Going through a wisdom tooth removal procedure is no walk in the park. Everyone could use some support prior to going into the surgery. Although the aftermath could definitely use some additional mental and emotional encouragement.
Does having the third molars taken out prevent you from certain amorous activities such as kissing?
Well the answer would be that it depends on the type of kissing that you’re talking about. However, you shouldn’t neglect the fact that you’re in the recovery of a surgery so perhaps there are other reasons why you may not want to.
Type of kissing
You can kiss after wisdom teeth removal but it depends on what type of kissing you’re doing.
- Simple kiss. A light peck on the cheeks or a peck on the lips are certainly acceptable. It should pose no harm nor detract from your healing for any reason whatsoever.
- French kissing. An intense kissing session is NOT okay because there will be tongue action which involves your partner to be inside of your mouth. That can be deleterious to your wisdom tooth recovery because it may increase your risk for bleeding. Therefore, french kissing after a tooth extraction is forbidden.
- More explicit kissing. We’re not going to even go there but you know what we’re implying here. Definitely do NOT do any of it at least for the first three days.
French kissing may prevent the bleeding from stopping
After the third molar gets extracted, a blood clot is trying to form in order to stanch the bleeding. However the clot isn’t very stable when it first forms and can be easily dislodged by intraoral pressure. Once the clot comes out you will resume bleeding once more. That is why your dentist tells you to avoid certain activities.
Activities that may dislodge the clot via increasing intraoral pressure:
All four of those actions are forbidden while the clot is stabilizing due to pressure generation. You should also review the other wisdom teeth aftercare instructions. There are a lot of dos and don’ts.
Although we now need to add a fifth action to that list, french kissing. That is because french kissing often involves a lot of suction during the activity and that may generate a lot of pressure in the mouth. There is a possibility that your partner may suck out the blood clot and that would result in persistent bleeding once more.
What to do if it bleeds from kissing
If the wound reopens from kissing, you need to stop doing it immediately. You will need to resume using gauze to stem the bleeding. The biting pressure will get it to stop.
- Fold a 2 pieces of gauze into half twice.
- Place it over the bleeding socket.
- Bite down for 30 minutes.
- Swap out to a new piece of gauze every 30 minutes until it stops.
Can it cause a dry socket?
Fortunately for you, kissing won’t cause a dry socket. Yes, the condition does occur when a blood clot fails to form but it is not a result of mechanical disruption. Research studies show that it often occurs as a biological process.
Other reasons to not kiss
Bleeding from kissing is the main concern but there are various other ones which may make you not want to do it.
- Your mouth hurts. The wisdom tooth hole is a full blown surgical site. It has been traumatized during the surgery and will need time to recover. Some side effects include pain, tenderness, and soreness in the area. Those adverse effects are a good enough reason to deter you from kissing.
- You’re not in the mood. The extraction can be physically and mentally draining on your well being. It’s not farfetched to say that you’re probably not in the mood to partake in amorous activities.
- It grosses your partner out. Don’t you think it’s weird to be kissing someone with an open wound? Even if the thought of it doesn’t turn you off, there is also the fact that your partner would be tasting residual blood while kissing. Certainly makes for a very unpleasant experience if you know what we mean.
All of these reasons may be enough to deter you from kissing but just to reiterate, what we’re most concerned about is the bleeding risk.
When can I kiss again?
For simple kissing you can do it at any point in time but for anything other than that, we would recommend waiting at least 3 days. That recommendation takes into account when the bleeding should’ve stopped and when pain should’ve peaked.
You may attempt to resume amorous activities again after three days. However if you’re still uncomfortable from the procedure, there is nothing wrong with waiting longer. Even if you heal slowly, by the end of the week you should be okay.
The Verdict
While you may kiss after having your wisdom teeth extraction, it depends on the type of kissing. A simple kiss is fine because it doesn’t affect the surgical site. French kissing on the other hand can be hazardous because it may increase the risk of bleeding due to intraoral pressure.
Nonetheless, there are plenty of other reasons to not do it. You may not be in the mood, your mouth hurts, and it just makes for an unpleasant experience overall. Perhaps it is better to wait?
The earliest that you can resume would be three days after the extraction but depending on how you feel, it may take up to a week. There is nothing wrong with waiting. After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder!