Because the roots of wisdom teeth grow longer as they develop, extracting these teeth as early as possible helps to minimize discomfort, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. When you undergo wisdom-tooth extraction, it is important to follow your oral surgeon's instructions in modifying activities such as exercise to ensure that you make a full and timely recovery.
Significance
Your third molars --- also known as your wisdom teeth --- usually appear between the ages of 17 to 25, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Although not everyone must have them removed, these teeth easily become impacted because of lack of space in the dental arch. Also, those who keep their wisdom teeth tend to experience more numerous oral infections, damage to adjacent teeth and cyst formation, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. For this reason, removal is recommended as a preventive measure --- before the wisdom teeth become problematic.
24 Hours Post-Extraction
Minimize physical activity as much as possible in the first 24 hours after your extraction, advises AnimatedTeeth, a website dedicated to dental health. During this time, your body will be working to create a blood clot in the tooth socket. Exercise can dislodge this clot and cause you to experience greater bleeding. For this reason, activity should be avoided completely.
Function
After wisdom-tooth extraction, your oral surgeon will make several recommendations as to how to minimize pain, bleeding and swelling. For this reason, delay exercising for at least one week, advises "Dental Health Magazine." Excessive movement --- especially exercise --- can increase the likelihood that you will experience bleeding. Light, low-impact exercise may be permissible if your recovery is going well.
Considerations
The ability to resume exercise after a wisdom-tooth extraction varies from person to person. If you have reached the post-extraction week mark but do not feel prepared to return to exercise, waiting longer can benefit your healing. If you do attempt to exercise and experience some post-workout swelling or bleeding, ice the affected area, advises the website DentalFearCentral. You may also wish to wait longer between workouts to allow time for your gums to heal more fully. Gum tissue can take three to four weeks to heal, according to DentalFearCentral.
Warning
Your surgery has likely kept you from eating as much as you typically would. As a result, when you do resume exercising, you may feel weaker than your normally do, according to Seacoast Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. If you feel light-headed during your normal exercise routine, slow your pace until you are able to resume eating the foods you usually eat.
