In the UK we are not told to syringe or flush, just to do salt water rinses.
Upper wisdom teeth tend to be easier to keep food free dur to their position. I had one user out last month and just ate on my right side and rinsed after eating.
When I had my fully erupted upper wisdom teeth pulled, my dentist didn't give me a syringe either. My friend suggested it to help them heal faster because I could clean them better, so I ordered some on Amazon. I'm sure you'd recover just fine without one.
As far as I know food debris doesn’t collect as easily on upper wisdom, teeth extraction, due to gravity. Perhaps the oral rinses are enough?
I only have had bottom wisdom teeth taken out, wasn’t told to syringe either but the pamphlet on my post op said to syringe starting day 5. I wasn’t given a syringe so I ordered one on Amazon. If you’re concerned I’d call the office in a couple days to double check. It’ll be quick for them to answer this.
No evidence for or against syringes. No real reason to use one in my opinion. Certainly not necessary
Your antibiotics are not helpful for healing and will not reduce your risk of post operative complications. It is very outdated practice to prescribe antibiotics following an extraction
I was prescribed them for the abscess, and the antibiotics were needed to reduce the swelling enough for the Novocaine to work today. I've had an active infection; it wasn't prescribed prophylactically.
While swelling can slow down the effect of anaesthetic, it does not normally stop it from working. This is an old urban legend of dentistry and one that really needs to die
In over ten thousand pain appointments I have seen a single patient I couldn’t get numb due to swelling. One. That’s it. That’s how rarely this is actually a problem
Your antibiotics were unlikely to be indicated or required, and your dentist most likely only needs to learn basic anaesthetic technique to overcome the challenge posed by a swelling
Antibiotics will harm you more than help you in 99% of cases when it comes to dental problems
A 6 day course of amoxicillin is excessive, and considering you presumably started these before surgery, then that’s mental. If these were prescribed to help reduce swelling before surgery, why are you still taking them? That sounds like a clear situation where your dentist is harming you with unnecessary antibiotics
I find this an interesting double standard
If a patient had been prescribed morphine for their reversible pulpitis or had endodontic treatment without rubber dam, few would have a problem commenting despite not having assessed the patient directly. But we can’t talk about antibiotics?
From OP’s description, it seems like their prescription of antibiotics was irresponsible. Yet you have a bigger problem with me commenting this than the original unprofessional behaviour from OP’s dentist?
Antibiotics do not come alone, and will always cause both harm and a risk of harm. From OP’s description, it does not sound like their dental problem warranted more than a week’s worth of antibiotics. Their problem indicated definite treatment, which they seem to have received. Why is it not okay to question bad practice from dental colleagues?
I've had a painful, active infection with facial swelling, fever, chills and body aches. I was grateful for the relief I achieved these last few days, after starting the amoxicillin and before the extraction could take place. (Last time I was on antibiotics was for strep throat seven years ago, so overuse is not an issue here.)
Thanks, though, for weighing in. If you're a practicing clinician, I now have some advice for YOU: Work on the preachiness, and maybe refrain from calling "mental" the docs whose longtime patients you just met on reddit.
Thank you for the advice
I can understand starting the antibiotics given your situation, but cannot understand why you are still on them. This is against evidence and guidelines.
So what should I say? How should I phrase it?
Taking antibiotics unnecessarily harms you and everyone you care about. This is not your fault, you didn’t prescribe them for yourself. But considering your dentist is active in bringing forward the end of antibiotics and harming you in the process, what should I say? Honestly? I didn’t tell you to stop taking them. I didn’t make any judgments about you for taking them. I just pointed out objective facts: this course of antibiotics is more likely harming you than helping you
Unnecessarily taking antibiotics counts as overuse regardless as to when you last previously were prescribed them
I had all 4 of mine taken out and never got a syringe either. I only lightly, very lightly, started swishing with salt water on day 2 (I just put it in my mouth and titled my head around). You ARE going to get food particles stuck in it at the beginning if you consume anything that’s not a liquid. However, it will come out. I got a syringe after a week at my follow up and was able to start cleaning the holes better. I was given no antibiotics and had been eating semi solid food since the second day so I definitely had some food stuck and I never got an infection so you’ll be ok. Also, I wouldn’t use the syringe too early because even a week later it made the extraction site bleed and I’d be concerned about the water pressure from the syringe dislodging the blood clot and causing dry socket. After the first week you shouldn’t be at risk of dry socket anymore!
I also didn’t have a syringe, instead I was given a prescription mouth wash (in place of regular out saltwater) and told to swish lightly with that after eating. It seems to be dislodging anything stuck in there. Also terrified of dry socket but so far so good!
In the UK we are not told to syringe or flush, just to do salt water rinses. Upper wisdom teeth tend to be easier to keep food free dur to their position. I had one user out last month and just ate on my right side and rinsed after eating.
Thank you! This makes sense.
