No matter the reason for your tooth extraction, you must be wondering how the procedure will go and how long the healing will take or look like. Here are a few things to keep in mind after a tooth removal surgery.
The First 24 Hours
During the first day of your extraction, you’ll face several things. Blood clots will develop on the extractions site, and the sutures will aid the recovery of tissues.
During the initial 24-hours post-surgery, you’ll feel slight pain and bleeding. Your dentist will possibly prescribe pain relievers to help get along the procedure.
You may continue normal day-to-day activities and your office job a day after tooth removal. However, it would help to avoid strenuous activities and physically demanding jobs for a few more days.
During this time, swelling is at its peak. You can minimize the inflammation by applying ice to the outside of the surgery site, and it should get better. If pain or bleeding persists or worsens for 2-3 days, visit your dentist as soon as possible. This will help rule out the risk of complications such as infections.
1-2 Days Post Extraction
The first 2 days after surgery is the time that needs the most care because the site recovers the maximum during this healing period. It may look like your tooth extraction site is bleeding slightly with a little bit of pain, but don’t worry. It’s healing. During this important time, it’s best to:
- Get plenty of rest: Take complete rest for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
- Change gauze: Leave the first gauze as it is for a few hours and wait for clotting to complete. Later you can change the gauze as many times as you please.
- Take pain medication: For simple tooth extractions, over-the-counter pain medications can help relieve the discomfort. But for complicated extraction such as wisdom tooth removal, your dentist may give powerful pain relievers.
- Avoid smoking or drinking through straws: Avoid sucking on straws or smoking as they increase the risk of dry socket during the initial recovery days. Also, stay away from alcohol and other beverages.
- Elevate the head: Use extra pillows to elevate your head, preventing blood pooling in the mouth that can delay the healing.
3 Days Post Extraction
After 3 days of healing, your tooth extraction site will look much better. You won’t see any more bleeding, and the inflammation will be very low. Although some soreness or bruising may still be there, you won’t feel any such pain. During this time, it’s very important to keep the blood clot in place. For this, you’ll have to follow additional care tips such as:
- Saline rinses: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to prevent the growth of bacteria and infections.
- Brush and floss: Continue brushing and flossing your teeth like normal but avoid the tooth removal site. Rinsing with saline solution is enough to clean the surgery site.
- Eating soft foods: During the first few days, only eat soft and easy to chew foods. Some choices you have include yogurt, soups, boiled veggies, applesauce. Along with that, avoid spicy or sharp food items, which can hurt the extraction site.
What Should A Tooth Extraction Look Like Or Feel When Healing
1 Week Post Extraction
After about a week or a few days more, the blood clot should be fully developed and intact. If your surgeon has placed non-dissolving stitches, they will be removed by this time. Self-dissolving stitches will disappear themselves. Even at this healing time, if you are experiencing pain or bleeding, contact your doctor.
2 Weeks Post Extraction
14 days after extraction, the site will heal completely. But avoid vigorously brushing or chewing too much from the extraction site. While the healing is at its final stage, chances are you may catch an infection or rupture the new gum tissue layer.
3+ Weeks Post Extraction
After 3-4 weeks have passed, the healing process will come to an end. A little tenderness may still be present, but there shouldn’t be too much pain or bleeding.
Now you should be careful not to allow food or debris to accumulate on your empty surgery site. For this, brush and floss properly.
The time and complexity of your recovery will depend on your oral health. When you come to Pearl Shine Dental for tooth extraction, make sure to follow the after-care tips for a fast and healthy recovery.