Wisdom Teeth Dilemma

snr1 · May 2012

My wedding is next Friday, June 1st and I am having problems with one of my wisdom teeth coming in. Over the years they have always come up a little and gone back down, but the dentist has never wanted to remove them. This time it is really bad on one of my bottom ones. This started late last week and my dentist is closed on Fridays. I went to urgent care on Saturday and got some antibiotics because it was swollen and painful and I feared infection. I have been on antibiotics for 3 days but this morning it is oozing blood.

I have a dentist appointment tomorrow, but I am freaking out about them wanting to take it out this close to the wedding. I am scared I won't be able to have it done and recover in time, but I am not sure I should wait because after the wedding I will be in between insurances for a little while as I am currently under my dad's military insurance, but won't be when I get married and I am starting a new job in July with insurance.

What would you do? Try to get it done asap and hope I will be recovered enough by next Friday or see if it can wait? Obviously I haven't gotten a dentist's recommendation yet.

ETA: typo

MrsKathyC · May 2012

I would hold off until after the wedding, if you possibly can. You won't be able to eat much of anything with a hole in your mouth.

shanding4787 · May 2012

If you can bear to wait, I'd say wait. I know some people bounce back just fine in a few days, others don't and the last thing you want is to be recovering still on your wedding day, especially if you have a dry socket.

lbarr088 · May 2012

Hold off, God forbid you get dry socket like I did. Can you get some numbing gel from the dentist to make things a bit more bearable until after the wedding?

snr1 · May 2012

Oh good! So glad you guys thinks so too! I really want to wait, but I obviously don't want to neglect my health for the wedding. I am scared that I will have a hard time though especially since I don't tend to do well on pain meds.

kimandjosh22 · May 2012

ask the dentist if they can give you any idea of how invasive the surgery might be. If any are impacted I would see if you can wait 'til after the wedding. but if they're already causing you this much pain and the dentist feels it would be a simple extraction I might consider getting it done tomorrow. I had 3 impacted, one which required drilling and I feel like I was back to relatively normal (minus a few foods) after a week. If you do end-up going for it lots and lots of ice will help keep swelling to a minimum. definitely ask your dentist about the possibility of bruising.
I think talking with your dentist about the timeline of your wedding/honeymoon/new job/insurance I'm sure they will be willing to have a realistic discussion and come-up with a plan for what to do.
I would go to your appointment tomorrow prepaired with someone who could drive you home just incase they decide that the best thing is to take care of it right away (like a dry socket it would also suck to have some kind of infection). There isn't a way the can squeeze you in for a consult today?

Maggie0829 · May 2012

If you can hold off I would, BUT if your dentist says that the tooth has to come out pronto to help with any type of infection etc you should listen to your dentist.

AdeleDazeem · May 2012

Huh. I would have said take it out. All four of mine were impacted and I had them out under general. I didn't swell too much and didn't need hard core pain meds. I went back to work two days later and was eating somewhat normally within a week.

Of course there is no way to know, but if I was in a lot of pain from it, I'd just take it out. I'd rather know the pain would gradually decrease than wonder how bad it would be in another week. Just my opinion. Do what is right for you.

aragx6 · May 2012

If you can wait, I would definitely wait, but not having insurance after the wedding is a big concern. Having to do the surgery without insurance could be extremely pricey. I think you have to talk to your dentist and listen to his advice. A week isn't as long to recover as you'd like, but you have to put your health and long-term finances first.

lbarr088 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wisdom-teeth-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:24f11c22-fb83-4b33-acf3-af9729141360Post:ebf78886-93f1-4328-bf34-ab990b1984cc">Re: Wisdom Teeth Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]If you can wait, I would definitely wait, but not having insurance after the wedding is a big concern. <strong>Having to do the surgery without insurance could be extremely pricey.</strong> I think you have to talk to your dentist and listen to his advice. A week isn't as long to recover as you'd like, but you have to put your health and long-term finances first.
Posted by aragx6[/QUOTE]

<div>I forgot about this aspect. I was still in college when I got them out and I remember my parents still paying quite a bit with pretty good insurance. </div><div>
</div><div>(Also I didn't mean to scare you about the dry socket... it sucks and hurts horribly bad, BUT if you are a non-smoker and haven't been on BCP since the day you were born you probably wont have any issues!)</div>

Bonzo2011 · May 2012

I would honestly get the teeth taken out as soon as possible, then just do everything you can to speed the recovery. I wouldn't want to deal with pain in my muth longer than I had to. I think it really all comes down to what the dentist says though. Discuss everything that's going on, including the insurance change, with your dentist and together you'll be able to figure out the best plan for you.

