When Can I Start Exercising After Wisdom Tooth Extractions?

Wisdom tooth removal can be a simple or involved procedure depending on whether or not your wisdom teeth are impacted and how many you need to get extracted at once. While avid exercisers and athletes may be eager to get right back into physical activity, it’s important to allow the body to fully heal after oral surgery.

Jumping back into strenuous activity too soon can disrupt the healing process, cause excess bleeding, and lead to dry socket. This can be extremely painful and prolong the waiting period even further so it is best to take it easy for a few days. Listen to the advice of your Seattle dentist regarding physical activity post-extraction.
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Why You Need to Rest After Wisdom Tooth Extractions

Having wisdom teeth extracted is a form of oral surgery and often involves some significant anesthesia or sedation that would make someone feel extremely sleepy. When teeth are extracted, they leave behind a bleeding socket which is essentially a wound. It’s important that you take proper precautions for proper blood clotting and healing to prevent complications such as dry socket. 

When you engage in high-impact activities, this can impact your mouth, which is trying to heal. Immediately after having teeth extracted, you will likely experience some significant bleeding for the first 24 hours. You must keep fresh gauze at the extraction site and avoid excessive activity to encourage blood clotting. 

High impact activities such as jumping up and down can cause the blood clot to dislodge, leading to dry socket which will interfere with healing and be extremely painful.
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The First 24 Hours

If you have received oral, IV, or general anesthesia, you should refrain from engaging in physical activity for the rest of the day. Exercising when you are tired can be dangerous and you will likely not feel up to it anyway. 

It is recommended that you abstain from physical activity for the first 24 hours following wisdom tooth removal, whether or not you had a simple procedure and no matter how many teeth you had removed. This is a crucial period for healing and blood clotting, so it’s important to rest and consistently replace your gauze when they become soaked with blood.

In addition to abstaining from strenuous exercise, you should avoid heavy lifting or bending over to avoid raising your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is raised, this can interact with the healing process and cause excess bleeding.
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When It’s Safe to Introduce Physical Activity & Sports?

When it’s safe to return to physical activity depends on many factors, such as how many wisdom teeth you had removed, how involved the surgery was, and what type of physical activity you’re looking to do.

When looking to get back into working out, it’s best to start with low-impact movements such as strength training which doesn’t involve a lot of running or jumping. If you only had your upper wisdom teeth removed, you can return to exercise sooner than those who had lower wisdom teeth removed, since this is a less traumatic procedure.

Upper Wisdom Teeth - You will be able to engage in light physical activity within 5 days of having your upper wisdom teeth extracted. Watch out for signs of throbbing, pain, or bleeding. If you experience any of this during exercise, cease the activity and allow for a few more days to heal.

Lower Wisdom Teeth - When the lower wisdom teeth are removed, you will need to abstain from physical exercise and sports for at least 10 days. The lower wisdom teeth require more healing time because there is more jawbone density in the lower jaw. There are cases in which 10 days may not be sufficient healing time, such as in complex surgeries (require cutting off the bone to remove the wisdom teeth).
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Wisdom Teeth Removal at Green Leaf Dental

Do you have swollen, tender, or bleeding gums? Are you experiencing stiffness and swelling in your jaw, pain in the back of your mouth, teeth overcrowding, and aches? These are all potential signs that your wisdom teeth are impacted and could need to be removed. 

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact us at Green Leaf Dental today by calling (206) 316-2351. Dr. Yoni or Dr. Bean will perform an oral exam and take x-rays to assess your wisdom teeth and determine if they need to be removed. Schedule an appointment with us today and get relief from wisdom tooth pain.