Wisdom Teeth Extraction and Smoking After
The habit of smoking has many effects throughout the body, including the central nervous system, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and circulatory system, further delaying the healing process of any wound. Within the effects of the habit of smoking, it is important to know that, in relation to the healing of any wound, tobacco indirectly prevents the activity of fibrinolysis, thus delaying the healing of wounds.
Although some dentists say that you can smoke 24 hours after a tooth extraction, if the extraction is a wisdom tooth, this time should be longer. As it is a surgical intervention, the healing process is much more complex and medically follows a certain process:
* An inflammatory process is triggered.
* A clot forms.
* A tissue is formed with a high content of fibroblasts that tend to revascularize on the surface.
In this sense, it can be said that nicotine has specific effects on the healing of the periodontal area:
* Affects micro-irrigation: increasing bleeding.
* Affects fibroblasts: decreasing their proliferation.
* Affects connective tissue and bone: interfering with production and fixation on the cell surface.
* Affects the root surface: preventing cell adhesion.
Other health effects of tobacco
In addition to the effects that the habit of smoking has on healing wounds, we must not forget that cigarettes have a multitude of chemical substances such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, tar, among others, which are completely harmful to the body. and can generate:
* Cardiovascular diseases.
* Obstructive respiratory diseases.
* Lung cancer.
* Cosmetic skin problems.
* Dental complications.
Care after wisdom tooth extraction
The most important recommendations after wisdom teeth extraction, in addition to avoiding smoking (this inhibits blood circulation, causing an increase in bleeding), are the following:
* Do not eat for the first 3 hours.
* Avoid physical exertion during the first 24 hours.
* Do not shower with hot water.
* You should not rinse your mouth intensely and aggressively during the first 3 days.
* It is recommended to apply ice to the cheek for approximately 20 minutes.
If any other discomfort appears, it is important to consult the dentist immediately to make the respective evaluation.
Can you smoke after wisdom teeth removal? How long after wisdom teeth removal can you smoke?
The most convenient and recommendable thing is to just start smoking again at least 3 weeks after wisdom tooth extraction. In this way, any complications that nicotine and chemical substances from cigarettes may generate in the oral cavity are prevented, making the wound healing process more difficult. Waiting for the right amount of time ensures that the healing and improvement process is much faster, in addition, the dentist’s indications and recommendations should always be taken into account.
Effects of smoking after wisdom tooth extraction
In addition to interfering with the healing process, resuming the habit of smoking soon after the intervention can cause other symptoms such as tachycardia and tachypnea, which occur due to increased adrenaline synthesis. On the other hand, a dry alveolitis can be generated, which prevents the formation of a blood clot at the tooth extraction site, leaving this area directly exposed to the entire amount of food that is ingested after the extraction. Furthermore, smoking makes the area much more sensitive to infectious processes.
Dependence on cigarette consumption can be very strong in some people, however, in the case of having your wisdom teeth removed, the dentist will recommend not resuming the habit of smoking until the wound has healed.