wisdom teeth extraction

I'm going to the dental clinic/hospital today for a final assessment before arranging to have all 4 wisdom teeth extracted.  I'm not in acute pain from them but my dentist wants them out as they are hard to clean and are causing decay in the neighbouring molars.  Apparently the roots are well and truly knotted and the only place for the extarctions is the hospital.  I have a couple of big races in early March and late May.  Should I defer extraction till the end of June when hopefully I am fully recovered from my races or could I consider getting them out between the races?  Both are ultras!  Cheers

Comments

  • It takes about 2 or 3 days for the effects of the GA to wear off (unless you are having a local?) and about a week for the bruising to go down

    Get it done ASAP I reckon

  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭

    I had the same done a few years ago.  I'd recommend getting a general if you get the choice.image

    With all 4 and big roots (I still have a wee bit of root in there that they couldn't get out, even having removed a small section of the jawbone....), your jaw will most probably sieze up for a few days afterwards, so stock up on custard, baby food and possibly things like Complan.

    If you could time it for immediately after your first race, when you are recovering, then ok.  But given that you may not be able to eat properly for a week, it may affect your training if you get a date close to your second race - in which case it might be best to leave it until after.

  • I had all mine out under GA just over a year ago and it was a week before I felt vaguely human and about 2 weeks before I felt that I was upto running again - I would second Nessie's suggestion regarding dates but if in any doubt (and assuming you have some say in it), I would leave it until after both of them.

    I can highly recommend ice cream for the first week image

  • I had mine extracted in two goes.  One side first then the other side a few weeks later.  It was done in hospital under a local, which wasn't exactly pleasant but meant a much quicker recovery time.  There will be far less swelling if you have a local because they can't be as brutal when doing the extraction.  I wasn't a runner at the time but I was feeling okay the next day and would have been able to run.  I was able to eat normally because they did one side at a time so I chewed on the good side.

    If you have them all done together under a general then you're going to feel pretty crappy for a couple of days and will have problems eating for longer, so will be off running for at least a week.

    When you have it done depends on how much discomfort you're getting and how long the waiting list is at the hospital.

  • I had 6 teeth extracted at the same time - 4 wisdom teeth (7's and 8's) and my 6's on the one side because they were impacting

    Everyone reacts differently to a GA and everyone takes an amount of time that may be more or less than everyone else.

    As Mister.W says though get in if the waiting list is long - you may have to wait 2 years

  • Thanks for the feedabck.  I'm just heading off and I'll see what they offer me.  Sound like waiting till after the May race might be sensible if I get the chance to influence the timing at all.  Thank you.   
  • Just wading in to offer my sympathy!

    I have root treatment tomorrow to look forward to image but it's being done under a local. No idea what it involves but when I tell people I'm getting it done they wince so I'm a bit nervous to say the least! However I can't imagine it's going to be as bad as getting wisdom teeth out! However, just in case I'm doing my run early tomorrow morning, prior to going in. I'm hoping I'll be all fine and dandy for thursday nights speed session.

    Good luck and hope your op goes well!

  • I had root canal work done 2.5 years ago and it was fine.  Not pleasant, but not dreadful either.  I am a real wimp when it comes to dental pain and usually get extra pain relief so if I can say that, then it really wasn't too bad.  Good luck. 

    The dental surgeon wants to remove 3 wisdom teeth and 2 adjacent molars - 7s and 8s.  She will do them all in one op under a general.  She offerd to do it in April but has schedueld me in for mid June.  Hopefully, that will give me enough time after my ultra to eat lots of fruit and veg and rebuild a flattened immune system!

    Thank you all for your support. 

  • I had 4 out in one go with a local.  3 days recovery was enough to start running again, but I was eating normal foods the next day.  Had a GA this year for something else and was running 2 days later.

    I'd get it done as soon as possible.

  • MrsPenguin: I had 2 root canals done under local about 3 months after my wisdom teeth extraction and honestly i didn't find it too bad at all - achy for the rest of that day but nothing that normal painkillers didn't deal with.   So don't worry about that image
  • Mrs P - I had root canal treatment and was dreading it cos of what other people had said. I was surprised to find it nowhere near as bad as I'd expected and almost felt like saying "Is that it????"

    As for wisdom teeth, I had two out under GA at the dentist (in the good old days) and had more problems with the plaster they used to cover the needle hole cos I'm allergic to plasters. I wasn't a runner at the time but only remember being in discomfort that same evening. I'm normally a right mard-arse at the dentist and hated having a tooth out under local cos of the injection into the roof of my mouth so I don't have a special pain threshold or anything.

    Good luck to all of you awaiting treatment image

  • Thanks guys so much xxxx, seriously the encouragement helps!

    Am sitting here poking my dodgy tooth with my tongue and counting down the minutes till I have leave for my appointment [currently 32].

    Had a good [but slow] run at 5.30am this morning so at least I don't have that to worry about!

    Also, on the plus side I got a call from the hubby to let me know he should be back home tonight [been away on business] so at least I'll have someone to comfort me!

  • Hope it went well MrsP.
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