5 Things To Take Care Of After Tooth Extraction Surgery

Whenever possible, the dentist will always try to save your natural tooth. However, when the damage is too extreme to respond to restorative treatments like fillings, root canals, or crowns, the best remedy would be to extract the tooth and replace it with an implant or bridge. Your dentist can recommend tooth extraction if you have:

• A severely decayed or damaged tooth
• A severely fractured tooth
• Severe gum disease
• Severe dental injuries
• An impacted wisdom tooth
• Overcrowding

Depending on the tooth’s condition, your dentist can perform a simple or surgical extraction. If the tooth is visible and accessible above the gum line, the dentist will perform a simple extraction where the tooth is extracted using a pair of forceps if the tooth is trapped or broken below the gum line.

How Surgical Extraction Works

The surgeon will administer an anesthetic during the extraction to keep you comfortable and painless throughout the procedure. Next, the surgeon will make an incision through the gums and bone tissues that surround the tooth.

Next, they will use a pair of forceps to extract the tooth. They might break the tooth into pieces for easy removal. If necessary, the dentist will stitch the area for faster healing. You’ll have a gauze pad to bite in to stop the bleeding. Get in touch with our dentist in Grove City for normal and emergency tooth extractions.

After a Tooth Extraction: Caring for Your Mouth

After the tooth extraction, your actions will impact your recovery and healing. Below are five key tips to help you recover better and faster:

• Bite in the gauze.

Minor bleeding after a tooth extraction is normal. To minimize bleeding and aid clot formation, bite on gauze firmly until the bleeding stops. If there’s a lot of bleeding, bite on a regular tea bag.

While slight bleeding is normal on the first day, certain actions can dislodge and affect the blood clot formation and cause further bleeding or a painful complication known as dry socket. A dry socket can cause other complications like infections, severe pain, jawbone damage, and nerve damage. Dangerous actions to avoid include:

• Smoking
• Drinking through a straw
• Rinsing harshly
• Spitting
• Sucking
• Alcohol drinking

• Minimize pain and swelling

Pain, soreness, swelling, or discomfort are common side effects of tooth extraction. Fortunately, the surgeon or dentist will prescribe some medication to reduce these symptoms. In addition, you can place an ice pack on the cheek near the extraction site for about 15 minutes and repeat as needed.

The discomfort or swelling should subside within a few days. Make sure to contact your dentist immediately or visit an emergency clinic if your symptoms persist or worsen after taking medication.

• Rest adequately

After any surgical procedure, it’s vital to rest adequately. For the next 48 hours, avoid strenuous physical activities and other tasks that require great effort, like heavy lifting. Strenuous activities can increase blood pressure in the head, which can cause severe bleeding or dry socket. When resting, keep your head elevated to allow the blood to flow from the extraction site and promote faster healing.

• Eat a soft diet

Eating after a tooth extraction is necessary to promote faster wound healing. However, you shouldn’t eat anything until the anesthetic has worn off completely. Otherwise, you risk burning or biting your cheeks or tongue.

Even after the numbing has gone down, it’s vital to avoid hard, chewy, and crunchy food items as they can disturb the extraction socket, which can cause increased irritation, bleeding, and even dry socket.

For the next few days, consume soft food like soup, oatmeal, yogurt, pudding, broth, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and soft fish like tilapia.

• Maintain excellent oral hygiene

Excellent oral hygiene is essential to prevent infection at the surgical site. You can’t brush or floss the extraction area for 48 hours. Rinse with a saltwater solution to prevent infection and wash away debris and bacteria.

When to Call the Dentist

Contact your dentist immediately if you experience:

• Severe pain or discomfort that worsens or persists beyond normal
• Severe bleeding
• Severe swelling around the extraction site
• Fever and chills

Schedule an Appointment Today

Are you interested in tooth extraction in Grove City? Contact daily DENTAL & bracesbar to schedule your appointment today.