Can You Exercise After A Tooth Extraction
Ouch! Have you just had a tooth extraction? If the laughing gas is still in your system, you may think it’s a good idea to hit the gym. Let’s stop you there; you need rest and relaxation first.
If you’re itching to move around, you can perform a small amount of gentle exercise, such as light stretching or walking, after 48 hours from initial recovery. However, stay away from intense exercises as they can tighten your jaw or cause dry sockets, which lengthen recovery time or damage the wound.
If you feel like you want to walk, ensure a responsible adult is with you. After a tooth extraction, you may be on medication that makes you lightheaded or numb in certain places. An adult is able to support you in case you get dizzy spells.
Can You Lift Weights After a Tooth Extraction
What happens when you have chest day and a tooth extraction on the same day? Can you train both?
Absolutely not. It’s highly unadvisable to lift weights straight after tooth extraction; you’re far better using the day to rest and ice. You should give yourself at least a week until you lift weights to allow blood clots to develop so your mouth isn’t in pain.
Even after the week period is up, you must slowly ease yourself into your original training pattern – i.e you can’t pick up where you left off. Begin using lower weights and exercising at a lower intensity, and then slowly start to build the workout sessions up.
For a better understanding, the primary reasons why you can’t lift weights after tooth extraction are:
- Exercise increases blood pressure, which can pull out the blood clot and delay it from healing. This could lead to a dry socket; something you want to avoid after a tooth extraction.
- Weight lifting burns calories and makes you thirsty; however, dentists recommend not to eat or drink between 1-2 hours of a tooth extraction. This makes the fast more difficult than it needs to be.
- Many individuals have medication to help numb their pain after a tooth extraction. The side effects make it unsafe to lift weights, especially in a public environment.
Best Exercises After A Tooth Extraction
Depending on the severity of the tooth extraction e.g. blood loss, muscle tearing, or swelling, will determine how long you can exercise after a tooth extraction. However, if it’s a simple, straightforward operation, you can do some light movements 48 hours after surgery.
Dentists don’t recommend jumping straight back into the gym; instead, slowly build strength. So, we have included a few activities to perform 48 hours after the extraction:
- 15-minute walk
It’s not a lot, but it’s better than nothing! Go round your block, do laps of your garden, or even stroll around your dinner table. - Hand grip exercise
Slowly curl your fingers into a fist, squeeze them, and spread them back out. This helps to keep circulation in your hands without needing to move. After a tooth extraction, it’s best to do them without any extra equipment to avoid strenuous movements. - Light stretching
To prevent feeling tight or getting aches and pains, practice some calming stretches. But avoid any bending over or complicated movements. - Calf raises
Simply stand straight up, hold, gradually come back down and repeat. This moves the blood around your body, and is a great way to feel energized after sitting all day.
How Soon After A Tooth Extraction Can You Exercise
It’s essential to take a few days of rest after tooth extraction; no contact sport, strenuous exercise or water activities. But after 4 days of limited exercise, you can then look into getting back into a routine.
Dentists say to wait at least a week after surgery until you return back in the gym. At this point, your wound should be healed to withstand the added blood pressure of exercise. It’s recommended to use light weights and low intensity.
However, if your tooth extraction surgery is more complicated, it could be up to a month until dentists are happy for you to step foot in a gym. Ultimately, it depends on how well the blood clot develops.
If you don’t go gym and do sports instead; take a look at this table:
| Sport | Recovery Time (days) | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Boxing/ Wrestling/ Combat Sports | 30+ | It’s recommended to take over a month off before fighting so your gums are back to full strength. |
| Swimming | 25- 35 | The blood clot needs to fully heal to avoid infection from pool water. |
| Calisthenics | 10-14 | The high intensity means your wound must withstand the high blood pressure during exercise. |
| Football/Soccer | 12-15 | You want to be confident your wound is haled incase you fall from a tackle. |
| Basketball | 25-30 | You want to be fully recovered, so you’re comfortable driving into players. |
| Baseball | 20-25 | The helmet can add pressure to the wound, causing bleeding. So, wait until fully healed. |
| Table Tennis | 7-10 | Elite-level players should wait longer due to the level of intensity they play at. |
| Archery | 6-10 | A minimal-contact sport, so you can return quickly. |
Remember that these are guidelines – always consult your dentist about your personal situation for post-operative care.
FAQ’s
Can You Exercise Before A Tooth Extraction?
While it isn’t recommended to exercise before the day of your tooth extraction, it won’t make a significant impact on a traditional surgery. However, as you aren’t allowed to eat 12 hours before surgery, it’s best to keep the calories and not exercise!
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