Stitches

How long does it take for stitches in the mouth to dissolve?

I just had oral surgery yesterday and my stitches are already a little loose. Is that bad? Like, I feel the end of one sticking up and I'm afraid to touch it to push it back down. I also am worried because I didn't eat only cold, soft foods (like ice cream, jello, pudding) I also ate noodles and stuff like that today, I was very careful and didn't chew too hard, but am I loosening my stitches and messing up my mouth?

Public Comments

1. Around half of mine came out within the first 2 days. The rest came out within 3 days after that. It's perfectly normal for them to becoming loose at this point. IT really depends on how active your tongue is. I called my oral surgeon about it and he said it was completely normal.
2. don't pull with them or mess with them. they will come out when they are good and ready. noodles are fine, they are a soft food, but i would stay away from taffy and hard candies, or even meats like steak and chicken. the stitches feel looser because the swelling has gone down since then. they will fall out in about a week. if they come loose, don't touch them, as that puts you at a very high risk for infection. remember to rinse with salt water at least once a day! when i had my oral surgery, i tore at least three stitches within twelve hours. i went to my surgeon to have them redone, and he told me it was no big deal, and i shouldn't be worried about it, it won't make it heal any faster, and the majority of the bleeding was done by then!