You may give or receive a simple kiss after wisdom teeth removal such as a light peck on the lips or the cheek. That shouldn't pose any problems to your post-surgical recovery.
However, the more intense type of kissing may potentially be harmful to your recovery and we do not recommend it. Therefore, whether you can kiss after the extraction would depend on the type of kissing that you intend on partaking.
Table of Contents:
Type of kissing
You can kiss after wisdom teeth removal but it depends on what type of kissing you're doing because some are okay while others aren't.
Type of kissing:
Simple kiss. A light peck on the cheeks or a peck on the lips are certainly acceptable. It should pose no harm to the surgical site nor detract from it's healing.
French kissing. An intense kissing session with tongue action in your mouth is NOT okay because it can disturb the surgical site. The worse case scenario would be resumption of socket 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 heavy amorous activities for at least the first three days post-op.
French kissing may prevent hemostasis
After the third molar are extracted, a blood clot will be forming in order to stanch the bleeding. However the clot isn't very stable when it initially forms. It can be easily dislodged with light intraoral pressure.
If the clot gets dislodged, the socket will resume bleeding once more. This is why your dentist tells you to avoid certain activities and I wholeheartedly agree.
Actions that my dislodge the blood clot:
Rinsing
Spitting
Drinking through a straw
Smoking
All four of these actions are absolutely forbidden while the clot is still stabilizing.
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.
French kissing often involves a lot of suction during the activity and that may generate excessive pressure in the mouth. There is a very real possibility that your partner may inadvertently suck out the blood clot.
What to do if bleeding restarts
If the wound reopens from kissing, you need to stop doing it immediately. The next step is to resume using gauze to stem the bleeding. The biting pressure will eventually stop the bleeding.
How to use gauze to stop the bleeding:
Take 2-3 pieces of gauze together.
Fold them in half twice into a small square.
Place the gauze over the wisdom tooth hole.
Bite down with firm pressure and do not let go.
Remove the gauze after 30 minutes.
Repeat steps 1-5 until it stops bleeding or 3 hours have passed.
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 have shown that it often occurs as a biological process.
Other reasons to not kiss
Bleeding from kissing is the main concern but there are also other adverse effects as well.
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. FYI, you should minimize talking for the first few hours afterwards as well.
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, I believe that 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 that you're trying to do.
Summary of key points:
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? In my opinion, you should wait.
The earliest that you can resume would be three days after the extraction but depending on how you feel, it could take up to a week. There is nothing wrong with waiting.
After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder!
