AFTER EXTRACTIONS
After tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That’s why we ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes after the appointment. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times.
After the blood clot forms, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. These activities will dislodge or dissolve the clot and retard the healing process. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.
After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. Take pain medications as prescribed. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours.
Use the pain medication as directed. Call the office if the medication doesn’t seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable.
It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean.
After a few days you will feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office immediately.
Post Operative Care – Use of an Irrigation Syringe
On your post operative visit, it may be determined that the extraction socket(s) pose a risk for trapping food debris. This is very normal as the wounds on the bottom teeth often create a crater during the early healing phase that can be a food trap. Most patients do develop this situation. You may be issued a syringe to use after each meal and before you go to bed in the evening to keep the extraction sockets clean. If they are not kept free of debris, the healing time can become delayed and there is a chance of developing an infection normally weeks later after the extraction. Normally, one of the assistants or the doctor will gently irrigate the socket site for you on your post-operative visit and determine if the sockets will require you to care for them with the irrigating syringe. You will be instructed on the use of the syringe and issued an instruction sheet. A copy of the instruction sheet can be found here.
Normally you retract your cheek with your finger or the side of a toothbrush in a well lit mirror (like the bathroom’s mirror) When you open your mouth and retract your cheek, you will notice a wound that appears behind the last tooth (farthest one in the back) in the lowest arch. The wound is normally off to a 45 degree angle to the cheek side. You place the syringe filled with water or salt water (see instruction sheet) over the top of the wound and gently irrigate until the water coming out is clear and free of debris. It may take one or several syringe rinses to get the irrigation fluid to come out clear. It is not unusual to see a little blood the rinse. Over time, the wound will get smaller and the amount of irrigation it takes to come out clear will decrease as well. The wound heals from the bottom up and the outside in, as such the last spot to close is the tissue behind the last tooth. When there is nothing to irrigate, you are finished using the syringe. This may be a few days or a few weeks. The length of time depends on how well you keep it clean, how your body heals, and the size of the sockets. Everyone is different. Please watch the video demonstrating the use of the syringe.
Click here to download our simple post operative instructions.
