How to Look After Stitches After Having Wisdom Teeth Removed

Your dentist may need to put stitches in after your wisdom teeth removal. These stitches can be uncomfortable, but they need to stay in place to do their job.

As part of the post-extraction process, your dentist will tell you how to take care of your teeth and the empty sockets that once held your wisdom teeth. You also need to pay attention to your stitches. What's the best way to look after them?

Keep Your Tongue Away

Stitches in the mouth feel weird. You may find it hard to get used to having something in your mouth that isn't usually there.

However, you should try to keep your tongue away from the stitches. It may be tempting to use your tongue to feel the stitches or prod away at them. Try not to do this. You may move the stitches or even break them.

Eat Soft Foods

Once your extraction sites start to heal and you feel a bit better, you may be keen to move away from the soft food diet your dentist initially recommended. You may be desperate to eat something a bit more substantial.

While this is now doable, you still need to take care that what you eat doesn't affect your stitches. Try not to eat foods that need a lot of chewing. These may damage the stitches.

Harder and chewier foods are also more likely to get stuck on and around the stitches themselves. Softer foods are more likely to wash away. Bear in mind that you should be keeping your stitches as clean and debris-free as you can to keep things hygienic.

Brush When You Can

Your dentist will probably tell you to avoid brushing on or around the extraction sites for a day or two after surgery. It's best to leave these areas alone to start with until they start to heal and settle down.

However, your dentist will also tell you when you should resume brushing these areas. It's also important to try to give the stitches a soft brush too. This keeps them clean and removes any food particles that might be stuck on them.

If you've never had stitches in your mouth before and you're worried about how this will affect you, then talk to your dentist. They can tell you what to expect and how to keep the stitches in good condition and in the right place until they dissolve or are taken out.

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