Anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Typically, wisdom tooth swelling after surgery is short-lived. In an ideal situation, swelling should improve after a few days. As long as you carefully follow your home-care instructions, you can prevent complications and additional swelling. However, some people do see signs of swelling that take several days to subside. With the right medication and self-care, you can actively reduce swelling and ease your way to recover. Along with swelling, you may experience some bruising or tenderness. It’s best to take at least a few days off work or school. Scheduling your wisdom tooth removal for a Wednesday or Thursday and then taking off the rest of the week is usually more than adequate to “get back to normal” by the next Monday morning. Although irritation or swelling may not be 100% resolved, it should have significantly improved enough for you to go about your day-to-day routine. In the meantime, stick to a soft diet until the surgical sites have completely healed (which is usually 10-14 days at the most.)