MarsBar, it really is not too bad having your wisdom teeth out. I had 3 of mine out as a day operation at Farnborough Hospital, Kent (Now The Princess Royal Hospital). The day care unit was almost brand new. I was given strong painkillers (codeine!) before the op, then I was wheeled into the operating room's ante room and injected in the hand. Next thing I know I was awake on a trolley in the ward! The worst thing was I was so hot and terribly thirsty probably from the anaesthetic, but they gave me some orange squash that I drank through a straw. (The most important thing when having a tooth out is to give time for a blood clot to form in the socket, otherwise you get 'dry socket' which is very painful and can last a week). So drink only through a straw for 24 hours.
Anyway my mum was with me (you have to have someone take you home, they won't let you use public transport). Although it was a day operation and most people had gone by 3, I didn't feel ready to leave until 5 but they were great, they didn't rush me. All the staff were excellent. We got a taxi home.
I had no pain at all from the extraction. I couldn't open my mouth very wide for sometime, but 2 days after the op I was eating pasta (albeit gingerly). You need to eat something because of the codeine painkillers, or you'll feel, well, high! Just have soup and yoghurt until you feel ready to eat solid food again.
DH dreads getting his wisdom teeth out. I have reassured him that it is not nearly as bad as one might think.
PS It cost me nothing.