Most people recover from wisdom tooth removal without issues, but knowing when to call your oral surgeon can prevent minor problems from becoming serious. While some discomfort, swelling, and bleeding are normal after surgery, certain symptoms require immediate attention. Understanding the difference between typical healing and genuine complications helps you protect your health and achieve the best recovery.
At Warren Oral Surgery, our team makes sure every patient leaves with clear instructions about post-operative care and what to watch for during recovery. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Sullivan, our practice includes six skilled oral surgeons, including Dr. Marquis, who provide compassionate care and remain available to address any concerns that arise after your procedure.
Normal Healing vs. Warning Signs
The first few days after wisdom tooth removal involve expected discomfort as your body heals. You may experience swelling that peaks around day three, some bleeding in the first 24 hours, and mild to moderate pain manageable with prescribed medications. These symptoms gradually improve each day.
Warning signs differ from normal healing because they worsen instead of improving, or they feel more severe than your surgeon described. Trust your instincts if something feels wrong. It’s better to call and get reassurance than to wait while a complication develops.
Excessive Bleeding That Won’t Stop
Some oozing and blood-tinged saliva is normal for the first day after surgery. However, bright red blood that fills your mouth or soaks through gauze every few minutes requires attention. If bleeding continues heavily after 24 hours, or if you can’t control it by biting on gauze for 30 minutes, call your oral surgeon.
Certain medications, like blood thinners, increase bleeding risk. Let your surgeon know about all medications you take before surgery. After the procedure, avoid activities that raise blood pressure, like heavy lifting or bending over, which can dislodge clots and restart bleeding.
Signs of Infection
Infections after wisdom tooth removal are uncommon but require prompt treatment. Watch for fever above 101 degrees that develops several days after surgery, increasing pain instead of gradual improvement, swelling that gets worse after the third day, or pus drainage with a foul taste or smell.
Redness spreading from the surgical site toward your neck or difficulty swallowing also signal infection. Your oral surgeon may need to clean the area, prescribe antibiotics, or adjust your care plan. Don’t wait to see if these symptoms resolve on their own, as untreated infections can spread.
Dry Socket Symptoms
Dry socket develops when the blood clot protecting your socket dislodges too early, exposing bone and nerves. This painful condition typically appears three to five days after surgery. The main symptom is intense, throbbing pain that radiates to your ear or temple and doesn’t respond well to pain medication.
You might also notice a bad taste or smell, visible bone in the socket, or partial loss of the blood clot. Dry socket requires treatment from your oral surgeon, who will clean the socket and place a medicated dressing to protect the bone and relieve pain.
Unusual Swelling or Difficulty Breathing
Moderate swelling after tooth extractions is expected and peaks around day three before gradually decreasing. However, swelling that continues growing after day four, feels hard rather than soft, or spreads down your neck needs evaluation. Swelling that affects your ability to breathe, swallow, or open your mouth requires immediate emergency care.
Apply ice packs for the first 48 hours and switch to warm compresses after that to manage normal swelling. Keep your head elevated, even while sleeping, to reduce fluid accumulation in your face.
Nerve Damage Indicators
Temporary numbness in your lips, tongue, or chin after surgery occurs because anesthesia takes time to wear off. This sensation should resolve within a few hours. Prolonged numbness lasting beyond 24 hours, or new numbness that develops days after surgery, may indicate nerve involvement and requires assessment.
Nerve damage from wisdom tooth removal is rare but can affect sensation temporarily or, in very rare cases, permanently. Early evaluation helps your surgeon determine the extent of any nerve involvement and discuss treatment options if needed.
When Same-Day Concerns Arise
Some situations require immediate attention on the day of surgery. Severe pain that doesn’t respond to prescribed medication, difficulty breathing, chest pain, or signs of an allergic reaction like hives, swelling of the throat, or trouble breathing all warrant emergency calls. We work diligently to accommodate emergency patients, and our team remains available to address urgent concerns.
Trust Your Recovery at Warren Oral Surgery
Recognizing complications early leads to better outcomes and faster healing after wisdom tooth removal. Our surgical team, led by Dr. Sullivan, Dr. Marquis,Dr. Awadallah, Dr. Bae, Dr. Aramphongphan and our other skilled oral surgeons, provides detailed post-operative instructions and stays available to answer questions throughout your recovery. We’ve served Somerset County since 2004 with compassionate, individualized care in our state-of-the-art facility.
Our office opens six days a week, and we accommodate emergency patients without delay. Many team members speak Spanish, and we accept multiple dental and medical insurance plans. Contact us if you have any concerns about your recovery or need guidance about post-surgical symptoms.
