The question of returning to a workout routine is common following minor oral surgery like wisdom tooth extraction. While two weeks often serves as a general milestone for resuming physical activity, the decision must be based on the specific progress of your recovery. The intensity and type of exercise depend on whether your surgical sites are healing cleanly and without complication.
What Recovery Looks Like at Two Weeks
By the 14-day mark, the initial inflammatory phase of healing should be largely complete, and the extraction sockets should be well on their way to closure. Swelling and bruising, which typically peak around day two or three, should have resolved entirely, leaving behind minimal or no discomfort. The protective blood clot has now been replaced by a more stable layer of granulation tissue, often visible as a whitish or yellowish film covering the site.
A healthy healing site will show gum tissue actively closing over the empty socket, and any sutures placed should have either dissolved or been removed. While the tissue is actively repairing itself, it may still appear slightly pink or uneven compared to the surrounding gum. You should be able to manage any residual tenderness easily with over-the-counter pain medication.
The most reliable sign that you are ready to consider a return to exercise is the absence of any symptoms that suggest delayed healing. These warning signs include pain that increases instead of decreases, the presence of a persistent foul taste or odor, or visible bone in the socket. If you experience any fresh bleeding or throbbing that returns after initially stopping, it indicates the site is not yet stable enough for exertion.
How Physical Activity Impacts the Healing Site
Physical activity introduces several physiological stressors that can threaten the stability of the two-week-old surgical site. The primary mechanism of concern is the sharp increase in systemic blood pressure that occurs during exercise. As your heart rate elevates to deliver oxygen to working muscles, the increased blood flow and pressure can be transmitted to the highly vascular tissue of the mouth.
This sudden pressure surge can cause the small blood vessels at the extraction site to rupture, leading to renewed bleeding or a throbbing sensation. Even if the clot itself is stable, the increased pressure can cause the surrounding tissue to swell again, which slows the overall healing process.
High-impact exercises, such as running or jumping, create jarring movements that can transmit force through the jawbone, risking mechanical disturbance to the newly formed tissue or underlying clot. Straining during heavy weightlifting can induce the Valsalva maneuver, where holding your breath and bearing down creates negative pressure within the mouth. This internal pressure change can inadvertently pull the protective tissue out of the socket, potentially leading to a painful complication.
Guidelines for Safely Resuming Exercise
Assuming your oral surgeon has cleared you and your extraction sites are pain-free and stable, the approach to resuming exercise should be gradual and conservative. The focus must be on mitigating the risks of elevated blood pressure and mechanical trauma. You should begin with low-impact activities that are easy to control and monitor.
Initial safe activities include walking, using a stationary bike, or performing light stretching and yoga poses that do not involve inversion. You should start at about 50% of your normal intensity and duration, paying close attention to how your mouth feels during the activity. Avoid any movements that require you to bend over significantly or position your head below your heart, as this can increase blood flow to the head and trigger throbbing.
If you are a weightlifter, avoid heavy lifting that requires you to strain or hold your breath. Instead, focus on light resistance training with high repetitions, ensuring you maintain a normal, steady breathing pattern throughout the movement. This approach prevents the Valsalva maneuver. Do not push through any pain or discomfort.
Monitoring your body is paramount; if you notice any pain, fresh bleeding, or a throbbing sensation in the jaw, you must immediately stop the exercise and rest. Stay well-hydrated, but continue to avoid using a straw, as the suction can still disturb the healing tissue. If any doubt remains about your readiness for a specific activity, contact your oral surgeon for personalized guidance before proceeding.