STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Amelie · Kenneth Cole

Wisdom teeth

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Don't worry, Amelie, it shouldn't be too bad! When I had mine out I was really nervous too, but it was okay. Make sure someone goes to the doctor's with you and listens to the instructions for what to do afterwards, so that someone who's not totally drugged up remembers what you need to do, and you'll also need someone to take you home afterwards. Have soft foods and lots of fluids at home, and also rent a bunch of movies ahead of time. (When I had mine out I sat on the couch and kind of drooled on myself while watching Gwyneth Paltrow in "Emma.") Be sure you take the pain killers and anti-inflammatory stuff they prescribe to you on schedule, which is what having someone there with you will help. Gargle with warm salt water -- this helps clean your mouth and also lessens the pain. And if there's bleeding still, you can kind of bite down on damp tea bags to help stop the bleeding.

I hope that helps! It really wasn't that bad when I had mine out.

cc · Marc Jacobs

I second all of scarlett's advice and also want to add: make sure you eat something before you take the painkillers and antibiotics. Even though I wasn't put under (just had local), the doctor still told me not to eat before I had the surgery and I tried to eat before I took the first round of pills but I was so out of it and felt so gross that I barely ate anything. As a result I had a really bad reaction to the medicine (I think it was the painkillers). So be sure to get a decent amount of food in your stomach before you start the medication. Try to drink milk or a smoothie to coat your stomach and then eat something mushy.

Ritz · Dooney & Bourke

aww! i had mine out 2 weeks ago and while it is definitely not fun, it could be worse.

the day of you will prob have to use gauze or tea bags to help the bleeding stop- this is not fun but very necessary! just chomp down on them and try to forget them. also ICE your face as much as you can (20 mins on, 20 off) to prevent swelling.

definitely make sure to keep your mouth clean: gargle with salt water every time you eat and make sure they give you an irrigation syringe so you can shoot water into the holes to clean them out (gross, i know, but totally necessary- if you get food stuck in there you could get dry sockets and from what i hear those are very painful!) - you may have to clean the holes for up to a month or so, depending on how fast they heal. dont drink from a straw for a while- the sucking is bad for your mouth and will hurt. definitely eat lots of mashed potatoes and jello- but no milk the day of the surgery b/c i hear this tends to make people vomit. expect to be swollen for at least 3-4 days, maybe even up to a week. my dr. told me the 3rd day after the surgery is usually the worst, pain wise, and it definitely was for me.

that is what i did and i was fine- except that i got a displaced blood clot in my cheek and was super swollen on one side. but now 2 weeks later im in very little pain although when i eat tough foods my teeth get sore and im not swollen at all. the only thing i need to be careful of is getting food out of the holes..

i dont mean to scare you at all- some people have NO problems whatsoever and are fine like, the next day. i would have been fine if not for the blood clot and that was out of my control.

it seems a lot worse than it is, i promise! good luck amelie!

manhattanmonkey · Kenneth Cole

I had mine taken out last summer and it wasn't too bad.

I drank lots of chicken broth and milkshakes! My lower lip was numb and felt like another ear on my face.

Ditto to the movies. Keep you're self occupied; sleep, enjoy just being because that's all you're going to do and feel like doing for the first few days!

crystal · Kate Spade

don't be scared but also don't be too calm. going into mine (i had all 4 out at once) i was under the impression that it was no big deal. all my friends told me they were back to work the same or next day & they had no problems so i was expecting the same. unfortunately i was in bed for a week and the second week i was still in pain. i totally agree w/ scarlett on taking those meds on time. if one wears off before the next kicks in u'll be regretting it. good luck & try to have no expectations if possible (probably not after reading all these).

lsubatgirl · Gucci

mashed potatoes, jello, and apple sauce.

don't drink out of a straw! It will take out your blood clots and you will end up with dry sockets which are very painful and not fun (I ended up with 2 because I'm a mouth breather). Otherwise you should be ok. My brother was fine a few hours later and ready to go out and do stuff.

jess · Kenneth Cole

Right on Ritz! My experience wasn't fun at all, not to freak you out, but honestly. Make sure to keep all the food out of your holes (sounds gross-but really) b/c it will cause some serious pain!

lsubatgirl · Gucci

They should give you this little squirter thingy that goes in the holes so just use some scope and scope those little suckers out so the food doesn't get stuck in there. I think they make you wait a day or so so you don't knock the blood clots out but I may be wrong. Ask before you do anything.

Amelie · Kenneth Cole

Jesus, the second day is most painful.

Thanks so much everyone for the tips, they are/were very very helpful. I had my wisdom teeth out yesterday morning, got home, slept with some ice packs for 4 hours, woke up, felt great (I didn't bleed very much), watched the OC on DVD for a bit, went to bed, and woke up this morning feeling like shit. But I'm telling you, this is such a great excuse to eat smoothies, watch TV, and do online shopping! Thanks again girls for all the help!

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

glad you're doing okay, amelie! it sounds like you're almost getting a nice little vacation there. i hope the pain gets lesser for you soon.

Meow · Coach

I am such a baby that I went to an oral surgeon and they put me to sleep. That was the best sleep I have ever had. I had heard too many horror stories of having the dentist do them. I took a wet bath cloth with me and held it over my face while my mother drove me home. I didn't want to watch the outside because I was afraid it would make me dizzy and sick. I recovered well except the painkiller they gave me made me feel like I was inside a bubble looking out at everything going on. I quit taking it and relied on ibuprofen.