1: Bleeding: Some bleeding may occur. Placing a piece of moist gauze over the empty tooth socket and biting down firmly for 45 minutes can control this.
2: Blood Clots that form in the Empty Socket: This is an integral part of the healing process, and you must be careful not to dislodge the clot.
- Avoid rinsing or spitting for 48 hours after the extraction.
- Avoid using a straw, smoking, or consuming hot liquids.
3: Swelling: If swelling occurs, place ice on your face for 10 minutes, then remove it for 20 minutes. Repeat this cycle as needed for up to 24 hours.
4: Pain and Medications: If you experience pain, you may use non-prescription pain relief medications such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
5: Eating: For most extractions, ensure that you chew away from the extraction site. Avoid hot liquids and alcoholic beverages for 24 hours. A liquid diet may be recommended for 24 hours.
6: Brushing and Cleaning: After the extraction, avoid brushing the teeth near the extraction site for one day. After that, you can resume gentle cleaning. Avoid commercial mouth rinses, as they tend to irritate the site. Beginning 24 hours after the extraction, you can rinse with salt water (1/2 teaspoon in a cup of water) after meals and before bed.
7: Dry Socket: A dry socket occurs when a blood clot fails to form in the socket where the tooth has been extracted, or the clot has been dislodged, resulting in a significant delay in the healing process. Following the post-extraction instructions will reduce the chances of developing a dry socket. Dry sockets manifest themselves as a dull throbbing pain, which doesn’t appear until three or four days after the extraction. The pain can be moderate to severe and radiate from the area of the extraction. A dry socket may cause a bad taste or bad breath, and the extraction site appears dry, painful, and swollen.
8: Healing: After a tooth has been extracted, there will be a resulting hole in your jawbone where the tooth was. In time, this will smooth and fill in with bone. This process can take many weeks or months. However, after 1-2 weeks, you should no longer notice any inconvenience.