MattsPenguin · May 2012

Joy, I'm with you. I was eating solid foods the evening after my surgery. And I believe that I had all four out.

Obviously others have had a much more difficult time.

My husband had a hernia the day of our wedding (actually he'd had it his entire life). It had been hurting for a few months, but we didn't know what it was. We thought that he had an ulcer. He said that when the thinks back to our wedding, he just remembers how much pain he was in. I absolutely HATE that we didn't get it checked out before the wedding.

snr1 · May 2012

Its not really painful at all anymore since I went on the antibiotics and 800 mg ibuprofen. I actually thought it was getting better until today when there was a little blood oozing out. When I originally went to urgent care it was very swollen, but it has gone down a lot. I am thinking it probably wouldn't be that bad of a surgery to get it out since it is definitely coming up, but I am just concerned about the recovery. I definitely wouldn't be concerned about waiting if it weren't for the insurance part. I just need to make sure I can wait until at least the beginning of July. And it is only one tooth since the rest are still in the same condition that they have always been.

lbarr088 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wisdom-teeth-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:24f11c22-fb83-4b33-acf3-af9729141360Post:55e2ac72-0554-4d00-ba66-d0e783ac4ab9">Re: Wisdom Teeth Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]Its not really painful at all anymore since I went on the antibiotics and 800 mg ibuprofen.<strong> I actually thought it was getting better until today when there was a little blood oozing out.</strong> When I originally went to urgent care it was very swollen, but it has gone down a lot. I am thinking it probably wouldn't be that bad of a surgery to get it out since it is definitely coming up, but I am just concerned about the recovery. I definitely wouldn't be concerned about waiting if it weren't for the insurance part. I just need to make sure I can wait until at least the beginning of July. And it is only one tooth since the rest are still in the same condition that they have always been.
Posted by snr1[/QUOTE]

<div>Now I'm on team "get it out." If it's oozing and whatnot I would get it taken care of. I would not want to be oozing blood on my wedding day. I'd take the taste of the dry socket meds over that any day.</div>

elldee333 · May 2012

I would get them taken out. My wisdom teeth were coming in fine during one checkup at the dentist and a few weeks later i woke up in such unbearable pain i had to get them out as an emergency the next day. But recovery was literally a couple of days, lots of ice as PP said and hardly any swelling.

No matter what you do you're going to be in some sort of pain for some time. And given the no insurance thing, I would do it now while you DO have insurance. As Joy said- I'd rather know the pain is done and overwith and WILL be better in a week (even if it's still there a little bit)- you could be like me and wake up the day before your wedding and not even be able to open your mouth, let alone drink or eat anything (or smile for pictures, greet guests, say your vows...)

ETA: typo

snr1 · May 2012

Do they ever let you keep your wisdom teeth? I am just curious why they never wanted to remove them before when I mentioned them coming up every once in a while. Do people ever have room for them. And just to clarify the pain is not bad and it never really was, I am more worried about what is going on with the swelling and oozing.

snr1 · May 2012

Ok well I will see if there is any possiblity that they could actually remove it tomorrow.

aragx6 · May 2012

^Everyone in my family still has theirs except me. Mine were removed only because I didn't focus on cleaning them well enough and I got cavities (the only cavities I've ever had) and they're too far back to successfully fill.

lbarr088 · May 2012

Some people never have an issue with theirs so yes, they can keep them. Those with impactions and infections, or teeth growing in incorrectly need to get them out. They can cause migraines, and all sorts of fun little problems.

spiment · May 2012

I would get it out. Yes, dry socket sucks but if youre REALLY REALLY careful, it can be avoided. If it's oozing blood that is NOT good at all! See if someone can get you in today?

