A wisdom tooth extraction is a major procedure that requires some lifestyle changes for a while. However, this is more than just being stuck in bed for a while or avoiding your favorite crunchy snack. If you're one of millions of vape users, this raises the important question: can you vape after a tooth extraction? Well, this article will give you the in-depth explanation you need to avoid potential threats and enjoy a healthy recovery process. Let's get started.

Is it safe to vape after removing your wisdom tooth?

Let's face it…oral surgery is a lot. Whether you're removing your wisdom tooth or any other tooth to stop further damage within your mouth, it comes with risks and processes. Although the pain threshold is different for everyone, you can definitely expect some inflammation, pain, or swelling around the area of the tooth extraction. Therefore, the strain from oral surgery can leave your whole body feeling vulnerable.

The last thing you want to do is introduce a foreign substance into your mouth before this area has had time to heal. This should typically take a maximum number of ten days. Therefore, it's not safe to vape immediately after removing your wisdom tooth. Most dental professionals would not recommend vaping or smoking after a tooth extraction.

At this time, your body is not at its maximum capacity, and that means more work from your immune system to get rid of potential infections. You may end up causing more damage than it's worth. However, does this mean you have to wait ten days before vaping after removing your wisdom tooth? That's not exactly the case, and you'll find out why in a bit.

Why can't you vape after tooth extraction?

So, you've heard the big words, "It's not a good idea to vape after tooth extraction." Why? Well, it's all because of something called a dry socket. After a successful oral surgery, a blood clot should typically form precisely on the spot where your tooth was.

This blood clot helps to heal the wound from the tooth extraction while also protecting the bone beneath your empty socket and the numerous nerves with their varying functions in your mouth.

So, it would help if you had that blood clot to avoid complications. Typically, it should take at most three days after the oral surgery for this to happen. When there's no blood clot, this is known as a dry socket. And yes, it can be a nightmare.

A dry socket is the result of a blood clot not forming at all or dissolving before your wound has had time to heal properly. This can lead to bad breath, intense pain in your mouth, and possibly a nasty infection. Of course, you can't stay without eating after a tooth extraction.

However, the bad side to this is that the socket will also attract food particles, which makes the pain all the more excruciating. You get the idea. Vaping after a tooth extraction procedure can expose you to this risk. The process of inhaling or sucking the vape can cause suction in your mouth, which may pull out the blood clot from your exposed tooth socket. When this happens, you already know what's next.

Are there other reasons not to vape after tooth extraction with gauze?

Of course. A dry socket is not the only risk associated with vaping after tooth extraction. However, even with gauze protecting your mouth as recommended by dental professionals, this is still not a pass to vape so soon after a tooth extraction procedure. Here's why.

• The possibility of irritation is high when you vape within a few hours of a tooth extraction. You'll be applying heat to your mouth from the vape pen vapor, which is not exactly a good idea. This vapor from your vape pen, especially when it's hot enough to get into your sensitive gum and surrounding tissue, can lead to severe irritations. The gauze can protect you as much as possible from harmful chemicals, but it's not good enough to reduce heat application. Irritations come with higher chances of infection, which significantly extends the time it should take to recover from the oral procedure.
• Most vape pens contain nicotine in their vape liquid, and this is not a friendly substance when your body is in a healing phase. Nicotine is known as a vasoconstrictor, which means that it tends to squeeze up blood vessels so much that blood doesn't flow to your empty tooth socket.

Do you remember what we said earlier about the importance of blood clots around the tooth extraction site? Exactly. When there's no vessel to supply blood to this area, this also blocks the flow of oxygen, which slows down the healing process and increases your chances of tooth infections.

When can you vape again after molar extraction?

The summary is this: vaping after removing your tooth exposes you to a higher risk of infections, thereby increasing your pain and ultimately slowing down your body's healing process. If you don't want to face any of these super painful conditions, all you need is a little bit of patience.

So, how long should you have to resist the urge for that well-deserved vape sesh? Well, the good news is that you need a minimum of 72 hours after a molar extraction before you can vape again. This is just enough time to drastically reduce your risk of a dry socket, infections, and other painful complications.

Of course, you need to put in as much effort as necessary to make your recovery process as fast and smooth as possible. This includes taking your prescription antibiotics religiously and never missing out on your medications for the pain. However, the boss here is your dentist. They will know better what's best for your full recovery. Typically, many will recommend waiting for a week before giving the all-clear. Here's an important tip: don't vape before your mouth is ready for solid food.

How to vape after tooth removal without getting a dry socket

Even after waiting for the recommended time before vaping, you still need to be super careful to make your total recovery process a breeze. Here's how you can vape safely after tooth removal.

• Start slowly: Don't be in a hurry to dive into full vaping sessions simply because you waited about a week after your oral surgery. The key here is to ease yourself into it slowly with a few short puffs and then increase it as time goes by. Your smaller puffs protected by gauze will help your mouth to get used to that sensation again without damaging your healing sockets.
• Avoid too much suction: Excessive suction when vaping creates a vacuum-like effect in your mouth that puts intense pressure on your gums. That sucking motion should be done slightly to avoid the pulling force that can dissolve blood clots and lead to a dry socket. This is the best time to invest in vape pens from UPENDS as they typically don’t require so much suction for a great hit.
• Do a periodic salt water rinse: In situations like this, an occasional warm salt water rinse can be your best friend. One of the biggest advantages of doing this is that it helps to get rid of bacteria that may be on the way to cause severe damage to your wound. The salt has bacteria-killing properties that will flush them out effectively while also keeping debris away from sticking within your wound. For a long time, salt has been used to disinfect and clean wounds. That is still very valid today.

Best care tips after tooth extraction

How can you really seal that speedy recovery? Here are some of the best post-extraction care tips from dental professionals:

• Avoid crunchy food: This is the best time to eat more soft foods like applesauce, yogurt, and pasta. Fluids are definitely your best friend during this time. However, you should avoid drinking anything using a straw. Carefully sip to minimize that pressure. Hard and crunchy food within a few days of your tooth extraction is just you looking for trouble.
• Make sure the tooth extraction site stays clean always: Do not give any room for bacteria to thrive by leaving your tooth unclean for a long time. Salt water rinse at least three times daily should do the trick. However, you shouldn't spit out the solution when rinsing your mouth, as the force can dislodge your blood clots.

Lean over the sink and allow the water to fall out of your mouth. Also, brush and floss other parts of your mouth as you would do normally. As soon as your dentist gives the go-ahead to start brushing, you're good to go.

Conclusion

Don't be overwhelmed by this information while trying to prepare for your oral procedure. We know it can be challenging to quit cold turkey, especially if you're an avid THC user. However, you should try to power through those first three days with as much willpower as you can muster. Remember that:

• Getting through the first 72 hours with absolutely no form of vaping is the best way to make your recovery process smooth.
• A few days of suffering post-extraction will save you weeks of severe pain from dry sockets, pain, and infections.

You can definitely use that time to binge on your favorite Netflix shows and get as much relaxation as you can from this necessary bed rest. Wishing you the best recovery!