Can i shower before wisdom teeth removal

Tooth extractions can be painful, and removing your wisdom teeth can leave you with headache, pain, and sensitivity.

You may wonder if you can even shower or wash your hair after such a painful procedure.

The final answer will be different in each case, but you can shower after tooth extraction and removal of wisdom teeth.

Let’s face it, everything hurts after a surgery or medical procedure.

A wisdom tooth removal is painful, so the last thing on your mind may be to hop into the shower.

As you step under the hot water, you may suddenly wonder if showering is even allowed.

Fortunately, it is.

Showering won’t affect the surgery site or cause any complications as long as you follow the following pointers.

When you’ve had wisdom teeth extracted, it is best not to:

• Take a Hot Shower

A hot shower will dilute the blood and open the blood vessels that carry blood to your extremities, including your tongue and jaws.

After a surgery or medical procedure like tooth extraction, your body has a wound that needs to heal through blood clotting.

If your blood is heated after a shower, it will dissolve the clots that create the scabs around the stitches in your mouth and bleeding may occur.

• Scrub Vigorously 

If you are prone to vigorously scrubbing your face, you may experience some pain in your face and jaw after a dental procedure like removing wisdom teeth.

It is advisable to wash your head and neck gently with a sponge instead of scrubbing hard.

Remember, there will be some bruising after surgery or dental procedures, so be kind to your head and jaws.

• Take a Long Shower

A long shower increases your temperature, and with the dilution of your blood, you may begin to experience faintness or feel dizzy.

With the added medical trauma, you may faint in the shower or experience disorientation if you shower for long.

Rather have a shorter shower in cooler water to ensure your stitches will scab correctly and prevent nerve endings from paining in the heat of a hot shower.

Gently dab at your face with a sponge to avoid further bruising, and keep your face tilted back out of the spray of the shower head to avoid nerve pain.

While heat should be avoided immediately after a wisdom tooth extraction, having a warm shower after three days may help reduce swelling by improving circulation.

After three days, the wound site will have scabbed around the stitches, making increased circulation safe and even necessary.

Can You Take a Bath After Wisdom Teeth Removal?

You can absolutely take a bath after wisdom teeth extraction. The key will be how you can take that bath.

Don’ts Of Post-Op Bathing

• Don’t submerge your face or head under the bath water.
• Avoid long and hot baths that increase blood circulation.

Dos Of Post-Op Bathing

• Use cooler temperature bath water to avoid speeding up circulation.
• Support your head with a towel if you need to soak for a few minutes to limit contact with the bath edge.

You can wash your hair after tooth extraction.

When washing your hair after a tooth extraction, keep the following in mind:

• Avoid vigorously scrubbing your head.

• Don’t invert your head or stand in the head-down position as this can lead to dizziness and fainting.

• Use a small amount of shampoo to make rinsing easier.

• When drying your hair, do so with gentle dabbing motions with a towel.

• Avoid blowing the hot air from a hair dryer on your face or the operation site as this can cause pain.

After a wisdom tooth extraction, you may end up with a swollen face.

This is normal and you will be on medicines for the swelling and any potential infections.

However, washing your face may become a complicated process. You can wash your face, but follow these tips:

• Use lukewarm water.

• Apply the water with a soft sponge.

• If you are using face wash, apply it to the sponge first, then work the wash to a lather on the sponge before applying to your face in gentle circular motions.

• Once you have washed your face, rinse with the aid of the sponge and avoid tilting your face forward to rinse.

• Gently towel dry your face.

• Apply a light layer of facial moisturizer, which will help with sensitivity on the skin of your face from any inflammation in your jaw.

Etinosa Ogbebor

As a general practitioner and family physician at Alberta Health Services, Dr. Etinosa Ogbebor has vast experience in treating patients. She is a highly knowledgeable health care professional with a strong passion for primary medical care.

Her commitment to providing comprehensive medical advice to individuals of varied backgrounds has motivated her to continue learning as her career progresses.