What’re the Dos and Don’ts after Tooth Extraction?

What’re the Dos and Don’ts after Tooth Extraction?

May 05, 2022

Tooth removal or extraction of permanent teeth is relatively common among adults, even though their teeth are expected to last for a lifetime. Unfortunately, conditions like tooth infections, decay, gum disease, injuries, and overcrowding compel people to have teeth extracted.

Tooth extractions are not a pleasant experience because you fear the pain you might experience and worry about the expenses involved in getting replacements unless you are having your wisdom teeth removed. Fortunately, the Tampa dentist’s office is aware of your fear or anxiety and provides appropriate anesthesia to ensure your comfort during the tooth removal procedure.

How Are Tooth Removals Performed?

Tooth extractions in Tampa, FL, generally perform a simple extraction on a visible tooth above the gum line. After giving you local anesthesia, the dentist will use an instrument called an elevator for rocking the tooth back-and-forth to loosen it. Eventually, the tooth is removed using dental forceps.

Unfortunately, if you must have a molar or an impacted tooth removed, you must undergo a surgical extraction because the tooth remains impacted below your gum line. Surgical extractions require more potent anesthesia because the surgeon must make incisions in your gums to cut away the gum and bone tissue covering the tooth. Here again, dentists use forceps to rock the tooth back-and-forth until it breaks.

After removing a tooth, a blood clot forms in the socket. Your dentist or oral surgeon packs the socket with gauze to stop bleeding and may even insert sutures if required in some cases.

Dos and Don’ts After Tooth Removal

After-care for tooth extractions differs based on the type of extraction you underwent and your tooth’s location. However, you can anticipate recovering in approximately seven to ten days. It helps if you exercise caution to ensure the blood clot remains in the tooth socket. Dislodging the blood clot makes you susceptible to a dry socket, a painful condition needing additional treatment from the dentist. The Tampa dentist provides a list of dos and don’ts that you must follow diligently to help speed up your recovery. The sooner you recover from tooth extraction, the faster you can consider getting replacement solutions for the missing tooth.

The Dos after Tooth Removal

You begin experiencing pain after the anesthesia starts wearing off. Dentists are aware of the situation and recommend painkillers to help you overcome the discomfort. You must take the medicines as prescribed.
The gauze pad placed in the tooth socket must remain in place for about three to four hours after the procedure to enable blood clot formation.
You can use an ice pack over your cheeks immediately after the procedure. However, leave the ice packs on your cheeks for 15 minutes at a time and repeat the process after a gap of 15 minutes. Leaving the ice packs on the cheeks for too long can cause tissue damage.
Do not jump into your regular activities immediately after tooth removal. Instead, get rest for at least 24 hours and limit your activity for a couple of days after the removal.
Use a saltwater rinse after 24 hours to rinse your mouth because saltwater can prevent infections.
Continue brushing and flossing your teeth to prevent infections by avoiding the extraction site.
Use extra pillows to prop your head when sleeping because lying flat can delay healing.
Tooth removal makes you incapable of having crunchy and hard foods. Therefore you must exist on a diet of soups, pudding, yogurt, applesauce, and smoothies, ensuring that you have them with a spoon.

Tooth Extraction Don’ts

Prevent dislodging of the blood clot by not spitting, rinsing, or using a straw for drinking liquids during the initial 24 hours.
Refrain from having alcohol or smoking after tooth removal because these substances can delay your recovery.

Whether you undergo a straightforward extraction or emergency tooth extractions for an impacted tooth, you will likely experience discomfort or pain after the removal. Swelling in your face is also a familiar experience.

The painkillers the dentist recommends help reduce the symptoms. The dentist might also recommend taking over-the-counter medications and reporting to them if your symptoms subside in 72 hours. Unfortunately, if your pain worsens after several days, you must contact the Tampa dentist to ensure they can rule out any infection.

You might want to discuss replacing the extracted tooth with the dentist to prevent your remaining teeth from shifting position. You can have dental implants, bridges, or dentures to close the gap in your mouth.

Wang and Cortes Dental perform simple and surgical tooth extractions and provide appropriate after-care instructions to ensure you recover without complications. Kindly seek an appointment with them if you must have a tooth or teeth extracted.

Our goal is to provide comprehensive dental care in Tampa, and we are accepting patients across the neighborhood including:

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