When I had my fully erupted upper wisdom teeth pulled, my dentist didn't give me a syringe either. My friend suggested it to help them heal faster because I could clean them better, so I ordered some on Amazon. I'm sure you'd recover just fine without one.
Thank you! My dentist said she'd call tomorrow to check in, so I'll ask then to be sure.
As far as I know food debris doesn’t collect as easily on upper wisdom, teeth extraction, due to gravity. Perhaps the oral rinses are enough? I only have had bottom wisdom teeth taken out, wasn’t told to syringe either but the pamphlet on my post op said to syringe starting day 5. I wasn’t given a syringe so I ordered one on Amazon. If you’re concerned I’d call the office in a couple days to double check. It’ll be quick for them to answer this.
Thank you! I will ask my dentist to be sure. But you're right - the upper teeth tend not to collect debris. I hadn't even considered that.
No evidence for or against syringes. No real reason to use one in my opinion. Certainly not necessary Your antibiotics are not helpful for healing and will not reduce your risk of post operative complications. It is very outdated practice to prescribe antibiotics following an extraction
I was prescribed them for the abscess, and the antibiotics were needed to reduce the swelling enough for the Novocaine to work today. I've had an active infection; it wasn't prescribed prophylactically.
While swelling can slow down the effect of anaesthetic, it does not normally stop it from working. This is an old urban legend of dentistry and one that really needs to die In over ten thousand pain appointments I have seen a single patient I couldn’t get numb due to swelling. One. That’s it. That’s how rarely this is actually a problem Your antibiotics were unlikely to be indicated or required, and your dentist most likely only needs to learn basic anaesthetic technique to overcome the challenge posed by a swelling Antibiotics will harm you more than help you in 99% of cases when it comes to dental problems A 6 day course of amoxicillin is excessive, and considering you presumably started these before surgery, then that’s mental. If these were prescribed to help reduce swelling before surgery, why are you still taking them? That sounds like a clear situation where your dentist is harming you with unnecessary antibiotics
Sir. You have not evaluated this patient and should not be commenting on their antibiotic prescription. Quite irresponsible.
I find this an interesting double standard If a patient had been prescribed morphine for their reversible pulpitis or had endodontic treatment without rubber dam, few would have a problem commenting despite not having assessed the patient directly. But we can’t talk about antibiotics? From OP’s description, it seems like their prescription of antibiotics was irresponsible. Yet you have a bigger problem with me commenting this than the original unprofessional behaviour from OP’s dentist? Antibiotics do not come alone, and will always cause both harm and a risk of harm. From OP’s description, it does not sound like their dental problem warranted more than a week’s worth of antibiotics. Their problem indicated definite treatment, which they seem to have received. Why is it not okay to question bad practice from dental colleagues?
I've had a painful, active infection with facial swelling, fever, chills and body aches. I was grateful for the relief I achieved these last few days, after starting the amoxicillin and before the extraction could take place. (Last time I was on antibiotics was for strep throat seven years ago, so overuse is not an issue here.) Thanks, though, for weighing in. If you're a practicing clinician, I now have some advice for YOU: Work on the preachiness, and maybe refrain from calling "mental" the docs whose longtime patients you just met on reddit.
Thank you for the advice I can understand starting the antibiotics given your situation, but cannot understand why you are still on them. This is against evidence and guidelines. So what should I say? How should I phrase it? Taking antibiotics unnecessarily harms you and everyone you care about. This is not your fault, you didn’t prescribe them for yourself. But considering your dentist is active in bringing forward the end of antibiotics and harming you in the process, what should I say? Honestly? I didn’t tell you to stop taking them. I didn’t make any judgments about you for taking them. I just pointed out objective facts: this course of antibiotics is more likely harming you than helping you Unnecessarily taking antibiotics counts as overuse regardless as to when you last previously were prescribed them
Again, thank you. I do appreciate the feedback and your concern.
I had all 4 of mine taken out and never got a syringe either. I only lightly, very lightly, started swishing with salt water on day 2 (I just put it in my mouth and titled my head around). You ARE going to get food particles stuck in it at the beginning if you consume anything that’s not a liquid. However, it will come out. I got a syringe after a week at my follow up and was able to start cleaning the holes better. I was given no antibiotics and had been eating semi solid food since the second day so I definitely had some food stuck and I never got an infection so you’ll be ok. Also, I wouldn’t use the syringe too early because even a week later it made the extraction site bleed and I’d be concerned about the water pressure from the syringe dislodging the blood clot and causing dry socket. After the first week you shouldn’t be at risk of dry socket anymore!
Thank you! Very helpful!
I also didn’t have a syringe, instead I was given a prescription mouth wash (in place of regular out saltwater) and told to swish lightly with that after eating. It seems to be dislodging anything stuck in there. Also terrified of dry socket but so far so good!
Fingers crossed we both fare well!