Important tips to follow after tooth extraction

Extracting one or more teeth is a straightforward process in most cases, although it is complicated in some circumstances. Whatever it is, you should abide by the guidelines your dentist suggests after removing a tooth to promote healing, protect the surgical site from infection, and protect the underlying bone.

The dentists at Zenith Dentistry have shared the essential tooth extraction post-op instructions in this blog post. Keep reading.

Post-operative care on the day of surgery

Generally, tooth extraction can be done in a single dental visit. Once the tooth is pulled away, dentists will clean and disinfect the socket. Then you can return to your home, but you should not reinstate your daily routine on the same day.

Instead, you have to perform the following things for the remainder of the day:

• Limit your physical activities and get enough rest.
• Keep your head in an elevated position.
• Don’t touch the surgical site with your tongue or fingers.
• Keep a gauze pad over the socket and bite it gently for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Repeat it 2–3 times with a new gauze pad every time.
• Take soft foods at low heat.

After pulling away a tooth, the blood clot in the socket safeguards the bone during healing. If the clot is disrupted early, dry socket will occur and expose the bone underneath. The instructions listed above preserve the blood clot.

How to care for your mouth after a tooth extraction in the following days?

You can resume normal activities in 24 hours, but it is pivotal to refrain from certain activities for 4 to 5 days after tooth extraction to prevent dry socket. They include:

• Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
• Don’t rinse your mouth harshly.
• Don’t suck through a straw.
• Don’t do any strenuous activities.
• Don’t brush or floss the teeth near the surgical site. Instead, gargle your mouth gently with warm salt water after every meal to remove debris.
• Don’t use any dangerous machinery.
• Don’t take hard and chewy foods.

Pain, swelling, and mild bleeding likely exist for 2–3 days after extracting a tooth. Here are some tips for dealing with those difficulties:

• Take prescribed medications
• Take antibiotics as directed
• Apply ice packs to the treated side’s chin
• Drink plenty of fluids

If the pain remains intact and does not alleviate after three days, visit your dentist.

What to eat after tooth extraction?

You should look at what you are eating after getting dental work. Teeth extraction is not an exception. As mentioned earlier, take soft foods alone during the healing period.

• Mashed fruits
• Stewed Apple
• Porridge
• Bread
• Milk
• Ice cream
• Yoghurt
• Curd
• Soups
• Eggs
• Fish
• Chopped poultry
• Baked beans
• Cereals

Have queries on dental extraction or want more post-extraction tips to recover quickly? Ask us in the comment section or Contact our dentists here.