lbarr088 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wisdom-teeth-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:24f11c22-fb83-4b33-acf3-af9729141360Post:251732bc-c23d-4ff4-a19a-0b10ca17f616">Re: Wisdom Teeth Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]I would get it out. Yes, dry socket sucks but if youre <strong>REALLY REALLY careful,</strong> it can be avoided. If it's oozing blood that is NOT good at all! See if someone can get you in today?
Posted by spiment[/QUOTE]

<div>I don't buy this. (Not that I at all am trying to turn this into an argument about dry socket...)</div>

snr1 · May 2012

I just called and the soonest they can get me in is early tomorrow morning. I know the oozing blood part sounds bad, but it was just a little bit right when I woke up. Not trying to minimize it, but it sounds a lot worse than it is. Last night it was totally fine and I ate steak and it didn't even bother it. Its just been kind of on and off again.

cnf2013 · May 2012

My two cents is wait and use antibiotics and ibuprofen to stave off any complications, unless the dentist says otherwise.

My oral surgeon knicked the main nerve going through my jaw when mine were removed. I didn't peel myself off the couch for three weeks and went through three prescription pain killer refills. I was in excruciating pain for weeks and didn't regain full feeling in my face for almost two months. Worst experience ever. I would have never made it through a wedding, haha.

snr1 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wisdom-teeth-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:24f11c22-fb83-4b33-acf3-af9729141360Post:0218067e-7e5b-4fa2-8e85-cc5037562717">Re: Wisdom Teeth Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wisdom Teeth Dilemma : I don't buy this. (Not that I at all am trying to turn this into an argument about dry socket...)
Posted by lbarr088[/QUOTE]

Yeah I have known people to have very different experience with getting their teeth out. I don't think you can predict it at all which is why it scares me to do it so close to my wedding. I don't want to regret my choice either way, but obviously I will listen to what the dentist recommends.

MyUserName1 · May 2012

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this! I'd get them out and plan to take the rest of the week off to rest to help speed up the healing. Make sure you have plenty of high protein foods that you'll be able to consume (chicken broth, etc.). Don't push yourself, just relax and drink tons and tons of fluids and you *should* be recovered by the wedding even if you do have a little bit of a hole still!

snr1 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wisdom-teeth-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:24f11c22-fb83-4b33-acf3-af9729141360Post:2a43af58-3291-48c0-912b-ed669bc1081d">Re: Wisdom Teeth Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]My two cents is wait and use antibiotics and ibuprofen to stave off any complications, unless the dentist says otherwise. My oral surgeon knicked the main nerve going through my jaw when mine were removed. I didn't peel myself off the couch for three weeks and went through three prescription pain killer refills. I was in excruciating pain for weeks and didn't regain full feeling in my face for almost two months. Worst experience ever. I would have never made it through a wedding, haha.
Posted by cnf2013[/QUOTE]

See this is my fear, well I didn't think it could be that bad. But I don't want to ruin my entire wedding and honeymoon by getting my tooth out. Ughh..

beautifulvice · May 2012

Ditto waiting until after the wedding (assuming you can -- obviously, if you're in excruciating pain, that won't be any fun on your wedding day either). I looked like a chipmunk on one side for days after having one of mine removed, never mind being really doped up on painkillers.

cnf2013 · May 2012

I don't mean to scare you! I don't know many people who've had it that rough before. I think I just had a shiitty oral surgeon. I had an uncommon insurance and used the only surgeon in a 50 mile radius who took it. If I had a choice, I would have gone elsewhere. Honestly, with a good surgeon, you should be healed up enough to enjoy your wedding pain free.

kimandjosh22 · May 2012

My oral surgeon gave me the option of taking them out 2 at a time. see if you can get only the one bothering you removed immediately and then schedule the others to be removed after the wedding and once you're covered by insurance again. Dry sockets are not completely preventable, but lots of rest and not jumping back into activities too quickly can help lower the chances that you'll get them.

m tulli · May 2012

Wait and see what your dentist has to say. It could be infected and if so I wouldn't wait. If you need to see an oral sergeon they might not be able to se you before the wedding. Gather info then decide.

snr1 · May 2012

Thank you for all of your concern and helpful comments. I am just trying not to stress out about it too much and I'll see what they say tomorrow. I would definitely only get the one that is bothering me out so hopefully that would make the recovery a lot easier. Thanks guys!

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