Nobody wants to look like a chipmunk after getting their wisdom teeth out, but when their cheeks get swollen, most people do end up looking like a chipmunk!
While some swelling is normal after this procedure, the good news is that you have some control over your swelling. Here are a few simple things that you can do to reduce your swelling after wisdom teeth extraction.
How to Reduce Swelling After Wisdom Teeth Extraction
1 – Apply Cold & Heat at the Right Time
Many oral surgeons send their patients home with ice packs after getting their wisdom teeth extracted. There is some controversy over whether or not using ice immediately following wisdom teeth extraction can actually reduce swelling. Although it may not be proven, it probably wouldn’t hurt to try this method. Applying heat to your cheeks has been shown to reduce swelling after wisdom teeth extraction, but you have to do it at the right time.
Here’s a time line of when you should apply cold and heat to your cheeks to reduce swelling:
0-24 hours after wisdom teeth extraction: Apply ice for 20 minutes on, then 20 minutes off.
24-48 hours after wisdom teeth extraction: Don’t apply ice or heat.
48 hours after wisdom teeth extraction: Apply heat.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t apply ice directly to your skin. It’s a good idea to have a cloth between the ice and your skin to avoid causing damage to your skin. If you don’t have ice packs, you can use a bag of ice cubes or frozen vegetables. Along the same lines, you don’t want to use water that is too hot for too long – you don’t want to burn your skin! Heating pads and hot water pads are good suggestions.
2 – Keep Your Head Held High
Keep your head held high – literally! By keeping your head elevated above the rest of your body, gravity will be your friend and cause excess fluid to flow down from your cheeks and back into your bloodstream. This is the reason why your cheeks are more swollen after a good night’s sleep. By laying down, you don’t have gravity helping you keep your swelling to a minimum.
To use this principle to your advantage, it would be a good idea to keep your head propped up with pillows rather than laying down so that your head is at the same level as the rest of your body.
3 – Use Corticostroids
Certain studies (such as this one) show that steroids can reduce cheek swelling after your wisdom teeth get extracted.
The textbook Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery recommends the steroid dexamethasone to control “postsurgical edema” (which means swelling after surgery) and said the following regarding using steroids to reduce swelling after wisdom teeth extraction:
Dexamethasone is a long-acting steroid and its efficacy in controlling third molar postsurgical edema is documented. This drug can then be continued in an oral dose of 0.75 to 1.25 mg twice a day for 2 to 3 days to continue edema control.
There are, of course, several drawbacks to using steroids. You may want to ask your oral surgeon if dexamethasone is a good choice for you to reduce swelling after you get your wisdom teeth extracted. He or she will be able to help you weigh the pros and cons.
Why Do Your Cheeks Get Swollen After Wisdom Teeth Extraction?
This article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the reason for your swollen cheeks. Swelling after wisdom teeth extraction is simply a natural, healthy response that helps your body heal. Many times, the oral surgeon has to cut through your gums and drill through bone to remove your wisdom teeth. You would probably expect to have swelling after any invasive surgery to remove an appendage of your body, and getting your wisdom teeth out is no exception.
To learn more and to find out how long you can expect to have swollen cheeks after wisdom teeth removal, read the article Why You Get Swollen Cheeks After Wisdom Teeth Removal.
Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your swollen cheeks and wisdom teeth extraction? Go ahead and write them in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
I had a tooth pulled out on Tuesday afternoon at 4. It is now 2 days later, Thursday at 3pm. I was wondering, do I still need to keep my head elevated at night? There is still a little swelling.Also when would I be considered in the ‘safe’ zone and stop worrying about the blood clot coming out? Lastly, when could I start using diluted listerine? Half listerine, half water. Thanks!
I would wait a few months.
PLB, please elaborate as to why someone needs to wait a few months, or are you simply offering misguided and unsubstantiated advice for fun?
You’ll actually find that a dental surgeon won’t have a problem with patients using listerine during the healing period.
I can tell you the few months is correct. 4 days ago I had all 4 wisdom teeth taken out, and I was told the same thing. That’s why an oral surgeon will give you mouth wash and a large bottle of it. Because you ate not supposed to use alcohol based mouthwashes until it is completely healed, which could very well take a few months.
Actually Lukas, I’ve just had my wisdom teeth removed and my aftercare instructions specifically say no mouthwash of any kind for at least a week.
