Tooth Extraction (Aftercare Instruction) – What You Should Know

The tooth goes through a lot daily, from chewing, brushing to gnashing and other activities. During these processes, particles stay within the teeth surface and gum, sometimes it is hard to get them off, and in the long run, this can pose serious health challenges. Most of the health challenges (tooth disease) can be treated or cared for by only extracting them. Tooth extraction is seemingly the solution to completely taking off an unhealthy tooth from the mouth. This specific act will help improve your smile and heal the whole mouth from pain.

What is Tooth Extraction?

By definition, the term “tooth extraction” refers to all the activities that facilitate the removal of one or more teeth from the mouth. However, in practice, this means so much more. People require tooth extraction for several reasons which include teeth overcrowding, gum disease, infected teeth, tooth decay, or damage. In the case where dental fillings or crowns are not an option to help solve the problem of the tooth, then it needs to be extracted. After any tooth extraction exercise, the dentist will provide accurate information to the patient on how to care for his/her tooth as it heals.

Instructions to Follow After Tooth Extraction

Aftercare practices are a deliberate effort on taking absolute care of your blood clot that formed during the extraction process and other painful feelings. However, the processes of managing pains depend largely on several factors. For example, the tooth that was extracted and also, at what age the tooth was removed. An aftercare instruction that is followed judiciously will help avert painful complications. We’ve been able to segregate the aftercare instructions based on stages, and they include;

Early Stage After Extraction

Day 1 to Day 3 is described as the early stage after tooth extraction, and these are the simple instructions you should follow;

Get enough rest: Generally, you need to get enough rest after a medical exercise or operation precisely, and a tooth extraction isn’t an exception. After tooth extraction, do well to rest for about 24 hours or more if you can.

Avoid sneezing & nose blowing: Blowing the nose recklessly can cause pressure in the head that may affect the blood clotting. Also, do everything you can to avoid sneezing as it requires you to pull pressure from within.

Allow easy blood clot: Once a tooth is removed, a clot may be formed around the gum area. If the clot does not heal quickly, bleeding and pains may persist. To ensure the blood clot, you can take black tea.

Apply ice: Apply an ice pack or a towel wrapped with ice on the swollen area after tooth extraction. The ice may help compress pains.

Mid Stage After Extraction

Day 4 to 8 is known as the mid-stage after tooth extraction, below are the instructions you ought to follow;

Bite with Ease: You wouldn’t require a hard bite if you aren’t eating solid food. During this stage, you may not feel your jaw, instead, take liquid and soft food.

Avoid smoking: After tooth extraction, you should be disciplined enough to avoid smoking. The substance in the cigarette or whatever you smoke tends to develop a dried socket.

Take pain reliever: Take a pain reliever and other medicine as prescribed by the dentist. Although, the intake of pain reliever is compulsory throughout the stages from early to the healed stage.

Healed Stage After Extraction 

Before you get to this stage, you’ll experience pain and patience for what is next, however, any patient who finds themselves in this stage deserves a pat on the back. Once you’re healed, you just need to take charge and manage your dental health. You should also;

Avoid Aspirin: Take other medicine regularly and inaccurate measures but don’t take aspirin. It can revive pain.

Brush: Don’t ever lose interest in brushing your teeth. Once your tooth is healed, go back to your regular brushing exercise twice in one day. You can apply mouthwash as well.

We are on a mission to make everyone enjoy living by having healthy teeth, if you need a tooth extraction, call us today!