So the tooth that’s been bothering you is gone for good. That’s good, but there are some precautions you need to take and exercises for sore jaw you can do in order to heal faster after oral surgery.
If you would like to find out more, read our tips for jaw workouts after wisdom teeth removal and find out:
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📝 Whether or not you should exercise the first days after the surgery
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🤔 How long does the jaw stiffness last
- 📋 When can you start exercising
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🧐 What to do about the jaw pain
Let’s not beat around the bush and get right into how you can strengthen your jaw muscles after oral surgery.
Do NOT Exercise for The First 5-10 Days After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Exercising after removing your wisdom teeth can result in bleeding and swollen and painful jaw muscles. That’s why you should follow your doctor’s instructions to speed up the healing process.
Avoid any physical activity for the first 5 to 10 days and give your wounds a chance to heal quicker. Keeping ice packs on the outside of your cheek is the best way to reduce swelling.
How Long Does Jaw Stiffness Last After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
The first three days are when patients usually feel the most discomfort and swelling. It may take some time before the stiffness is gone for good, but after three to four days, things should start feeling a lot better. As we mentioned, use ice packs to reduce pain.
If things start to get worse between days 7 and 14, you should contact your doctor because you probably need antibiotic treatment in order to reduce inflammation. We should also mention, that your double chin can also change after wisdom teeth removal.
When Can I Start Exercising After Wisdom Tooth Extractions?
It’s recommended that you avoid any exercise for 5 days after top wisdom teeth removal and 10 days after bottom teeth removal surgery. After that, you can slowly begin exercising if everything is healed nicely and there are no further complications.
What to Do About Jaw Pain After a Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Here are several things you can do:
- Take the medication that the oral surgeon has prescribed you right after the procedure. If you have gel capsules, make sure to take a big gulp of water since they take longer to dissolve and work as fast as possible so you can feel the pain relief sooner.
- Ice does a really good job of keeping the swelling down. Use an ice pack wrapped in a dry socket before putting it on your face, so it feels more comfortable. Hold the ice pack for 20 minutes on the outside of your face.
- You should follow the doctor’s instructions precisely and avoid chewing gum, you can do jaw stretch exercises and mewing after it’s safe to do it, and there is no more risk of bleeding.
- Try mewing. You can follow this comprehensive mewing guide when it is the right time to do so. However, be careful – sometimes, when you feel jaw pain while mewing, it can indicate that you may be doing something wrong.
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Is it Normal to Have Trismus After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Yes. Trismus or limited jaw opening is very common and can be due to:
- Immunity related infection
- Postoperative swelling
- Multiple anesthesias lead to trauma of the muscle
- Injury of the tendon of the muscles
- The flap has been extended beyond its actual requirement
There are a few methods that can help you treat trismus which include:
- Fingers massage – Start on the bottom of the masseter and push in. While you are pushing in, you will roll up to the top. And then go to the temporalis and do the same thing push in and then up.
- Mewing – It’s recommended by orthodontists as a way to define the jaw and potentially alleviate pain from jaw-related issues like trismus. The correct tongue posture for mewing is done by sticking the tongue to the roof of the mouth while the lips are closed. Remember to breathe through your nose.
Final Thoughts
Once you make sure that there is no danger of bleeding and swelling after your wisdom tooth surgery, give the exercises mentioned above a try. These can help you define your jaw and get the chiseled look you’ve longed for.
Avoid going under the knife with a simple daily workout like mewing to get the desired results. You can also download our Mewing Coaching app to keep track of the process.
