I got my wisdom teeth pulled out last Friday, early in the morning. I was hoping to be in full recovery since then, but apparently my gums feel otherwise.

The way that llama looks is the way I am currently feeling. 😂 (photo was taken Machu Picchu, Peru 🇵🇪)

By the way, in case you are planning to get your wisdom teeth out, remember this: do not eat or drink 8 hours before your procedure. The first time I had my surgery planned, I ate a yogurt twenty minutes before and they said I could not get the procedure done. Make sure to set a reminder on your phone so you do not forget.

Here’s how to beat boredom and recover from wisdom teeth removal:

Pick a Permanent Place to Sit

For example, when I first got my teeth out, I picked to sit at one of my couches in front of a TV where I could rest the entire day. My medications and water sat right next to me on a table along with my iPad, my phone, and whatever else I needed. *Tip: You might want to stand up a few times throughout the day to stretch, as sitting became uncomfortable for me.

Start with a Milkshake (but eat it with a spoon)

As soon as I got out the procedure, I was supposed to grab a milkshake, but since it was early in the morning, I forwent the milkshake. This was a very bad decision! I was starving and in order to take Advil I had to eat something. My mouth was hurting so much that having something as cold and as soft as a milkshake would have been perfect. My advice: ask a friend to get you a milkshake or try Uber Eats (a food delivery app run by Uber) to get one delivered to your door. If you are lactose intolerant: Get a smoothie without any seeds.

Eat Blended Foods

Here are some great suggestions for what type of foods you can eat:

• Milkshakes (the coldness really helps!)
• Smoothies (with yogurt and frozen fruit- healthy and still tastes good)
• Applesauce
• Soup (really good because you can still eat nutritious foods)
• Oatmeal

*Make sure to NOT use a straw. My doctor told me to at least wait a week before using a straw or spitting.

Now is the time to read

If you were waiting for the perfect time to read a book or magazine, now is the time. I laid on a couch for three whole days. I binge-watched practically every show on Netflix (which was great), but believe it or not, I even got bored of just watching Netflix, so I read a ton of magazines. I read 6 in one day!

Binge TV

Netflix is now probably my most used app in the past three days. Watching TV, although not recommended in big amounts normally, is a great way to beat boredom and distract yourself from the pain. I have watched four whole seasons of Parks and Recreation and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. I recommend you watch all the movies you want and catch up on all TV series.

What not to do

I discovered there are a couple of things I would not do again if I had to get any more dental surgery. Here is a list of what not to do:

• Do not sit on the couch the ENTIRE day- get up at least once or twice. I sat down for so long that my body was literally anxious to move around.
• Do not attempt to do any sort of exercise. While I did not attempt to do any exercise and happily ate a milkshake nearly every day, I do not advise you to plan on doing anything other than resting. My mouth felt super bruised and even walking was a struggle.
• Do not underestimate the time it will take for you to recover. I thought by the third day I would at least be able to chew, but I am actually having trouble even eating rice.

And of course, in case you needed a refresher, here’s what the doctor typically recommends you not doing:

• Do not chew
• Do not use a straw nor spit
• Do not attempt any sort of exercise within the first 24 hours of recovery

I hope this post informed those who are getting their wisdom teeth out in the near future. Just to be sure, you definitely want to ask your dental surgeon regarding any other specific questions. I would really recommend making sure there is nothing prior to the appointment that you have to do. As with me, I was unaware I was supposed to fast for eight hours before surgery. Do not let this happen to you! Call beforehand just to make sure.

Have a great week!