Just read this article about how some dentists are now recommending fewer opioids after wisdom tooth surgery, suggesting ibuprofen and acetaminophen instead. Um, I get the concern about opioids, but honestly, when I had mine out last year, OTC meds barely touched the pain. I was miserable for days. Curious if anyone else has tried managing it without stronger meds and how that went...
"OTC meds barely touched the pain. I was miserable for days."
Yeah, wisdom teeth removal can definitely be rough, everyone's experience is so different. When mine came out, my dentist actually suggested alternating ibuprofen and acetaminophen every few hours, and surprisingly, it worked pretty well for me. I did feel some discomfort, especially the first day or two—but nothing unbearable. I also used ice packs religiously to keep swelling down and ate tons of smoothies and yogurt (gotta love an excuse for milkshakes, right?).
Maybe pain management effectiveness depends on how impacted your teeth are or how invasive the extraction is? I've heard friends say they absolutely needed something stronger, while others breezed through with minimal meds. Makes me wonder if there might be other factors at play—like individual pain tolerance or even diet choices during recovery... Has anyone else found certain foods or habits that seemed to make a difference in their healing process?
I totally get the anxiety about wisdom teeth removal...mine's coming up next week and reading these experiences isn't exactly calming my nerves, lol. I've heard mixed things too—some friends swear by ice packs, others say warm compresses helped more after the first day. Did anyone notice if sleeping upright or propped up made a difference in swelling or pain? I'm trying to prep ahead and avoid as much misery as possible.
