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533 W State St, Suite G-201, Pleasant Grove Office hours Mon–Fri, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. 801-430-9006

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Trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward your eye or neck, or bleeding that won't stop with pressure.

Call 911

A question or concern after your visit with Dr. Dansie. Call Dr. Dansie's post-op line. You can also call the office where you were treated.

Post-op line 801-465-2754 Find the office where you were treated

A toothache or other dental emergency. Call your own dentist. Dr. Dansie removes wisdom teeth and other teeth; the dentists at each office handle all other care.

After your wisdom teeth removal

Dr. Dansie's instructions for the days after your visit. They also apply after other extractions. Keep this page open on your phone.

Download the printable sheet Find the office where you were treated
Toothbrushes in a glass jar beside a sprig of eucalyptus
Call 911 or go to the ER if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, or bleeding that won't stop with pressure. Stop your medicine and call right away if you get a rash, hives or itching.

Day by day

  1. Right after your visit

    • Keep biting gently on the gauze. You can take it out about 1 hour after your visit.
    • Ice your face on and off for the first 4 hours: 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. A bag of frozen peas works well.
    • Keep your head raised above your heart for the first 12 hours.

  2. The first 24 hours

    • Rest. Don't overexert yourself.
    • Eat soft or liquid food: mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, Jell-O, juice. Drink plenty of fluids.
    • Avoid very hot food and drinks. If it's too hot to touch, it's far too hot for your mouth.
    • Don't rinse yet, and don't use the syringe.
    • Don't use a straw, suck on the sockets, or touch them with your fingers or tongue. This can pull out the blood clot and cause bleeding, slow healing and bone pain called a "dry socket".
    • No smoking or tobacco, and no strong mouthwash (no alcohol-based rinses like Listerine). If you drink alcohol, keep it away from the sockets.

  3. The morning after

    • Start rinsing very gently with warm (not hot) salt water: ¼ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.
    • Rinse 3 to 4 times a day and just before bed.
    • Start exercising your jaw: open and close your mouth now and then. Chewing gum helps. A little bleeding while chewing is okay; heavy bleeding is not.
    • A warm pack or heating pad can be used any time after you've finished with the ice packs.
    • Keep brushing and flossing your other teeth, and brush your tongue.

  4. The first few days

    • Don't chew food on the side where teeth were removed.
    • Saliva lightly streaked with blood for 1 to 3 days is normal.
    • Swelling and stiffness are normal and shouldn't cause alarm.

  5. Day 5

    • Start using the syringe to rinse the lower sockets only.
    • Keep rinsing 3 to 4 times a day and before bed until the sockets have closed.

Bleeding

If bleeding is heavier than light streaks, place a piece of moist gauze over (not in) the socket and bite down for 45 minutes.

Pain medicine

Some pain after an extraction is normal. If Dr. Dansie prescribed medicine, take it as directed. Pain medicine can upset your stomach; if it makes you sick, stop taking it and call. Dr. Dansie can prescribe medicine for nausea.

For pain, Dr. Dansie's instructions allow ibuprofen (3 tablets of 200 mg) and acetaminophen (2 tablets of 500 mg) taken together every 6 hours for up to three days. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first if you have a health condition, take other medicines, or are pregnant.

Antibiotics

If you were given antibiotics, take every dose. They're important for fighting infection.

  • Medicines can cause rashes, hives and itching, which can be life-threatening. If this happens, call right away.
  • Antibiotics can make birth control pills less effective.
  • They can also cause vaginal itching or a yeast infection. Call if this happens.

Pre-visit videos

Dr. Dansie's pre-visit videos, in English and Spanish, are on the Instructions and videos page.

Aftercare questions

What can I eat after wisdom teeth removal?

For the first 24 hours, stick to soft or liquid food such as mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, Jell-O and juice, and drink plenty of fluids. Avoid very hot food and drinks, and don't chew on the side where teeth were removed for a few days.

When can I start rinsing?

Not on the first day. Start very gentle warm salt-water rinses the morning after, 3 to 4 times a day and before bed. Start using the syringe on the lower sockets on day 5.

How do I avoid a dry socket?

Protect the blood clot: don't use a straw, don't smoke, don't suck on the sockets or touch them with your tongue or fingers, and don't rinse on the first day.

Is swelling normal?

Yes. Swelling and stiffness are normal. Ice for the first 4 hours (15 minutes on, 15 off), then a warm pack can help. Swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, or trouble breathing or swallowing, needs emergency care.