Dos and Don’ts after Tooth Extraction

Adults are supposed to have teeth lasting them permanently, but many adults need tooth extractions for various reasons such as crowding, damage from trauma, gum disease, and tooth decay or infections. Tooth extractions are never pleasant but are nevertheless recommended by dentists to safeguard people’s dental and overall health.

If you receive a recommendation to have your wisdom tooth extracted for the problems it causes, consider the advice from the dentist as one that will save you plenty of money by preventing infections in your mouth. Removing wisdom teeth requires surgery and involves downtime during your recovery when your dentist suggests you indulge in and avoid certain activities that might delay the healing process.

What Is Involved in Surgical Tooth Extractions?

When you accept your dentist’s proposal to have tooth extractions in Harriston, ON, you must prepare yourself for a procedure lasting approximately 90 minutes to an hour without requiring an overnight stay at the dentist’s office.

Wisdom tooth extractions are complicated, especially if the tooth remains impacted below the gum line. However, you will likely experience no pain during the removal because you receive adequate anesthesia to relax you during the removal. The dentist must cut through your gums to reach the impacted wisdom tooth and, in some cases, break it into pieces before removing it. You might receive sutures at the extraction site for quick recovery. As you leave the dentist’s office to provide you with dos and don’ts that you must follow diligently.

What Is the Care for Tooth Extraction?

Dos

• Tooth extractions might not feel like a significant procedure, but they are surgery. Therefore you must get rest for at least 24 hours, limiting all activities, including exercising or getting involved in activities requiring lifting heavy objects.
• Allow clot formation at the extraction site where you experience bleeding. Your dentist places gauze over the extraction site, asking you to bite down on it. You might find yourself changing the gauze for about an hour after your procedure. The blood clot eventually forms over the extraction site and prevents further bleeding. You can develop infections if you do not allow blood clot formation or dislodge it accidentally because it can cause a dry socket, a painful condition needing additional attention from your dentist.
• Immediately after wisdom tooth extraction, you can start using ice packs over your cheeks to alleviate pain and swelling. However, you must refrain from using the ice packs for extended periods and limit them to 15-minute applications at a time. You can repeat the application after a gap of 15 minutes and continue it as long as you wish.
• Dentists advise a prescription or over-the-counter painkillers to help you manage the discomfort you experience after the anesthesia wears off. Take the medications as recommended by the dental professional without skipping doses, especially if you have received antibiotics.

Don’ts

• You must not smoke 24 hours before surgical tooth removal and 48 hours after the procedure. The chemicals in tobacco can hamper your recovery and affect the blood clot increasing the chances of developing a dry socket even after 72 hours after the procedure.
• You must keep yourself hydrated after surgical extractions. You can drink plenty of water to keep the extraction site clean and prevent infections. However, do not consider consuming alcohol as a liquid because it interferes with your recovery.
• You will undoubtedly feel the urge to have your favorite foods after surgical extraction. However, you must remember the extraction site is tender, and you must exercise caution when considering crunchy and hard foods until you have recovered from your process. Instead, stock up on soft foods like yogurt, applesauce, smoothies, et cetera proves helpful because they don’t require chewing. You must also avoid spicy foods, hot drinks, and sodas during your recovery.
• Do not poke at the extraction site with your tongue or other objects for fear of dislodging the blood clot.

If you experience pain at the extraction site 72 hours after tooth removal along with bleeding, seek advice from your dentist because the condition might indicate infections. However, so long as you follow your dentist’s instructions to the word, you can rest assured your recovery will proceed smoothly without causing undue concerns.

If you must undergo tooth extractions for any reason, Harriston Family Dentistry in Harriston, ON, area performs these procedures regularly. You help yourself by scheduling an appointment with them to have a problematic tooth in your mouth removed by experienced professionals.