Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom Teeth Removal Can Improve Long Term Taste

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Interesting research appears in the article “Positive Long-Term Effects of Third Molar Extraction on Taste Function,” by Dane Kim and Richard L. Doty appears in Chemical Senses, v.ol 46, pp. 1-5, 2021. The article discusses how patients in the study had improved tasting ability decades after having wisdom teeth removed. This is counter to prior studies that have adverse effects on taste after having wisdom teeth extracted which was believed to dissipate over time. In the article the researchers evaluated data from 1,255 patients who had undergone a chemosensory evaluation at the University of Pennslyvania’s Smell and Taste Center over the course of 20 years. From this group of patients, 891 patients had received wisdom teeth (third molar) extractions and 364 had not. All participants were asked to complete a sip-and-spit whole-mouth taste test with five different concentrations of sucrose, … Read more

Flying after Wisdom Teeth Removal

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After having wisdom teeth removal some patients like to know if it is okay for them to fly on an airplane. Depending on whom one turns to for advice it is possible to receive mixed messages regarding if it is safe to fly or not after wisdom teeth surgery. According to one article titled “Cabin crew reveal the one thing you should NEVER do before flying” by Elly Blake appearing in the Express (Feb. 15, 2018) having any sort of dental work 24 to 48 hours prior to a flight could be dangerous according to airplane cabin crew. They said that in horror stories some passengers have reported unimaginable pain caused by changes in air pressure due to altitude changes which impact small pockets of gas trapped in teeth. However, in other cases people have reported feeling just fine flying … Read more

Management and Risks of Dry Socket After Wisdom Teeth Removal

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An interesting article titled “Alveolar osteitis: a critical review of the aetiology and management” written by Veale appears in the 2015 edition of Oral Surgery (vol. 8, pp. 68-77). The article attempts to provide guidance on the best treatment and prevention of alveolar osteitis more commonly known as dry socket. Dry socket is a common complication after wisdom teeth removal that typically occurs around 2 to 4 days after surgery. With dry socket there is a total or partial loss of the blood clot from the socket, which results in an inflammatory response and intense pain. Dry socket is believed to occur up to 5% of the time after a wisdom tooth extraction and some studies show it more often occurs after a lower wisdom tooth removal. In the article many risks factors of dry socket are attempted to be … Read more

Quality of Life Impact As a Consideration for Wisdom Teeth Removal

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An interesting editorial titled “Outcomes after 3rd molar surgery: what about quality of life?” written by Ogden appears in the 2014 edition of Oral Surgery (vol. 7, pp. 1-2). The article discusses how there are many complications that can occur after wisdom teeth removal and many of these are mentioned to the patient prior to surgery as part of the informed consent process. Such complications that can occur after wisdom teeth removal are discussed over at http://www.teethremoval.com/complications.html and the informed consent process has been discussed before for example in the post Informed Consent in Dentistry: Can Change Impact Personal Injury Cases? and also http://www.teethremoval.com/legal_system_medical_malpractice. However the article by Ogden dives deep and addresses how patient quality of life outcomes should be disclosed as complications in the informed consent process. The author mentions a 1997 study which showed that 1 week … Read more

Antibiotics After Wisdom Teeth Removal Can Lead to Life Threatening Infection

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One subject of debate regarding those who have wisdom teeth removed is whether or not to take antibiotics and if so should you take them before or after surgery. This has been covered on this site before in such posts as 1) Antibiotics for Dental Use Contributing to SuperBugs, 2) The Effect of a Single Dose of Antibiotics Prior to Wisdom Teeth Surgery, and 3) Patient’s Perception of Antibiotic Need After Teeth Removal. Some guidance seems to indicate that a single antibiotic before dental surgery should be given to high risk patients for postoperative infections but in other patients that are healthy an antibiotic is not needed. Some may question this approach, but antibiotics can contribute the development of Clostridium difficile (C. diff or C. difficile), a serious and possibly deadly infection that is accompanied by severe diarrhea. In one case a man … Read more