Exercising After Wisdom Tooth Extraction

More often than not, wisdom tooth extraction is a simple surgery that doesn't take more than ten minutes. Even if your wisdom teeth are impacted or if you need to have more extracted at once, you can still go back to your regular lifestyle fairly soon.

However, since we are still talking about surgery and your body will need time to heal, it's best to take it a bit slowly for a few days. If you are an athlete or just someone with a very active lifestyle, you may be wondering how soon after wisdom tooth extraction you can start exercising again.

Here's what the dentists at our Vivid Smiles clinic recommend.

Why Rest Is Important After Wisdom Teeth Extractions

You may be wondering why you need to take things slower for a few days after such a simple procedure as a tooth extraction.

When a wisdom tooth is extracted, the empty, bleeding socket that's left behind is basically a wound. And, for it to heal properly, blood needs to coagulate and form a clot.

Strenuous activities, such as high-impact physical activities, can dislodge the blood clot and make the wound prone to dry socket, a painful condition that will interfere with the healing process.

How Long Until I Can Start Exercising Again?

Regardless if you only had one or more wisdom teeth removed or if the procedure was quick and simple or a bit more complicated, you need to rest and avoid any physical activity in the first 24 hours after the extraction. This period is crucial for the formation of the blood clot, so you must rest and let your body recover.

When you can go back to exercising depends on how many wisdom teeth you've had removed and their position. In the case of upper wisdom teeth, for example, you can go back to some light exercise, such as stretching, five days after the extraction. In the case of lower wisdom teeth, you will have to wait for about ten days before you can go back to exercising.

What Type of Exercises Can I Do?

In the first few days after you can start exercising again, it's best to stick with low-impact exercises, such as simple stretching or light strength training. Avoid exercises that involve a lot of running and jumping as they can interfere with the healing process.

Get All The Information You Need from Vivid Smiles

At Vivid Smiles, we are very serious about educating our patients as we believe that proper dental care and knowledge can help you keep your smile healthy and shiny for a long time.

If you need to get your wisdom teeth extracted and are curious about how the process will go and what you can expect after, don't hesitate to get in touch with us and ask us everything you want to know.