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Your Informative Guide on Proper Post–Operative Care After a Tooth Extraction

The thought of having to undergo a tooth extraction can put fear into the hearts of almost anyone you know. It’s understandable because no one sets out to have any of their teeth pulled out.

You may think that a tooth extraction is an unnecessarily painful dental procedure, which should not even be an option in dental treatment. However, this is not the case.

Certain dental conditions call for a tooth extraction. In other instances, a tooth extraction could be the only way to improve your oral health.

Extractions are relatively painless dental procedures, which involve the removal of infected, impacted, or damaged teeth while inflicting the least amount of trauma to the tissues surrounding the affected tooth.

Why Is Tooth Extraction Necessary?

Your permanent teeth were designed to last you for your entire lifespan, however dental issues may force our dentist to perform a tooth extraction.

Here are some of the dental issues that may result in a tooth extraction:

  • Preparing for orthodontic procedures especially if you have overcrowded teeth
  • Crowded teeth
  • A severely infected tooth that cannot be salvaged through a root canal procedure
  • Periodontal diseases
  • Impacted teeth
  • Tooth decay and dental caries
  • A severely damaged or injured tooth

Our dentist believes in preserving your natural teeth, the above dental issues if irreversible, may leave us inclined to perform a tooth extraction.

An extraction as hectic as it may sound may go a long way in bettering your oral health and preventing dental emergency issues such as an abscessed tooth.

If you have had to undergo a dental extraction, you will have to adhere to some detailed guidelines that our dentist will walk you through.

These guidelines are meant to make sure that your healing process will be swift, seamless and complication-free. Following these instructions will help guarantee that you do not develop any infections that may impede your healing and recovery.

Post-Operative Guidelines Following a Tooth Extraction

After undergoing your extraction, our dentist will let you get home to begin your journey to recovery. The recovery period should ideally take a few days; this is if you do not develop any post-operative complications that deter your healing process.

There are some do’s and don’ts that will help make your healing process more comfortable, swift and complication-free.

It is normal to experience sensitive teeth, tenderness, mild inflammation, and some bleeding. Still, if any of these symptoms become unbearable and persistent, you should inform our dentist as this may indicate an infection or post-operative complication.

Here is what you should do:

  • Take Your Prescribed Medication

You should take all the medication our dentist prescribes that may include pain killers and anti-inflammation drugs. These prescription drugs will help make you feel much better and cut back on the immense pain and swelling that accompanies a tooth extraction.

  • Apply an Ice Pack

Placing an ice pack on the affected side of your face will drastically cut back on facial inflammation. Inflammation may not be evident on the first day after your extraction, but it may begin to show up on the second or third day after your extraction.

Applying an ice pack on the first day has more effect on swelling reduction than using it after the swelling is in full effect. You should apply an ice pack every 1-2 hours in intervals of 15 minutes between each application.

  • Get Enough Rest

You should refrain from doing any strenuous activities within the first 24 hours after your procedure and ensure you get lots of rest too.

  • Facilitate Clotting

Clotting will help your extraction site to seal up and heal as it should. Our dentist will give you some gauze to take home with you after your extraction, bite down on it and keep it on the extraction site for at least one hour after your extraction.

Ensure you change the gauze every time it gets soaked.

  • Rinse With Saline Water

Rinse your mouth with a warm saline solution 24 hours after your surgery; this will help keep the site disinfected and cut back on chances of infections.

  • Diet Restrictions

Restrict your diet to soft and liquid foods such as soups, yoghurt, mashed potatoes and smoothies for the first 24 hours post-surgery. Ease gradually into your regular diet but avoid crunchy hard or chewy foods such as popcorns or nuts that might aggravate your sealing wound.

Also, while drinking your beverages avoid using a straw within the first 24 hours after your procedure.

  • Maintain Oral Hygiene

Brush and floss regularly but avoid the extraction site; this is necessary as it will prevent the occurrence of an infection.

  • Avoid Smoking and Alcohol

Do not smoke or drink alcohol as this may inhibit your clotting and healing process.

At Arizona Family Dentistry, we have an experienced phoenix dentist, who will expertly perform any tooth extractions that you or your loved ones may require.

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