How to Recover from a Tooth Extraction

Making sure you go to the dentist is key to living healthy as improper dental care can lead to some serious health issues. When recommended by a Glebe dental practice, it’s important to go through with a tooth extraction as it will better your long-term health. However, simply getting your tooth extraction is only the beginning as you also have to make sure the recovery goes well too. That process is just as important as the procedure itself as an infection can lead to additional issues. Thankfully, you can read on to learn about the proper recovery path as recommended by Soothing Care Dental.

Your main recovery period will take place in the immediate days following the extraction. This is the most important time period to prevent an infection from taking place, so listen to everything your Glebe dental practice tells you in order to stay safe and lower the amount of discomfort that you are in. As for immediate actions, you will want to continue biting firmly on the gauze pad that your dentist placed inside your mouth. You’ll continue biting down on this for four hours after the procedure and will want to change the gauze out if it starts soaking up blood. Not only will this process reduce the amount of bleeding, but it will allow a blood clot to form so the extraction point can properly heal. After that is done, you will want to apply a bag of ice on your mouth to keep swelling down. Do this in 10-minute intervals and begin taking any painkillers you’ve been prescribed once the anesthesia wears off.

Another important step is to get a lot of rest for the two days following the extraction. That doesn’t mean you need to be bedridden but limit your overall activities and don’t exert yourself too much. During this time, you will still want to brush your teeth and floss as you normally would. However, don’t gargle or spit forcefully and be careful to avoid the extraction site as you don’t want to interact with the blood clot. Other helpful tips include not using a straw to drink, don’t smoke and use a pillow while lying down so your head is propped up.

One of the most annoying parts about recovery from a tooth extraction is that you can’t eat as you normally would. The best Glebe dental practice recommends that you only eat soft foods for the days following your extraction. Thankfully, there are plenty of tasty soups, yogurts and even treats like ice cream for you to indulge on. As your recovery goes on, you can begin to add solid foods into the mix. Just make sure to take it slow and continue to mainly eat items like applesauce, pudding, mashed potatoes and oatmeal.

You will feel some light pain once the anesthesia wears off but that is normal. Other expected side effects include a small amount of bleeding and some mild swelling. If pain is severe or bleeding won’t stop, you should get in touch with your Glebe dental practice about what to do. While you should mostly be fine after a few days, the full healing process will take one to two weeks, so continue to be tender around the area and watch what you eat. Your dentist will also setup a follow-up appointment if needed.