‘There is no greater fear than fear itself,’ the saying goes. So I decided to kick fear’s ass. I faced my fear of having my wisdom teeth pulled. The rush of endorphins after feeling the fear and doing it anyway, feels almost as good as a long run!
Having your wisdom teeth pulled: when can you run again?
But then I was faced with an important question: ‘When can I run again?’ I did some research and this is what I found out. The general advice is to wait at least 72 hours before you go for a run. Some people even advise a week. And this is why:
- After your wisdom teeth are pulled, a blood clot will form. This is a good thing! But if you go for a run you might shake it loose. And you don’t wanna do that!
- You may have taken pain medication which can make you a bit drowsy. It’s not a smart move to go into traffic when you’re not ‘all there’.
- Because it’s hard to eat with two Grand Canyons in your mouth, your body may be a bit weak. So don’t ask it do strenuous things.
The hole that the wisdom teeth left in my mouth is still hurting a bit. And because I was so terribly afraid, I now feel really tired. I suppose it’s a reaction to all the tension. So I haven’t gone for a run yet. I don’t want to risk doing anything that might send me back to the dentist!
So whenever I miss my daily shot of endorphins, I look at my little plastic back with my wisdom teeth in it.
And then I get this nice little rush.
But still, I can’t wait for my first run without my wisdom teeth!