Do's and Don'ts after tooth extraction

A high-quality and rapid wound healing process after tooth extraction depends not only on the professionalism of the doctor who performed the extraction (removal) of the tooth, but on the correct behavior of the patient after the procedure, who must strictly follow the recommendations given by the doctor for the period of healing of the wound surface. If you correctly and clearly follow the advice of a specialist, the recovery process occurs quickly and as painlessly as possible.

For example, patients who do not listen to the recommendations given to them make rinsing movements in the area of the healing wound; this washes out the blood clot, which performs a protective function against the entry of bacteria and microbes, as a result of which there is a high risk of wound suppuration.

In this article we want to give recommendations on what should and can be done after tooth extraction, and what should not be done.

1. A gauze swab on the hole. When can it be taken out?

As a rule, the doctor does not immediately release the patient after removal, but asks him to wait for 15-20 minutes within the clinic to then examine and make sure that everything is in order with blood clotting and the tampon can be removed without fear. In rare cases, keeping the tampon in your mouth may take 30-40 minutes, usually 10-20 minutes. There is no need to keep it longer and it is even dangerous, because bacteria accumulate on it and there is a possibility of infection. There are exceptions, when the wound continues to bleed a little, then the old tampon is replaced with a new sterile one and kept for some time.

For some time, saliva may still be pinkish due to staining with secreted ichor, this should not be alarming, this situation can be distinguished from bleeding. At this moment, saliva can be easily swallowed; there is no need to accumulate it in the mouth.

When to see a doctor

The appearance of the following symptoms is a reason to visit a doctor:

labored breathing;
discomfort when swallowing;
high body temperature;
formation of pus in or near the hole;
the swelling increases in size after removal.

Thus, in order to avoid complications after surgery, you need to follow the advice of a specialist and follow his recommendations:

careful oral hygiene;
proper nutrition;
giving up alcohol and smoking;
lack of physical activity;
absence of body temperature changes (sauna, bathhouse, swimming pool).

2. After what time can you eat and drink?

After removal, you can drink water. After two hours you can eat. The limiting condition is not to chew rough food on the side of the extracted tooth in the first few days. Hard food can damage the blood clot, which is located in the socket and is needed for wound healing. If the patient experiences an acute feeling of hunger, then no one forbids eating cool yogurt or kefir. In the first days of healing of the hole, it is better to completely avoid eating rough, hard, solid foods, so as not to make strong chewing movements, as well as spicy, salty foods, so as not to irritate the oral mucosa. It is also important to monitor the temperature of food and drinks; they should not be too hot.

Auxiliary medications for tooth extraction

If, after the tooth is removed, any complications begin at the intervention site, then modern pharmaceuticals can cope with them. With the help of various medications, the patient can not only eliminate the resulting secondary complications, but also strengthen his immunity as a whole. Quite often, specialists, to ensure against possible complications, in particular, various inflammations and suppurations, prescribe antibacterial drugs in the postoperative period. At the same time, the patient also needs to strengthen the immune system, which will help the wound heal faster. To do this, doctors prescribe vitamin complexes to the patient. Thus, in addition to the medicine placed in the hole and affecting its healing, the patient is recommended to take other drugs to speed up the process.

If during the procedure the patient was identified with any peculiarities or complications and tooth extraction was not without additional trauma, then a number of medications are prescribed in the postoperative period, since in this case there are additional risks of complications. The main thing is that the patient treats the postoperative period responsibly and does not neglect the doctor’s advice and the medications prescribed to him.

Important ! According to statistics, every third patient who has had a tooth removed needs to take antibiotics.

3.Applying ice.

After tooth extraction in our Center, a specialist will give you ice specially prepared for such procedures to apply in the first hours after extraction. Ice is applied for a certain time, at certain intervals, which the doctor will instruct you about. At home, this procedure will need to be continued for some time (the first few hours after removal). This is done in order to minimize or completely eliminate tissue swelling.

Under no circumstances should you heat the area in the area of the extracted tooth; in this case, suppuration will develop.

How long will it take for gums to heal?

Healing times vary. They depend on two main factors:

Difficulty of intervention. If the wisdom tooth has already erupted, then recovery occurs relatively quickly. If you had to make an incision in the gum and “cut down” part of the bone, it will take more time.
Compliance with the doctor's recommendations, especially in the first 24 hours after the procedure.

