Recovering after wisdom teeth removal is essential for preventing complications, avoiding unnecessary pain and ensuring the healing process stays on track. While most patients focus on what they should do after surgery, understanding what not to do is equally important. Certain everyday habits can delay healing, dislodge the blood clot, cause dry socket or increase swelling and infection risk.
This comprehensive guide explains the behaviours to avoid, why they matter and how making the right choices supports a smooth recovery. It also includes practical tips, expert aftercare advice and guidance on when to seek help.
Key Takeaway
Avoid anything that could disturb the healing site, increase pressure inside the mouth or introduce bacteria. This means avoiding smoking, alcohol, strenuous exercise, hot foods, touching the wound, drinking through straws and poor oral hygiene. Being careful in the first 7–10 days significantly reduces complications such as dry socket and infection. If symptoms worsen rather than improve, contact your dental surgeon.
Why Avoiding Certain Things After Extraction Matters
The blood clot that forms in the socket after wisdom tooth removal is essential. It protects the bone and nerve endings and acts as the foundation for healing tissue. When certain activities disturb or dissolve this clot, the area becomes exposed, causing dry socket or infection. Understanding this helps make sense of every “don’t” in the recovery process.
Common reasons post-extraction restrictions exist include the following:
- Preventing the blood clot from coming loose
- Reducing inflammation and excessive bleeding
- Minimising bacterial contamination
- Supporting tissue repair and controlled healing
- Reducing unnecessary pain or swelling
💡 Think of the clot as a protective dressing that must stay undisturbed for at least 5–7 days. Everything you avoid benefits that healing process.
Do Not Smoke After Wisdom Tooth Removal
Smoking is one of the most harmful things you can do after wisdom tooth surgery. Cigarette smoke contains toxins that irritate gum tissue and delay healing. Beyond that, the suction movement created while inhaling can physically dislodge the blood clot.
Why avoiding smoking matters:
- Increases the risk of dry socket significantly
- Restricts blood flow to the surgical area.
- Slows tissue regeneration.
- Introduces harmful chemicals into the wound
- Can cause prolonged bleeding
- Leads to higher infection rates
It is strongly recommended to stop smoking for at least 72 hours, ideally a full week. This includes cigarettes, vapes and shisha, all of which involve suction and heat.
💡 If you smoke daily, prepare ahead by using nicotine patches or lozenges as temporary support before the wisdom tooth removal procedure.
Avoid Alcohol During The Healing Period
Alcohol interferes with the healing process and can interact dangerously with prescribed painkillers and antibiotics. It also increases bleeding and dries out oral tissues, preventing proper recovery.
Reasons alcohol should be avoided:
- Dissolves or disrupts the blood clot
- Interacts with medication
- Increases inflammation.
- Slows soft-tissue repair.
- Raises risk of post-operative infection.
- Dehydrates the oral cavity
It is best to avoid alcohol entirely for at least 72 hours, and preferably for one week if antibiotics are being taken.
💡 If you have upcoming celebrations, plan your extraction for a time when you can avoid alcohol comfortably.
Do Not Use Straws When Drinking
Using a straw creates strong suction inside the mouth, which can easily pull the blood clot from its position. This is one of the most common causes of dry socket.
Why straws are problematic:
- Suction pressure dislodges the blood clot
- Increased chance of bleeding
- Greater risk of painful dry socket
- Slows down the healing timeline.
- Can reopen the surgical site.
Instead of straws, drink directly from a cup and avoid vigorous mouth movements.
💡Have a few wide-mouth bottles or cups ready at home before the surgery to avoid accidentally reaching for a straw.
Avoid Hot Foods And Hot Drinks
Temperature matters after surgery because heat can dissolve the blood clot and increase swelling in the first few days.
Reasons to avoid hot foods:
- Higher bleeding risk
- Swelling becomes more intense.
- Blood clot becomes unstable;
- Soft tissues can burn easily because the area is numb
- Hot drinks can increase throbbing in the jaw
Instead, focus on room-temperature or cold foods such as yoghurt, mashed potatoes, smoothies (without a straw), ice cream, blended soups and soft pasta.
💡 Check the temperature of all drinks carefully—tea and coffee cool slowly and can still be too hot even after several minutes.
Do Not Eat Crunchy, Hard Or Chewy Foods
Food texture can cause complications if small particles enter the extraction site or if excessive chewing puts pressure on the jaw.
Foods to avoid:
- Crisps
- Nuts
- Popcorn
- Granola.
- Crusty bread.
- Steaks and tough meats.
- Chewing gum
- Sticky sweets
Risks of these foods:
- Food fragments lodge in the socket
- Increased risk of infection
- Excess strain on the jaw
- Irritation of healing tissue
- Pain when chewing
Stick to soft foods for the first several days, gradually introducing firmer textures once the dentist confirms proper healing.
💡 Prepare meals in advance so you don’t reach for unsuitable foods when you are hungry and uncomfortable.
Avoid Vigorous Rinsing Or Spitting
Many people rinse their mouth forcefully thinking it helps keep the area clean, but this can dislodge the blood clot.
