An extraction is a common procedure, especially among adults. When a tooth cannot be saved, your dentist will recommend an extraction. Your dentist will do their best to minimize the amount of pain that you feel during an extraction. Extractions are usually straightforward, but there are some things that you need to do after the procedure to ensure that your gum heals promptly. Follow these steps to ensure proper recovery.
Use an Ice Pack
It doesn't take long to recover from a tooth extraction. However, there are some things that you do need to do to ensure that the recovery goes smoothly. Once you get home, you should apply an ice pack to your cheek to reduce swelling. You can use the ice pack for ten minutes at a time.
Gauze Usage
Once the extraction is completed, your dentist will apply gauze to the affected area. You will be asked to bite down on it to reduce swelling and to help a clot form in the area of the extraction. You will need to leave the gauze in for two to three hours. Unless it is completely soaked with blood, do not remove it. Your dentist will give you extra gauze to use.
Watch How You Drink
You will need to be careful how you drink water and other liquids for the first 24 hours. Make sure that you do not use a straw for drinking. Suction from the straw will loosen the blood clot that is forming at the extraction site. If the clot is dislodged, you will end up having a dry socket, and this can become very painful.
You will not be able to rinse your mouth for 24 hours after tooth extraction. You will only be able to spit gently. After 24 hours, you can add a half-teaspoon of salt to some water and rinse your mouth, gently.
Modifying Your Habits
When you go to sleep the night of the extraction, you need to prop your head up as you lie down; this will make you more comfortable and prevent irritation of the extraction site. In the morning, make sure that you only eat soft foods. Some examples are pudding, yogurt, and porridge. You can brush your teeth as you normally would just be sure to avoid the extraction area.
Extractions are sometimes necessary when teeth cannot be saved. Extractions are not necessarily comfortable, but they usually heal quickly.
Share18 March 2021
Hi, my name is Kevin Nelson and I want to tell you about my experience. I had a painful tooth so I went to see my dentist. After the examination, he said that I needed to have a root canal to save the tooth. I told the dentist to just pull the tooth instead and then he explained why that wasn't a good idea. He said that pulling the tooth would cause additional problems and then he told me what could happen. I didn't want any more problems, so the dentist did the root canal and I'm glad that he did. I wanted to write a blog to tell others about the benefits of a root canal and what to expect during the procedure. I hope that by getting the word out, other people won't make the same mistake that I almost did by getting a perfectly good tooth pulled.