In most cases, the function is restored within a week, and the person no longer experiences any discomfort. But some processes may continue to occur in the jaw for a long time. The bone is rebuilt, the shape of the face changes slightly.

The sutures usually dissolve on their own within 7–10 days. If non-absorbable suture material was used, the surgeon will invite you to remove the sutures after about a week.

6. Medications after removal.

After the procedure, the doctor prescribes a number of medications to take. Under no circumstances should you take any medications on your own, without consulting a doctor.

Painkillers should be taken in case of pain, at intervals and in the amount recommended by the doctor. Each case is individual; it happens that the patient does without taking painkillers.

Antibiotics. In some cases, after removal, antibiotics are prescribed for 5-7 days. As a rule, these are situations when the doctor removes a tooth in the stage of inflammation, complex extraction or removal of several units of teeth. Only a specialist surgeon decides whether to take antibiotics or not.

Antihistamines. Reduces the likelihood of swelling.

Antiseptics. Used as a rinse. BUT, remembering that rinsing movements are prohibited in the first days. A small amount of solution is taken into the mouth and simply held in the mouth, then calmly spit out. Such baths must be done if the tooth was removed during the inflammation phase, if the flux was exposed, if there are teeth affected by caries in the oral cavity.

In the first 24 hours after removal

What to do after tooth extraction during the first 24 hours:

The gauze pad should be removed from the mouth after 20–30 minutes. In some cases (for example, in patients with arterial hypertension or simply poor blood clotting), it is better to hold it longer - 40-60 minutes. Its purpose is not to absorb blood, but to compress the socket to stop capillary bleeding.
Do not eat or drink for 2–3 hours. Until a more or less dense clot has formed in the hole, food debris can get into it and cause complications.
For 3 days, exclude rough, hot, spicy foods from the diet. Rough food, especially products such as crackers, chips, nuts, can get into the socket and cause inflammation. Hot or spicy foods increase the amount of blood flow in the surgical area, which can lead to increased postoperative inflammation and the appearance of pain, swelling, etc. Optimal nutrition after surgery is food that does not irritate or injure the oral mucosa.
For 3 days, avoid baths, hot tubs, saunas, and solariums. Avoid physical activity and any heating of the body. You can take a shower and wash your hair. But not for long and not with hot water. Under no circumstances should you apply heat to the surgical area. Due to heating, blood flow in the area of the extracted tooth increases, and this can lead to serious complications.
Do not pick at the hole or try to clean or rinse it. Try not to touch the tooth socket with your tongue. Even if you notice “something abnormal” in the socket of an extracted tooth, it is best to consult a doctor. Trying to clean it yourself usually leads to infection of the socket.
You cannot rinse the socket area on the first day, use lotions, baths, ointments, compresses, etc., unless your doctor recommends it. Rinsing and bathing on the day of surgery often dissolves and washes away the blood clot.
Careful oral hygiene. Teeth must be brushed regularly, 2 times a day in those places that are not adjacent to the socket of the extracted tooth. To clean, use a minimal amount of toothpaste (you can use no toothpaste at all) to make it easier to wash off. After tooth extraction, you cannot use an irrigator.
The use of cold is for the most part justified. A cold compress not only constricts blood vessels and reduces the risk of swelling, but also reduces blood flow in the surgical area and prevents postoperative inflammation from developing. It is best to consult your doctor about the use of cold compresses.
Patients suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system must monitor their blood pressure and take appropriate medications. In 90% of cases, the cause of alveolar bleeding, swelling or hematoma is an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, stable blood pressure is a necessary condition for a comfortable postoperative period.
If your doctor prescribes medications for you, you must take them according to the regimen suggested by the doctor.
If something bothers you, or you have additional questions about your well-being, first of all contact your doctor.

It is important to understand that the body perceives tooth extraction as an injury and gives an appropriate reaction to it - post-traumatic inflammation. Its nature largely depends on both the volume of intervention and the condition of your body. The purpose of the recommendations and prescriptions that the doctor gives you is precisely the elimination of this inflammation. Therefore, how the postoperative period will proceed, how comfortable and calm it will be, largely depends on you.

