Last week, I had a follow-up appointment with an oral surgeon after removing four wisdom teeth. All teeth were impacted in my jawbone. The surgeon told me that I did not need to flush the sockets from the upper extractions. But I feel a salty taste from the extraction sites. After rinsing the area, a yellow discharge came out. Also, I wonder if the pressure I feel in my nose is from a sinus perforation. Are these symptoms typical? Tomorrow will be 12 days since the surgery. The symptoms are slowly improving, but I am concerned about my nose pressure. Do I need to schedule an urgent appointment with my dentist to take x-rays and see what’s happening? Thank you. Rowan from MS

Rowan,

Your descriptions sound normal. Although the surgical sites from wisdom teeth removal may heal quickly, the tissue and bone are still healing beneath them. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons confirms that healing can take about six weeks.

Perforated Sinus After Wisdom Teeth Removal

A perforated sinus after wisdom teeth removal can occur when upper third molar tooth roots are close to the sinus. When the sinus is perforated and flushed the socket, fluid comes out of your nose. If it does not come out of your nose, the sinus membrane is unchanged, and your oral surgeon does not need to repair it.

You may feel pressure in your nose as you flush the sinus, but it doesn’t mean that your sinus was punctured.

Gently flush the sockets to avoid rupturing the sinus membrane as you continue to heal. Avoid disturbing the blood clot in the socket. The clot supports new bone formation as the surgical sites heal, so gently flushing will prevent flushing out the blood clot.

Only if your symptoms worsen or persist beyond the time frame given by the surgeon do you need to schedule an urgent visit with your dentist or the oral surgeon.

Dr. David Finley, a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry in Monroe, Louisiana, sponsors this post.