Getting your wisdom teeth removed is an invasive, often uncomfortable procedure. Still, it's often necessary, and millions of people have theirs removed every year.
And so, a nursing student shared a sweet hack to reduce swelling and pain for those who've had their wisdom teeth removed.
Believe it or not, it actually works — but with a few caveats.
In the video, Mackenzie shares some case studies of people who've drank pineapple juice in order to limit pain and swelling from wisdom teeth removal. She wanted to try it out for herself, so she stocked up on a big can of Dole's.
Mackenzie made sure not to eat or drink anything after midnight the day before her surgery, as her dental surgeon recommended.
Then, she went ahead and drank 64 (!) ounces of 100% pineapple juice to see if the claims were true.
After a long nap, Mackenzie woke up with some minor bleeding.
"I had a little swelling, but nothing noticeable," she reported.
On the second day after surgery, she was uncomfortable and somewhat sore. On the plus side, her swelling wasn't that significant.
Mackenzie thinks the pineapple juice hack worked, although it didn't make her immune to all pain.
She also notes that her example is a textbook case, and that results might vary for other people.
According to Dr. Leeyah Alim, who specializes in dental medicine, the pineapple juice trick makes sense from a medical perspective.
As Dr. Alim noted to BuzzFeed, pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, which helps boost the body's anti-inflammatory response.
"[Pineapples juice is] a great food to eat following injuries that include swelling," explained Dr. Alim. "Eating pineapple [before] extractions or drinking the juice afterwards gives your body a nice little boost to recover."
But take heed, as Dr. Alim also cautioned that pineapple juice can cause diarrhea and skin rashes, so it's important to have just a little bit and not go overboard.
One final thought from Dr. Alim: while pineapple juice can help reduce swelling, it's also high in sugar and acidic. That means that, while it has its benefits, it can also do a real number on tooth enamel.
Let us know your thoughts on this juicy hack in the comments below!
h/t: BuzzFeed
