How to Recover from a Tooth Extraction

Tips to Help You Recover More Quickly

Tooth extractions are a very common procedure that many people undergo to remove a problematic tooth or teeth. While the procedure is very straight forward, many patients are concerned about the details of the recovery process and what they need to do to recover quickly and prevent any oral infections. If you have a tooth extraction scheduled, or just had one completed, here are some helpful tips to help you get through the recovery process and simply and pain free as possible.

The Do’s of Tooth Extraction Recovery

Every dental procedure and dental practice will have its own list of what a patient should do after having a tooth or multiple teeth extracted. While every process will be different, they all have the same basic concepts in common. Patients should keep changing the dressing on their wound to help avoid infections, take any and all medications prescribed to them by their dentist, and make sure to take them on time and patients should try to keep their head as elevated as possible at all times.

Additionally, patients should be consuming a diet of foods and liquids that are easy to chew and swallow such as applesauce, juices, mashed potatoes, milkshakes, ice cream, and other soft foods. By following all of these after-care procedures, it is very likely that patients will have reduced pain during the recovery process and will recover from the tooth extraction more quickly than if they did not.

The Don’ts of Tooth Extraction Recovery

Just as there are things a patient should do for a fast recovery, there are also things they should not do. First, patients should not consume alcohol, smoke, or chew tobacco since these are all things that can damage the gums and teeth as well as cause problems with their recovery. Patients should also avoid drinking through a straw since the suction could potentially pull the blood-clot out of the area from where the tooth was extracted causing it to become irritated, painful, and possibly infected.

Patients should avoid eating hard or dense foods that require them to bite down with higher force – this can cause damage to the area where the tooth was extracted from and ultimately slow down their recovery. Additionally, individuals should avoid sucking on hard candies like lollipops and toffee as well as avoiding hot beverages like very hot coffee or tea – while hot beverages should be avoided, lukewarm drinks may help with some of the tenderness and pain in the gums.

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*Photo Courtesy of CHeltz via Creative Commons License