After wisdom tooth removal, swelling and discomfort can still be present after 1 week, especially after removal of a horizontally placed tooth. Swelling usually starts reducing gradually, but it can sometimes take 1–2 weeks to settle completely. Feeling some tightness in the cheek can also happen due to the swelling.
Next Steps
Continue following the medicines and instructions given by your oral surgeon. Since you are already one week after surgery, you can usually start using warm salt-water rinses gently after meals, if your surgeon has advised that the extraction site is healing normally. Keep your scheduled visit for suture removal on day 10. Your surgeon can also check the extraction site and healing at that appointment.
Health Tips
At this stage, warm compresses over the cheek can be more helpful for stiffness and swelling than ice. Avoid pressing or massaging the extraction area. Keep the area clean, eat soft foods and avoid smoking/tobacco.
Dry socket usually causes increasing, throbbing pain, often with pain spreading toward the ear/temple and an unpleasant taste or smell. If your pain is gradually improving, dry socket is less likely.
Please contact your surgeon sooner if swelling is increasing rather than decreasing, you develop fever, pus/bad taste, severe worsening pain, difficulty swallowing/breathing, or difficulty opening your mouth.