Your natural teeth are designed to serve you for a lifetime. However, sometimes it can be necessary to extract some. However, the extractions are made where there is no other option. That is why Ernest Choi, DMD, who handles Midtown West tooth extractions at Manhattan Dental Design, diagnoses your symptoms to rule out any other form of treatment before extraction. After an extraction, what you do next is vital in your recovery and getting back to your quality life. Therefore, it is essential to do the right thing as outlined below.
Brush and Floss Your Teeth Carefully
You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss your teeth at least once a day. This is not going to change after an extraction. However, you will now be required to be careful, and you might not do these basics as usual, especially for the first days after the extraction. Therefore, don’t floss too aggressively and brush your teeth gently, giving the extraction area special care.
Rest and Take Your Medications
Just like any other procedure, you need to rest after tooth extraction. For the first 24 hours, ensure you get plenty of rest as you could still be groggy or impaired from the effect of the anesthesia. If your extraction is not an emergency, you can schedule your extraction later in the week where you can have ample time to rest over the weekend.
Your provider will prescribe medications to help you with your recovery, particularly to curb pain immediately following the procedure. The prescription can last for several days or weeks, and all you need to do is ensure you take them correctly until the prescription is over or your provider advises otherwise.
Elevate Your Head as You Sleep
After you have undergone a tooth extraction, not even your sleeping routine is spared. You can’t sleep as usual for several days. Therefore, you will have to avoid sleeping entirely prostrate as it can impact blood flow, potentially slowing down the clotting and healing process. Instead, you will need to prop up your head with a few pillows to incline your mouth to ensure that saliva and blood don’t pool.
Eat and Drink Soft Substances
With or without extraction, you must eat. The only difference is that now you have to eat only soft foods while you forego crunchy, hard, and chewy foods. You also need to avoid physical foods that break into pieces as they can be lodged in your sockets, causing complications and disrupting healing. You are advised to try soups, yogurt, smoothies, and puddings but without seeds.
Avoid Rinsing Your Mouth
Rinsing is a healthy practice for your oral health but not immediately after an extraction. If you rinse your mouth and spit, you can prevent the necessary clots from forming; hence, stalling the healing process. Your provider will advise you accordingly when you should resume rinsing your mouth, which should be several days after the extraction procedure.
Use Clean Cotton or Gauze
Should bleeding persist after the extraction, it is advisable to replace the existing gauze to stanch the bleeding. Note that bleeding should wane several hours or days after the extraction, but it can recur unexpectedly. As you replace your gauze, be sure to call your provider and explain what is happening for guidance.
If you maintain doing the above things, your recovery after extraction will be smooth, and you will be back to your quality life as soon as possible. However, never forget to contact your provider anytime a need arises.
