Proper dental hygiene and aftercare is a vital key for better healing after tooth extraction. And when you are careless dry socket occurs where the nerve gets exposed to air and cause pain.

Plan ahead

Little preparation work such as

• stocking up liquid food items before the tooth extraction goes a long way.
• Check with the dentist for the painkiller and take the recommended dosage before the pain sets in.
• Wait for at least 12 hours before doing any cardio exercise.
• Make sure to sleep with your head elevated on a pillow on the night after surgery.

Remember that getting the blood pumped to the area of tooth extraction might lead to bleeding in the tooth socket.

Dental care

Taking care of dental is vital after dental extraction:

• Avoid rinsing the day on and the day after surgery. Rinse the mouth on the following day gently with warm saltwater. Ensure that you do not disturb the clot formation at the site of surgery.
• Continue to use the warm salt water for rinsing till the extraction site is completely healed.
• Avoid brushing at the surgery site. Instead, use a damp cloth or piece of gauze for wiping it for the first week. Rinsing will help in keeping the area clean.

Taking care of side effects

Side effects of tooth extraction include swelling and pain. When the wisdom teeth are removed swelling and pain is natural.

• Place an ice pack on the cheeks in the area of the surgery to reduce the swelling and pain.
• Avoid using heat pack until the inflammation has reduced. The heat helps the jaw muscles to relax.

Pain– You may experience increased pain for two days, a plateau at day three and then the pain decreases. If you experience after day three, fix an appointment with the dentist for the check-up.

Bleeding – Some amount of bleeding for about 1-4 hours is expected after the surgery. Check for the change in colour of the blood decreasing from deep red to clear red/fluid-like during this period. If you notice profuse bleeding even after 4 hours, place a moist tea bag over the site and bite down with gentle pressure and check for the bleeding every 30 mins. And if the bleeding does not stop by 6-7 hours or if you feel dizziness, it is vital to meet your dentist for the re-checkup.

Food intake – Having food after the anesthesia is difficult and you may feel dizziness. Limit the diet to soft food like mashed potatoes or soups, which are easier to be rinsed away. Avoid sucking of any kind of food for 48-72 hours after surgery.

Sutures –  Sutures may be created in some people for a better healing outcome, but this could cause increased sensitivity. Some sutures may even come out by itself, while others will need to be removed by your dentist. You make sure to clean the surrounding teeth careful yet avoiding the contact with the sutures. Rinsing with warm salt water helps to decrease the plaque accumulation until sutures get removed.

Teeth extraction is never a happy or fun task for any. Taking rest for 2-3 days is vital for your body to respond and cope up is the key you need to ensure. The Tooth Spa provides the top quality private dental practice including the general dental care, cosmetic dentistry, Dental Hygienist, Dental Implants, out of hours and emergency dental care, clear braces and home visits for housebound patients at the best affordable price. Contact us for more information.