My post-operative instructions say to rinse gently with salt water three times a day for a week after the first 12 hours after surgery. Which, Allison, you are correct for the first week, but you do not need to wait months before using mouthwash. My surgeon gave me a prescription for a mouthwash to prevent infections during the healing process. It has been 3 weeks now since I have had 4 wisdom teeth removed and I have been using the mouthwash two times a day. All of the swelling has gone down. The only problem I seem to have is a small knot at my jaw which after speaking to my dentist doesn’t seem like a problem unless I have a fever or swelling. It causes pain at about a 2 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most severe. A hot pack helps a lot and a mild pain killer makes the pain go away. Since yesterday after hot compression it the knot is about half the size it was. This has not been a fun experience though and best of luck to anyone who has to get their wisdom teeth removed.
How long does the swelling typically last? Is there anything besides the aforementioned to help reduce swelling– and quick?
It’s been 3 days and my face is still very much swollen I’ve been doing everything you said….and what my doctors said. I haven’t ate since July 2nd and I got my teeth pulled July 3rd..and it is now July 6th, because my mouth is so swollen I can’t bite down.I have been drinking milk shakes to help feel my stomach but I thought the swelling would be a little better by now and it’s not. Any suggestions?
I would like to know about the swelling as well. My swelling is worse 4 days after than the day after. I still can’t feel the lower half of my face. Makes talking or even smiling hard. I miss being able to smile.
I am on day 6 and I am still very swollen. Is this normal?
My husband had wisdom tooth extraction on 15Dec.2015 he got infection and swelling all over his neck.He went to hospital Dr told him he needs incision and drainage he will do from outside on his face and make 2″cut my husband refused then they give him amoxicillin injection for 3day and tablets for 7 days know he still got swelling like gulf ball what could be the cause and how we can get red from this swelling please help me thanks
I had a tooth extraction approximately 10 years ago and the swelling of my cheek never came down. I never really gave it any thought as I assumed it was the basic effect of having a surgical extraction. But now I would like to find out if there is anything I can do to make my face return to normal. Right now I’m open to anything as I’m tired of having one side of my face bigger than the other
Hi. I got all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out on Friday and it is Sunday right now. I have slept with ice packs I have done everything and the swelling is not going down?? I really don’t know what else to do? Could someone please give me advice.
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I had my lower right wisdom tooth extracted 3 days ago. I was in pain immediately after the surgery for 3-4 hrs. I’m on medicines. i.e. Antibiotics , painkillers and Dexamethasone. I don’t feel any pain. But what is worrying me is my numb tongue. It feels tight and tiring. Is it a nerve damage or the effect of medicine?
Thank you for mentioning not to apply ice of heat during the second day after getting your wisdom teeth out. I know a few people that did this and ended up looking like chipmunks. However, I would argue that it doesn’t matter how some people apply ice or heat- they will end up swollen either way. I know when I got my wisdom teeth out, my face was completely back to normal the next day and I didn’t even have to take any painkillers. It just varies person to person, and thankfully I got lucky!
My sister and I are on day five of our wisdom teeth removal and the swelling has not gone down. We have been using ice everyday and only eating soft foods. Any advice on what to do to have the swelling decrease?
Just had mine out today .. Taking homeopathic remedies right away.. Doing well so far. Swollen lower jaw of course.. But remedies for recovering from numbness worked fairly quickly, it’s only been since noon, so we shall see.. Homeopathic remedies for restoring nerve connection , swelling & pain.. ARNICA & HYPERICUM perforatum ? I have an antibiotic prescription too
I’m on day three and my face is still very swollen. Is this normal?
I got my wisdom tooth removed three days ago
And my cheek has been swollen for two full days now
But it’s swollen to the extent where I can’t open my mouth enough to eat
It doesn’t necessarily hurt to open it, but it does a little when I try to chew
But mainly I am psychically unable to eat anything other than yoghurt
Is this normal? Or should I get it checked with my dentist ?
I just had mine taken out april 13y mputh is swollen also please give some advice i wanna go back to school plz give me some advice
I had my wisdom teeth taken out a few days ago (LIKE 3), and my mouth is still super swollen…
Wow, great quality website, “oral answers” yet nobody’s questions have been answered for 5+ years.
Day 18 and still swollen after infected tooth taken out. And last day on antibiotics and prescription mouthwash. Dentist actually had me on antibiotics for 17 days instead of 10. Stronger amoxicillin after day 10. Hoping its just dry socket problem or something that can be drained and not an infection in the tooth in front of the one taken out. Dont have another appt until 5 more days.