamol. Unless they are impacted it is nothing to fuss over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Alicia64 said: He's 17 and only has two wisdom teeth. I thought everyone had four. I've bought a bunch of soft food like ice cream, pudding, yogurt etc. But if you have any tips, I'm all ears! Thank you!! Wendy My dad had one, I had 3. We both had them removed. Technically my sister has 4 but they never erupted (neither did her 12 year molars) even though she has tons of space. So she has them but they are non issue because they figure if her 12 year old molars have never erupted neither will her wisdom teeth so the number of them is kind of irrelevant. But anyways I think most people have 4 but it's not uncommon to have a different number either. it's been a long time since I had mine out and I was nursing a baby at the time but really I just took the pain medicine like clock work for the first 24 hours. Slept most of the day and kept ice packs on my face as much as possible. 24 hours later, I was fine taking care of myself and my nursing infant on my own. Edited January 5, 2021 by cjzimmer1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 In all likelihood, he'll recover just fine, but take seriously if he says something feels off. Three of my children and myself and my dh had wisdom teeth removed over the years with a typical recovery. So when youngest dd had hers removed a few years ago, I assumed she was overreacting when she said something felt off and the pain just wasn't getting any better. It turns out she had dry socket. I felt badly that I had waited awhile before calling the clinic to ask about it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsellian Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 6 hours ago, kiwik said: You can have anything from 0 to 4. I just had them pulled out under a local, used a salt gargle for a week and took some paracetamol. Unless they are impacted it is nothing to fuss over. Or even more! I have 6 (two top each side, one bottom each side). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said: My dad had one, I had 3. We both had them removed. Technically my sister has 4 but they never erupted (neither did her 12 year molars) even though she has tons of space. So she has them but they are non issue because they figure if her 12 year old molars have never erupted neither will her wisdom teeth so the number of them is kind of irrelevant. But anyways I think most people have 4 but it's not uncommon to have a different number either. it's been a long time since I had mine out and I was nursing a baby at the time but really I just took the pain medicine like clock work for the first 24 hours. Slept most of the day and kept ice packs on my face as much as possible. 24 hours later, I was fine taking care of myself and my nursing infant on my own. Thanks! I'm off to get his prescriptions. (Even though we woke up early and I need a nap now.) 6 hours ago, J-rap said: In all likelihood, he'll recover just fine, but take seriously if he says something feels off. Three of my children and myself and my dh had wisdom teeth removed over the years with a typical recovery. So when youngest dd had hers removed a few years ago, I assumed she was overreacting when she said something felt off and the pain just wasn't getting any better. It turns out she had dry socket. I felt badly that I had waited awhile before calling the clinic to ask about it! Got it, Good info. J-rap, thank you! Unless you're the one feeling "off," it's hard to know. W. Edited January 5, 2021 by Alicia64 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 15 hours ago, Garga said: They ought to you a list of all the ways to help him recover. I didn't get a food list. You guys always have the best feedback. Thank you! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 @Alicia64Checking in on him. How's he doing? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 I second the NO OXY pain killers. Icing is the biggest help in the first 48 hours, alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and keeping his head elevated. I hope it went smoothly, that he wasn't too out of it when you got to see him (that totally freaked me out when my oldest has his out; I made dh take the other kids) and that he's recovering easily. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 13 hours ago, RootAnn said: @Alicia64Checking in on him. How's he doing? Well, he's 17, 18 in April and he doesn't want his Mama. 😒 Dh and he are doing the meds, ice pack etc. Of course I'm ecstatic that my boys are turning into men, but it's still hard when I want to "mother" them. All that to say: he's doing great without help from me. 13 hours ago, jen3kids said: I second the NO OXY pain killers. Icing is the biggest help in the first 48 hours, alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and keeping his head elevated. I hope it went smoothly, that he wasn't too out of it when you got to see him (that totally freaked me out when my oldest has his out; I made dh take the other kids) and that he's recovering easily. I couldn't agree more with you. I had arm surgery 1.5 years ago and I only took 3 or 4 of the heavy-duty pain pills and stopping even that amount was oddly weird and difficult. I'll remind him. The boys next door -- now in his late 20s -- had a drug addiction problem. I don't know when it started, but I think he went into several rehabs and it scares me. Thank you so much for the reminder. Wendy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 Glad he's doing well! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 14 hours ago, jen3kids said: I second the NO OXY pain killers. Icing is the biggest help in the first 48 hours, alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and keeping his head elevated. I hope it went smoothly, that he wasn't too out of it when you got to see him (that totally freaked me out when my oldest has his out; I made dh take the other kids) and that he's recovering easily. The painkiller they gave him is hydrocordone. That's not quite as addictive as oxy. I just now went upstairs and had a nice -- meaning he was receptive -- talk with him about moving onto ibuprofen for pain. He seems to get it. Thanks again for the warning! Wendy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livetoread Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 I don't know in comparison to oxy, but it's highly addictive too. Most teens don't need it after wisdom teeth extraction. Unless he is really hurting, I'd stick to other pain relief. Many oral surgeons are no longer prescribing it right off the bat, but will if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 My tip? Avoid pain meds. No pain meds and a person won’t speak. So the stitches will hold and the incision (which is likely significant and somewhat painful) will heal. Take pain meds and one will start jabbering, which tears open the wound, and when the meds wear off it hurts even more than before. This is the wisdom of my personal experience gained through pain and bad decision making. I was healing well. I really didn’t need pain meds. It hurt, but not that bad. Then after some days without any, I tried some after some days, I tried some. Felt pain free. Started talking. Big mistake. Ripped the healing incisions open. Hurt terribly. Recovery was much slower and more painful than I just stayed quiet. I was nearly healed. A little bit of pain can be to a person’s advantage. My 2 cents. Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 On 1/6/2021 at 1:21 AM, horsellian said: Or even more! I have 6 (two top each side, one bottom each side). Wow that was unlucky. I had 4 but my dad had none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teaching3bears Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Mashed potatoes with lots of butter, applesauce. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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