Wisdom teeth extraction: what to expect with type 1 diabetes.
Welcome back, Champions!
HAPPY NEW YEAR my friends! I hope 2018 brings us all an amazing year of happiness, good health, and many more amazing memories... and lots of GOOD BLOOD SUGAR READINGS, am I right?
This weeks post is about an experience I very recently went through myself, wisdom teeth surgery! I got 4 of my wisdom teeth out a little over a week ago, and man, was it an interesting process. Now, the tricky thing about wisdom teeth extraction is that it's SO DIFFERENT for every person. I've asked a lot of friends and family members, and some were back on their feet a day or two later, and others needed 3 weeks of recovery!
It also depends on how impacted your wisdom teeth were, and just overall your reaction to the surgery, your recovery time, and of course how well you take care of yourself.
My wisdom teeth were impacted, so they were barely peeking out of my gums when they were removed. Because of that, the dentists had to cut into my jaw to get them out which meant that my recovery was definitely painful! SOOOO... I want to go over things that people with diabetes should consider and pay attention to before, during, and after their wisdom teeth extraction process!
***DISCLAIMER*** I am NOT a doctor and therefore please check with your physician/dentist FIRST with any questions or concerns you may have!!!
~ BEFORE ~
1. Check with your dentist to see if wisdom teeth removal is right for you!
Not everyone needs to get them removed, and sometimes not everyone has all 4 of them! Make sure to sit down and have a long conversation with your provider to see what's right for you.
2. read up on your possible options for post-extraction pain medications!
Depending on your doctor, he/she will recommend some pain medications for you to take after your extraction. I personally chose NOT to take any narcotics, because of their known side effects. I was okay with sticking to ibuprofen for my pain, and for me that worked well enough. Now, I obviously still felt pain, because ibuprofen isn't going to mask the pain like Vicodin or other medications can. That decision is yours to make with the help of your doctor. Weigh the pros and cons and see which option works best for you.
3. Be prepared to take some time off - plan for as much time as you can!
I'd say this is probably the hardest to plan for. There is no telling how much time it will take you to heal and recover. Everyone is different when it comes to wisdom teeth removal, and not even your doctor will be able to tell you an exact date. I'd say give yourself about two weeks at least. The first week will consist of just recovering from the physical pain and trying to get back to eating semi-solid food. The second week will recovery! consist of your mouth taking the time to heal properly. The more time you give yourself, the better. I got my wisdom teeth taken out during my christmas break off, and it worked out pretty well for me. I know a lot of my friends have done it during the summer as well. Just pick a time that works best for you, and make sure you have someone who can help you out the first couple of days. Company and support is VERY VERY nice during the first days of painful recovery!
~ DURING ~
1. make a plan to keep track of your blood sugar levels during surgery!
I have the Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring system, which made it a lot easier than usual to keep track of my blood sugars during the surgery. My dentist obviously knows about my T1D, so I told him about my Dexcom app on my phone, as well as the display on my iWatch face, which made it easier for either him or one of the nurses in the room to check my wrist during the surgery. I was instructed by my doctor to have my blood sugar a little higher than normal so that it wouldn't go low during the removal process when the anesthesia would hit me,
2. JUST BREATHE! RELAX! DON'T FRET!
RELAX! Don't worry about anything before you go in and right before they put you to sleep. I personally think that's one of the most important things to do to insure you don't psych yourself out! I took deep breaths and my surgeon and nurses were really nice and kept talking to me the whole time before I was put asleep. Just don't worry! Everything will be fine, and think of it as a little nap ;)
~ AFTER ~
I'd say this is the most important part of your wisdom teeth recovery, the most challenging, and the most crucial to insure everything goes smoothly.
1. don't worry - high blood sugars are to be expected... :(
This was one of the most frustrating aspect of the process for me. Although it is more than expected, because of the pain, elevated stress levels, and whatever medications you may be taking to cop with the pain, your blood sugars are not going to behave as they normally do. Just make sure to be a little more diligent with checking your sugars more frequently, drinking lots of water, and correcting when needed.
2. SALT WATER.... DID I MENTION SALT WATER? RIGHT... SALT WATER!!!!!
SALT WATER is soooooo important! Basically warm up some water (NOT HOT) and mix in salt and wait until their both mixed, and then rinse your mouth with the mixture at least three times a day, for about seven days. The salt helps the healing and is good for the wound. It's crucial to keep up with this part of the recovery process.
3.hot tea bags, gauze, and a heating pad are your best friends...
- Honestly just be ready for the craziest things during your recovery to help make you feel better! After your surgery, bleeding is to be expected for 1-3 days after. You'll come home with gauze already in your mouth when you leave the dentist, and they recommend you to bite down on the gauze for 30-45 minutes to help stop the bleeding. - Additionally, warm tea bags used as gauze helps, but make sure the tea is DECAF! The properties found in the tea also help to stop the bleeding and help your skin heal back together.
- Lastly, a heating pad really helps to calm the pain you'll feel. I used it only for about a day or two, but only during the night when the pain would wake me up :( so I had it already plugged in, ready by me on my bed and would turn it on low and place it on my cheeks to subdue the pain and help me fall back asleep. LIFESAVER! PROMISE! *** My dentist said using ice was okay for the first 24 hours, but I'd say to check with your dentist and surgeon before to make sure you know the difference between using heat and cold for your wisdom teeth pain. ***
4. the struggle will be real with them puffy cheeks... its going to be ok!
Okay honestly.... like I don't even know what to say about this except for the fact that yes your cheeks are gonna be VERY PUFFY and yes you will HATE IT and yes you will look like a CHIPMUNK but like is there anything you can really do about it?? Unfortunately no... Just take it all in! Take lots of selfies because you will LAUGH about it all once the pain is gone and you don't feel like laying in bed all day! It's an experience, so laugh at yourself as much as you can and have fun with it my friends!
5. It will be over before you remember it, and be happy you got them out now!
Although the process is going to be hard at times, remember that wisdom teeth removal is for a reason! It's so much better to get them out when you can and go through the recovery then to leave them in and have them either mess up your teeth or cause you a lot more pain then the recovery would ever cause!!!
I hope all these tips are helpful and give you guys a little glimpse into wisdom teeth extraction, and I wish any of you out there who are undergoing this process all the good luck and good vibes possible!
Happy New Year, Champions!
xoxo,
B