Researchers tested whether taking vitamin C supplements could help people recover better after wisdom tooth removal surgery. Fifty-six people had both wisdom teeth extracted and took either vitamin C or a fake pill on each side. Those who took vitamin C had less pain and less facial swelling two days after surgery. While the vitamin C group also seemed to heal better overall, the differences in healing speed and pain medication use weren’t quite large enough to be completely certain. The good news is that vitamin C is safe, cheap, and easy to take, so it might be worth trying if you’re having wisdom teeth removed.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does taking vitamin C supplements before and after wisdom tooth surgery help people feel better and heal faster?
  • Who participated: 56 healthy adults who needed both lower wisdom teeth removed. Each person got vitamin C on one side of their mouth and a placebo (fake pill) on the other side.
  • Key finding: People taking vitamin C had noticeably less pain two days after surgery and less facial swelling. They also seemed to need fewer pain medications and healed slightly better, though these improvements were smaller and less certain.
  • What it means for you: If you’re having wisdom teeth removed, taking vitamin C supplements starting the day before surgery and continuing for a week may help reduce pain and swelling in the first few days. However, this is one study, so talk to your dentist or surgeon before starting any new supplements.

The Research Details

This was a randomized controlled trial, which is one of the best ways to test if something actually works. What made this study special is that it was a “split-mouth” design—each person had both wisdom teeth removed, but one side of their mouth received vitamin C while the other side received a placebo (a fake pill that looks identical). This clever design means each person served as their own comparison, which makes the results more reliable.

The study was also “double-blind,” meaning neither the patients nor the researchers knew which side got the real vitamin C and which got the placebo until after all the data was collected. This prevents bias from affecting the results. Participants started taking either vitamin C or placebo one day before surgery and continued for seven days. Researchers measured pain levels, how much pain medication people used, how well wounds were healing, facial swelling, and jaw stiffness on day 2 and day 7 after surgery.

The split-mouth design is particularly powerful because it eliminates differences between people—since each person is their own control, factors like age, overall health, and pain tolerance don’t affect the comparison. The double-blind approach prevents expectations from influencing results. This study design gives us more confidence in the findings than if researchers had simply compared one group taking vitamin C to another group taking placebo.

This study has several strengths: it was randomized (reducing bias), double-blind (preventing expectations from affecting results), and used a split-mouth design (making comparisons more reliable). The sample size of 56 people is reasonable for this type of surgery study. However, the study only followed people for 7 days after surgery, so we don’t know about longer-term effects. The researchers also didn’t specify the exact dose of vitamin C used, which makes it harder for others to repeat the study with the same conditions.

What the Results Show

Two days after surgery, people taking vitamin C reported significantly less pain compared to the placebo side. This was the clearest and most certain finding of the study. On day 7, pain levels were similar between both sides, suggesting the vitamin C benefit was mainly in the very early recovery period.

Facial swelling was also significantly reduced on day 2 in the vitamin C group. Researchers measured swelling in multiple ways, and vitamin C showed improvement across all of them. By day 7, swelling had decreased in both groups, so the difference was less noticeable.

People taking vitamin C appeared to use slightly less pain medication and showed slightly better wound healing, but these differences were small enough that they could have happened by chance. Jaw stiffness (called trismus) was similar in both groups, so vitamin C didn’t seem to help with that particular problem.

While not statistically significant, the trends suggest vitamin C may support the body’s natural healing process. Patients taking vitamin C needed fewer pain pills on average, which could mean less medication in their system. The wound healing measurements showed vitamin C-treated sides looked slightly better, though the improvement was modest. These secondary findings are encouraging but need confirmation in larger studies.

This study aligns with previous research suggesting vitamin C plays a role in wound healing and reducing inflammation. Vitamin C is known to be important for collagen production, a protein essential for healing. However, most previous studies on vitamin C and surgery recovery have been smaller or less rigorous than this one. This research provides stronger evidence than many earlier studies, though more research is still needed to confirm these findings.

The study only followed participants for one week after surgery, so we don’t know if vitamin C helps with longer-term healing or complications. The researchers didn’t specify the exact vitamin C dose used, making it difficult for other scientists to replicate the study exactly. The study included only healthy adults, so results might be different for people with health conditions or those taking other medications. Finally, 56 people is a moderate sample size—larger studies might reveal different results or show that some findings happened by chance.

The Bottom Line

If you’re having wisdom teeth removed, consider discussing vitamin C supplementation with your oral surgeon or dentist. Starting one day before surgery and continuing for seven days may help reduce pain and swelling in the first two days of recovery. Vitamin C is safe, inexpensive, and widely available. However, this is based on one study, so it’s not a guaranteed solution. (Moderate confidence level—more research is needed.)

This research is most relevant to people scheduled for wisdom tooth extraction who want to minimize pain and swelling. It may also interest oral surgeons and dentists looking for safe, affordable ways to improve patient comfort. People with vitamin C deficiencies or those taking blood thinners should consult their doctor before supplementing. This study doesn’t apply to people having other types of surgery, as results may differ.

Based on this study, you’d likely notice the biggest benefits in the first two days after surgery, with reduced pain and swelling. By one week, the advantage of vitamin C becomes less noticeable as the body naturally heals. For complete healing, which typically takes several weeks, the long-term benefits of vitamin C are unknown based on this research.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily pain levels (0-10 scale) and swelling measurements (using a soft measuring tape around your jaw) for 7 days after surgery. Also log pain medication use and note any side effects from vitamin C supplementation.
  • Set daily reminders to take your vitamin C supplement starting the day before surgery through day 7 post-op. Users could log their supplement intake in the app and rate their pain and swelling each morning and evening to see if they notice improvements.
  • Create a simple recovery dashboard showing pain trends, medication use, and swelling measurements over the first week. Users could compare their recovery to expected timelines and share results with their dentist or surgeon to inform future treatment decisions.

This research suggests vitamin C may help with pain and swelling after wisdom tooth surgery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your oral surgeon or dentist before starting any supplements, especially if you have health conditions, take medications, or have allergies. Results may vary between individuals. This study was conducted on healthy adults and may not apply to everyone. Do not delay or avoid necessary dental care based on this information.