7.High blood pressure.

In patients with high blood pressure, there is a risk that the wound may bleed longer than usual. In this case, you need to regulate the pressure by taking appropriate medications to reduce it. In our SDent dental medical center, even before the start of manipulations, the doctor always finds out the main points about the general health of the patient. If the patient has hypertension, the specialist knows about this problem in advance and then gives the necessary recommendations appropriate to the case.

Taking antibiotics after the procedure

Dentists quite often resort to antibiotics in the postoperative period, especially after tooth extraction. But not every patient who has undergone tooth extraction requires antibiotics. They are prescribed only in the following cases:

if the patient experiences inflammatory processes in the gum area;
if the patient is elderly;
if complications arise during the operation or features of the anatomy of the teeth are revealed, which contributes to more extensive trauma;
if the patient has a reduced immune system or suffers from any blood diseases.

This list is not all of the reasons for prescribing antibiotics in the postoperative period, because each individual case has its own characteristics. An experienced dentist will be able to easily determine which patient needs to take medications after tooth extraction. The doctor must determine the duration of administration and dose individually for each case. Most often, the course of taking the drug after tooth extraction lasts from five to seven days. In rare complicated cases, treatment can last up to fifteen days. It is simply impossible to determine the average dose of antibiotics that is needed, since each individual drug has its own individual characteristics.

Important ! It is strongly recommended not to take antibiotics unless prescribed by a doctor.

In addition to antibiotics, your doctor may also prescribe medications to normalize the microflora after taking antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed drug is Linex, but sometimes other drugs from the group of probiotics are also prescribed.

8.What happens to the sutures after removal.

After the tooth is removed, the surgeon places sutures on the wound surface. This promotes faster healing, reduced pain, less risk of inflammation, minimizes the risk of bleeding, and protects the blood clot from falling out.

At the SDent clinic we use the most modern and safe materials. The thread with which the surgeon sews the edges of the hole is self-absorbing. But during the process, the ends of the thread can cause discomfort to the patient and interfere with the oral cavity. Therefore, for the comfort and safety of the patient, the doctor always sets an appointment date for examination and removal of sutures in approximately 10 days.

Complications: inflammation of the socket, or alveolitis

Inflammation occurs due to infection entering the wound. You should especially beware of it if the process of tooth extraction was traumatic and difficult. Most often the problem occurs for the following reasons:

disturbance of a blood clot in the wound;
ingress of tooth fragments or foreign particles into it;
insufficient sanitation of the resulting hole;
violation of hygiene recommendations.

Signs of alveolitis may occur 2-3 days after surgery. It is impossible to confuse them with anything. These include pain, inflammation, increased body temperature, an unpleasant odor, and even the discharge of pus. If only one symptom appears, you still need to urgently go to a specialist: the problem will not go away on its own, but will only get worse.

The maximum that a patient can do to avoid complications is to follow all the surgeon’s recommendations, including hygiene ones. But do it in moderation. Take care of yourself and your health!

After tooth extraction, you should not do the following.

In the first couple of days, taking a hot bath is excluded, only a warm shower.
During sleep, you need to be careful not to lie on the side where the tooth was removed, this provokes the appearance of swelling.
Visiting the gym and active physical activity should be postponed in the first days.
Do not touch the wound with your tongue or foreign object.
Do not open your mouth very wide, do not use active chewing and facial movements to avoid the sutures coming apart.
Aspirin is not suitable as an anesthetic due to the fact that it has a thinning effect on the blood and may cause bleeding and hematoma.
Do not rinse during the first few days. This can negatively affect the loss of a blood clot from the socket and the occurrence of inflammation.

For more information and to make an appointment with a specialist, call:

+7,

What symptoms should you see a doctor for?

Removing any tooth is stressful for the body and in any case you will experience discomfort and even pain. Below you can familiarize yourself with the main symptoms for which you should consult a specialist:

The pain does not subside after 3 days, but only intensifies and painkillers do not help;
After you remove the cotton swab from the hole, the bleeding does not subside, but only intensifies (especially important when suturing);
Pronounced swelling of the gums;
Pain when opening the mouth persists for more than 3 days;
Increased body temperature, which is rising, is one of the clear signs of the onset of the inflammatory process.