Why forceful rinsing is harmful:
- Disturbs the clot
- Increases bleeding.
- Causes pain and stinging.
- Slows recovery
- Can trigger dry socket
Gentle rinsing with warm saltwater should begin about 24 hours after the procedure, ideally 3–4 times a day.
💡 When rinsing, simply let the liquid fall from your mouth—avoid spitting forcefully.
Do Not Touch Or Poke The Extraction Site
It may feel tempting to check the area with your tongue or finger, but this introduces bacteria and disrupts healing tissue.
Reasons to avoid touching the wound:
- Contaminates the surgical site
- Increases infection risk
- Causes irritation and bleeding
- Disturbs the clot.
- Delays natural healing.
Keep hands away from your mouth and avoid exploring the space with your tongue.
💡 If you feel something unusual like a loose stitch or swelling, contact your dentist instead of trying to inspect it yourself.
Do Not Exercise Strenuously After Extraction
Physical exertion increases blood pressure, which can lead to renewed bleeding, throbbing pain or a disturbed blood clot.
Activities to avoid temporarily:
- Gym workouts
- Running.
- Weightlifting.
- Sports
- Swimming
- Hot yoga
- Long brisk walks
Excessive movement can be enough to cause complications, especially within the first 48 hours.
💡 Plan to have a few quiet days at home during the immediate recovery period.
Avoid Sleeping Flat On Your Back
Sleeping flat can cause increased swelling and throbbing. Elevation helps fluid drain properly and reduces discomfort.
Why elevation helps:
- Reduced post-surgical swelling
- Less pressure around the extraction area.
- Minimises morning throbbing.
- Encourages better breathing while swollen
Use two pillows or a wedge cushion for the first few nights.
💡Prepare your sleeping area before the surgery so the transition home is easy and comfortable.
Do Not Ignore Signs Of Infection
One of the most important things after wisdom tooth removal is recognising when healing is not progressing normally.
Warning signs include:
- Persistent or increasing pain after day four
- A foul taste in the mouth
- Visible pus
- Fever
- Severe swelling.
- Difficulty opening the mouth.
- Worsening odour
Ignoring these symptoms can lead to complications.
💡If something feels wrong, do not wait for it to get better on its own—swift action often prevents bigger problems.
Avoid Poor Oral Hygiene
Good hygiene supports healing, but poor hygiene increases the chance of infection.
Common hygiene mistakes include:
- Forgetting to brush around the area
- Allowing food to build up in the mouth
- Rinsing too early or too forcefully.
- Not cleaning the tongue.
- Using harsh mouthwash containing alcohol.
Instead, brush gently, avoid the extraction site directly for the first 24 hours and rely on warm saltwater rinses from day two onward.
💡Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and make slow movements to avoid disturbing the site.
Do Not Rush Back To Normal Activities Too Soon
Recovery varies between individuals. Returning to work, socialising, eating normally or exercising too soon can cause complications.
Common issues that arise from rushing:
- Reopened wound.
- Swelling flare-ups.
- Pain returning after initial improvement.
- Feeling faint or tired
- Disturbed stitches
It is better to ease into daily routines gradually.
💡If your job involves physical activity, ask your dentist how much time you should take off before returning.
Avoid Neglecting Follow-Up Appointments
Follow-up appointments allow the dentist to check healing progress, remove stitches if needed and identify early complications.
Why follow-ups matter:
- Ensures socket is healing properly
- Detects infection early
- Prevents dry socket from worsening.
- Confirms clot stability.
- Ensures no debris remains in the area.
- Allows personalised aftercare advice
Missing this appointment can delay the resolution of preventable issues.
💡Book your follow-up date before the extraction so it’s already in your schedule.
When To Contact Your Dentist
Even when instructions are followed closely, complications occasionally occur. Knowing when to get help ensures fast treatment.
Contact your dentist if you experience:
- Pain that intensifies after day three.
- Heavy bleeding that does not stop
- Fever or chills
- Large swelling
- Yellow or green discharge.
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Numbness lasting longer than expected
💡It’s always better to contact your dentist early than risk allowing a problem to develop.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction At Whites Dental
Whites Dental provides expert wisdom tooth removal and assessment in state-of-the-art clinics with an experienced oral surgery team. Nervous or anxious patients also benefit from highly supportive care and clear sedation options when appropriate.
Our locations:
Whites Dental Waterloo
172 Blackfriars Rd
London SE1 8ER
Whites Dental Marble Arch
52B Kendal St
St George’s Fields
London W2 2BP
💡 Both our London clinics provide painless wisdom teeth extraction solutions, detailed aftercare guidance and ongoing support.
Final Thoughts
The first seven to ten days after wisdom tooth removal are the most important for proper healing. Avoiding smoking, alcohol, straws, hot foods, vigorous rinsing and strenuous activity significantly reduces the chance of dry socket and infection. By following these guidelines carefully, most patients experience a smooth, comfortable recovery and return to normal life quickly.