You will need an incision and sutures if you had your wisdom teeth removed. The cut layer of gum tissue is reattached using sutures, also referred to as stitches, in order to safeguard it.
Sutures aid in the healthy recovery of the incision and prevent infection in the surgical area. Ask your dentist what kind of sutures they use after they remove your wisdom teeth.
Continue reading for information on wisdom tooth sutures, types of sutures, and suggestions for aftercare.
Read more: Wisdom Teeth Function—the Newest Explanation in 2023 – Tips for Health Care
Table of Contents
2 Categories of Wisdom Teeth Stitches
Standard Stitches
The stitches that don’t dissolve on their own are called removable stitches, and they are taken out around a week or 1 or 2 days after the procedure. Several weeks after your extraction with traditional wisdom tooth removal, the stitches had to be manually removed. Using a tiny pair of scissors, the visible portion above your gums is delicately snipped when sutures are removed. The other end of the suture is then pulled through the gums and out of the mouth by gently pulling the side with the knot. You’ll only experience very slight pressure.
Dissolvable Stitches
Dissolvable stitches are the kind of sutures that oral surgeons use to remove wisdom teeth. The reason is that these stitches break down on their own.
Wisdom teeth stitches take around a few weeks to fall out, or sometimes they may take around a month to dissolve entirely. The falling out of wisdom teeth stitches depends on many factors such as:
- The material of stitch used
- Type and size of stitch
- The severity of tooth removal surgery
Healing Time: at Least 10-14 Days
How long does it take for sutures placed to remove wisdom teeth to dissolve and fall out? Wisdom teeth stitch typically last two weeks to a month, depending on your particular brand of absorbable sutures.
Most dentists want your sutures to stay in place for at least 10-14 days for proper healing. With traditional wisdom tooth extraction, the stitches had to be manually removed a few weeks after your extraction. One advantage of dissolvable stitches is that follow-up care is more comfortable and efficient.
Although dissolvable sutures essentially dissolve or are absorbed by your body, it’s not uncommon to feel a few tiny fragments of them break off here and there. Any fragments of what was actually there that do fall off as a result of being partially dissolved are likely to be very small.
Taking Care of Your Wisdom Teeth Stitches
After 24 hours, gently rinse with salt water. The water should simply come out of your mouth without any swishing or spitting.
You might be given a prescription for chlorhexidine solution by your dentist or oral surgeon. This is an antibacterial rinse used to reduce the risk of infection. Use chlorhexidine only as directed. Your dentist or oral surgeon may occasionally recommend antibiotics. If they do, make sure to take the entire prescription. For three to seven days—or for however long your dentist or oral surgeon advises—avoid using floss or a toothbrush on the extraction site.
Foods to Avoid Following Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Eat nothing that could rip or disrupt stitches for the first few days. Soft foods and drinks are best. They include:
- Smoothies
- Yogurt
- Scrambled eggs
- Mashed potatoes
- Soup
Avoid eating anything that is sticky, difficult to chew, or could leave food particles in the stitch area. Foods to avoid include:
- Strawberries, raspberries, and other fruits with tiny seeds
- Nuts or crunchy nut butter
- Crunchy foods including popcorn and raw carrots
- Corn on the cob
- Chewy foods including steak
- Chewing gum
Other Things to Avoid Following Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Avoid any actions that might cause your mouth to suction, as this could potentially cause the stitches to come loose. Additionally, suction has the ability to remove blood clots that are beginning to form over wisdom tooth extraction holes.
Things to avoid are:
- Drinking from a straw
- Spitting
- Smoking
- Drinking hot liquids
- Strenuous activity or exercise
- Drinking alcohol
See when you can resume these activities by speaking with your oral surgeon.
It is Normal to Feel Stitches After Wisdom Teeth
In fact, it’s perfectly normal to feel your wisdom teeth stitches once the local anesthetic (numbing medication) starts to wear off and you can feel things again. Try to resist the urge to touch them with your tongue, as tempting as it may be. You don’t want to aggravate them in any way.
Depending on the type of surgery used to remove the wisdom teeth, the sutures will either dissolve, partially fall out or disintegrate, or your dentist will need to remove them. If you have dissolvable sutures, you probably feel them more initially and less in the days that follow. Small components coming loose is common. Don’t try to pull or get rid of your stitches on your own, though. By doing this, you run the risk of getting an infection at the site of your extraction, delaying healing, or experiencing needless painful complications.
What to Do About Wisdom Teeth Stitches Infection
Call your dentist or oral surgeon, who performed the procedure, if you believe you are developing an infection around your sutures or Wisdom teeth dry sockets.) They’ll probably request that you visit their office as soon as possible.
Cleaning the area and applying a medicated dressing to the surgical site are likely dental procedures that are performed by your dentist. They may even prescribe an antibiotic (if they hadn’t already…and you should be taking it as directed.)
Take a pain reliever like Ibuprofen or Motrin in the interim, and gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Since inflammation causes pain, you want to prevent it from starting by reducing swelling as much as you can. Resuming the application of a cold compress to the inside of your mouth would be a good idea right now.
Summary
Even if you believe your sutures or stitches have completely fallen out, you should still schedule a post-operative appointment with your surgeon. They will examine the soft tissue near the extraction site, check to see if your wisdom tooth sutures have been absorbed, remove any that haven’t, and make sure your sutures have been. Always adhere to the care instructions provided. By doing this, you’ll recover more quickly, feel less pain, and have less risk of your wisdom tooth sutures getting infected.
FAQS
What Happens When Wisdom Teeth Stitches Fall Out?
It is critical that sutures remain in place for at least 10 to 14 days before falling out, at which point they should begin to dissolve. During this time, you can feel small pieces of the stitches present on your wisdom teeth wound coming out; in such a situation, do not worry; it is normal.
What Color Are Dissolvable Stitches?
Absorbable. Generally, absorbable sutures are clear or white in color. They are frequently hidden by threading the suture under the edges of the skin, leaving only threads poking out of the wound’s ends. At around 10 days, the suture end will need to be snipped flush with the skin.
