Getting Teeth Pulled? Here’s How to Recover at Home

At Crabapple Dental, we work hard to provide the highest level of care while you are here in our office. However, we realize that certain dental procedures will require recovery and care at home. To ensure our patients understand what to expect and are equipped with ways to expedite their dental healing, we provide the post-operative instructions for tooth extractions and wisdom teeth removal, which are very common procedures for teens and adults.

What to Expect After Tooth Extraction/Wisdom Teeth Removal

Any time a tooth is extracted or removed, there will be an incision site within the gums that needs to heal properly. Most importantly, the blood needs to clot so that your body’s natural healing process can take place. As you leave the office from your extraction procedure, you’ll likely be biting down on a gauze pad to control bleeding, and you should continue to do this for the next 45 minutes or until the bleeding has stopped. Once the blood clot has formed, it is critical that you leave the site alone. In order to prevent disrupting the blood clot after an extraction, avoid rinsing, brushing, flossing and using a straw. Smoking and drinking alcohol should also be avoided. Rigorous activity should be limited for at least the first 24 hours.

Minor pain and swelling is normal after tooth removal. Over-the-counter ibuprofen can be used as needed, as well as an ice pack on the face to reduce swelling and discomfort. If you were given antibiotics after your procedure, please make every effort to follow the instructions in taking them, as this helps to fight oral infection.

Your diet on the day of your extraction surgery should consist of plenty of liquids and soft foods. As your comfort allows, you may introduce normal foods. While you need to avoid brushing and flossing on the day of your procedure, don’t neglect proper oral hygiene in the subsequent days. You’ll need to be gentle around the extraction site, but a clean mouth will facilitate faster and more comfortable healing.

When to Call Us

If you have had dental surgery, either an extraction, dental implants or other procedure, it is important that you know what is normal and what is not. If you experience a fever, excessive bleeding, abnormal swelling or unmanageable pain, please call us promptly. We never want our patients to be in question when it comes to their post-operative recovery, as this is an important phase of your dental treatment plan and can largely affect the overall outcome of your procedure.

Have more questions about your post-operative recovery after tooth removal? Call us at Crabapple Dental.