Wisdom Teeth Stitches: What to Expect and How to Care for Them

Editorially reviewed by the Dental.me Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

If your dentist or oral surgeon closed the gum after taking out a wisdom tooth, you probably have one or more stitches (sutures) holding the area together. It is completely normal to feel a small knot or a loose thread with your tongue and wonder what you are supposed to do about it. The good news: most wisdom teeth stitches take care of themselves, and your job is mostly to leave them alone and keep the area clean. This guide walks you through why stitches are placed, the two types you might have, what is normal, and when a loose or missing stitch is actually worth a phone call.

Why wisdom teeth get stitches in the first place

Not every tooth removal needs stitches. A simple extraction, where a fully erupted tooth lifts out cleanly, often heals fine with just a blood clot in the socket and no sutures at all. Wisdom teeth are different. They are frequently impacted, angled, or still partly under the gum and bone, so the surgeon usually has to make a small incision in the gum to reach the tooth. After removing it, they place stitches to close that gum flap back over the socket.

Stitches help in a few practical ways: they hold the gum tissue in position so it can knit back together, they reduce bleeding, and they protect the healing socket underneath. Closing the wound also lowers the chance that food packs into the site. Think of the stitches as a temporary bridge that keeps everything where it belongs while the deeper healing happens. For the bigger picture of what the first days and weeks look like, see our overview of wisdom teeth recovery.

The two types: dissolvable vs. stitches that get removed

There are two broad categories of suture, and which one you have changes what you need to do next.

Dissolvable (resorbable) stitches

These are the most common choice for wisdom teeth. Dissolvable stitches are made from material your body slowly breaks down on its own, usually over about one to two weeks. You do not need to have them taken out. As they weaken, they often loosen and come away in small pieces, sometimes without you even noticing, or you might feel a bit of thread and later find it gone. That is exactly what is supposed to happen.

Non-dissolvable stitches

Some surgeons use non-dissolvable sutures that stay put until they are removed at a follow-up visit, typically around a week after surgery. Taking them out is quick and usually painless. The important thing is to actually keep that appointment, because non-dissolvable stitches are not meant to stay in indefinitely.

How to know which you have

The simplest answer: ask your surgeon before you leave, or check your post-op instructions. They will tell you which type they used and whether you need a removal visit. If you are unsure, a quick call to the office clears it up. Never guess and never try to pull out a stitch yourself.

What stitches feel and look like (and what not to do)

In the first days, it is normal to feel a raised knot or a short loose thread near the extraction site when your tongue wanders over there. It can feel bigger than it looks. Dissolvable sutures may fray, soften, and come out in fragments as they break down. A single stitch coming loose on its own, especially a few days in, is usually nothing to worry about.

Here is the one rule that matters most: do not pick at, pull, or play with the stitches. It is tempting to worry a loose thread with your tongue or fingers, but disturbing the area can reopen the wound, restart bleeding, or dislodge the protective blood clot in the socket. Losing that clot too early can lead to dry socket, a painful complication that slows healing considerably. Leave the stitches be and let them do their job.

How to care for the stitches and the healing site

Good care is mostly gentle, consistent, and low-effort. Here is what to do.

The first 24 hours: protect the clot

• Do not rinse vigorously or spit forcefully; both can pull the clot loose.
• Skip straws entirely; the suction is a classic clot-dislodger.
• Do not smoke or vape, for the same reason.
• Bite gently on the gauze as directed and rest with your head elevated.

After the first day: keep it clean, gently

• Rinse gently with warm salt water (about half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) a few times a day, especially after meals. Let the water move slowly rather than swishing hard right against the stitches.
• Brush the rest of your teeth normally, but be careful and avoid brushing directly over the surgical area at first.
• Eat soft, cool foods and chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Our guide to eating after wisdom teeth removal has plenty of ideas.
• Manage swelling and discomfort as instructed; a cold compress in the first day or two helps, and you can read more on how to reduce swelling after a tooth extraction.

Sleep matters too. Keeping your head slightly raised the first couple of nights can reduce throbbing and swelling; see how to sleep after a tooth extraction for tips. Above all, follow the specific post-op instructions your surgeon gave you, since they know exactly what they did.

What is normal during healing

Plenty of things can look alarming but are actually part of ordinary recovery. In the first day, a little oozing and pink-tinged saliva is expected. Swelling and soreness usually peak around days two and three, then ease off. A stitch working itself loose, or a dissolvable one falling out as it breaks down, is normal. Over roughly one to two weeks the gum closes and the discomfort fades.

When it comes to a stitch coming out early, context is everything. A dissolvable suture loosening on its own is fine and does not usually need any action. But if a stitch comes out very early and the wound clearly opens, bleeds a lot, or you are simply worried, call your dentist. A quick check-in is always reasonable, and the office would rather hear from you than have you stress about it.

Red flags: when to call the dentist

Most recoveries are uneventful, but reach out to your dental office if you notice any of the following:

• Bleeding that will not stop even after biting on gauze with steady pressure.
• Severe or worsening throbbing pain a few days after surgery, which can signal dry socket.
• Increasing swelling, redness, pus, or a fever a couple of days in, which can point to infection.
• A persistent bad taste or foul odor coming from the site.
• Non-dissolvable stitches that were supposed to be removed but you cannot make the appointment; do not leave them in too long.

One firm rule: never try to remove non-dissolvable stitches yourself. Let the dental team do it. Once your stitches have dissolved or been removed, healing is not finished; the socket keeps closing and filling in over the following weeks. Protecting the clot early, cleaning gently, and not disturbing the stitches are the same habits that prevent complications the whole way through, and they tie back into a smooth wisdom teeth recovery.

The takeaway

Wisdom teeth stitches close the gum over the socket so it can heal. Most are dissolvable and disappear on their own within one to two weeks; some are non-dissolvable and get removed at a quick follow-up. Whichever you have, do not pick at them, protect the blood clot for the first 24 hours, then rinse gently with warm salt water, eat soft foods, and be patient. Call your dentist for bleeding that will not stop, severe pain that arrives a few days later, or signs of infection. Handled gently, the stitches quietly do their work and you barely have to think about them.

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