Wisdom tooth extraction - help!

Hey everyone, especially those of you who might actually have some answers for me...

So, my tooth was acting up the other day, so I headed over to my dentist. Once she finished fixing the issue, she dropped this bombshell that I really need to get my wisdom teeth pulled. One of them has been bugging me on and off for like 15 years now, and I've been putting it off forever. Well, I finally worked up the nerve to go see a specialist in a clinic over in Seattle, but all they did was basically just trim back the gum tissue around it.

And that’s where things get messy. My dentist says she’s going to pull TWO of my wisdom teeth next week. Honestly, I’m freaking out, but part of me is thinking, "Okay, fine, it's time to just get it over with." But then I mentioned it to a friend today, and she looked at me like I was crazy. She couldn't believe I wasn't being sent straight to an oral surgeon or even told to go get X-rays first.

Now I'm spiraling a little bit, thinking they're gonna wreck my jaw and end up mopping my blood off the floor. Like, my actual blood...

Should I just be brave and go through with the extraction, or should I demand a referral for imaging and a trip to the surgeon? What have you guys dealt with before?

First off, you should probably take some photos of them and head straight to the surgeon with those pictures in hand so they can give you a professional opinion on whether extraction is actually necessary. Just please, don't try to play doctor or mess around with it yourself; you really don't want to end up needing even more teeth pulled because things went sideways. But honestly, there’s no reason to be terrified. I ended up having all four of mine taken out because my jaw just didn't have the room to accommodate them properly. They'll just give you some local anesthesia and get it over with. Just be prepared to stick to cold foods for a few days, and watch out—if you run a fever, you might trigger a bout of cold sores, and if the procedure isn't handled perfectly, you might see some bruising on your face near the site, though that usually clears up in just a few days. Wishing you the best of luck with everything!

ironeagle10 said:First off, you should probably take some photos of them and head straight to the surgeon with those pictures in hand so they can give you a professional opinion on whether extraction is actually necessary. Just please, don't try to play doctor or mess around with it yourself; you really don't want to end up needing even more teeth pulled because things went sideways. But honestly, there’s no reason to be terrified. I ended up having all four of mine taken out because my jaw just didn't have the room to accommodate them properly. They'll just give you some local anesthesia and get it over with. Just be prepared to stick to cold foods for a few days, and watch out—if you run a fever, you might trigger a bout of cold sores, and if the procedure isn't handled perfectly, you might see some bruising on your face near the site, though that usually clears up in just a few days. Wishing you the best of luck with everything!

Right now, I'm dealing with a nasty case of strep throat... and to make matters worse, my upper wisdom teeth have started coming in, so I've been accidentally biting the inside of my cheek near my lower molars, and now the whole area is swollen...
On top of everything else, I've noticed these tiny white spots scattered throughout my mouth... they aren't painful, but I can't help wondering if it's herpes?
HELP ME OH PLEASE!
It hurts like absolute hell...

Thanks—feeling a little better now...

So, I had to head back to the dentist today because that tooth she worked on just two days ago started absolutely killing me. I told her straight up that I’m terrified (and yeah, I really am) of getting my wisdom teeth pulled. She told me she’d just take care of the top two herself, but she wants me to go to a specialist over in Chicago for the bottom ones.
I’m seriously going to have to suck it up and just do it! Hopefully...

I finally had my wisdom tooth pulled this morning, and honestly? I’m still standing. It hurts, sure, but it's nothing I can't handle. I always figured it was better to just get it over with early on rather than waiting around for some massive complication to pop up later.👍

Man, that looks absolutely incredible! Honestly, having given birth twice, I’d much rather deal with postpartum stitches than have to get a wisdom tooth pulled... I swear we’re all just crazy in our own special ways 🙄
But hey, I’m sticking to my guns—I’m going to get through this and make sure life stays awesome.
Thanks!

I honestly can't even begin to explain how much I hate dealing with people who think they’re doctors just because they spent ten minutes scrolling through WebMD at three in the morning. It’s like, we all know that feeling where you get a tiny headache and suddenly you're convinced it’s something catastrophic, but there’s a massive difference between having a little anxiety and acting like an absolute expert on medical science when you don't have a single credential to your name. I remember this one time back in Chicago, I was sitting in a coffee shop and listening to this lady next to me go on a twenty-minute rant about how her seasonal allergies were actually some rare autoimmune disorder she read about online, and I just had to stare into my latte and wonder how we got here. It’s exhausting, really. You try to have a normal conversation, maybe share a quick thought or a bit of actual information, and suddenly you're being lectured by someone who thinks their Google search results carry more weight than years of actual medical training. It just wears you down. kaže:
I finally went under the knife this morning to get my wisdom teeth pulled, and honestly, I’m still standing! It definitely hurts, but nothing I can't handle. Looking back, I really should have just bit the bullet and done this sooner—it would've saved me all the stress and potential complications down the road. Better to deal with the headache now than wait for things to get messy later.👍

So, I finally went under the knife last week to get my first wisdom tooth pulled at the surgical center, and I just had the stitches taken out this past Monday. Honestly, it was pretty rough for a couple of days—dealing with some swelling and that dull, throbbing ache—but once I started staying on top of the painkillers, things smoothed out big time. I’m feeling awesome now, totally back in the groove, and ready to tackle what's next... only three more to go.🙂 I guess I’ll make it through this whole mess somehow!

Dear Sammy,

Just stay brave and get it over with. I went to State University for my degree, and the whole process was actually pretty quick and manageable.

I totally get how you're feeling—I dealt with my own panic attacks right before my surgery. It’s a nightmare when they’re messing around "inside your head." Truly awful.

I was out of it for a few days after my procedure, and the pain afterward can be pretty rough, but it passes, and then you're in the clear! Just stock up on some Advil and tackle this head-on.

And please, let us know how it goes!

feralwalker0

feralwalker0 said:Dear Sammy,

Just stay brave and get it over with. I went to State University for my degree, and the whole process was actually pretty quick and manageable.

I totally get how you're feeling—I dealt with my own panic attacks right before my surgery. It’s a nightmare when they’re messing around "inside your head." Truly awful.

I was out of it for a few days after my procedure, and the pain afterward can be pretty rough, but it passes, and then you're in the clear! Just stock up on some Advil and tackle this head-on.

And please, let us know how it goes!

feralwalker0

Exactly! It definitely feels wrong having someone messing around inside your skull! For me, I'm less worried about the top ones and more about the bottom ones. They're so tiny you can barely see them, and my brain is basically spinning trying to imagine how they'll even grab them with those tools. But whatever. I won't be the first or last person to deal with this. It's kind of like when I had my first baby. I was so incredibly proud of myself. I actually DID it! I survived! I should write a book about what an absolute legend I am! And then I hear people being all like, "Oh, this is my third kid," or "This is my fourth..." Like, please.
I'm gonna be brave, and by next week, I'll have one or two fewer molars. And soon, I won't have any left at all.
Thanks everyone, this really helped me out a ton!