Tag: wisdom teeth

Tooth Extraction Aftercare: 24 Hours After Treatment

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Markham Dentist - Forestbrook Dental

Dentists do not often suggest tooth removal unless it is the last resort to your dental issue. As much as possible, they would choose to save your real tooth to keep your smile beautiful and healthy. However, irreversible damages can happen to your teeth, especially if you don’t regularly visit your dentist. After the treatment, tooth extraction aftercare is vital in keeping the empty socket safe from infection. 

One of the reasons why dentists need to remove your tooth is due to an impacted wisdom tooth. Molar extraction can be simple or complex depending on the position of the tooth. Since wisdom teeth are the last to erupt, most of the time they get stuck between the existing tooth and the gums. This awkward position easily accumulates bacteria and leads to tooth decay. 

If untreated, tooth decay may spread the infection even below the roots. By this time, dentists can no longer repair the tooth and must remove it to prevent life-threatening risks.

After tooth extraction, your dentist will give you specific instructions on how to care for your mouth when you’re already at home. So, it’s important that you understand what happens if you don’t follow your dentist’s advise. Before going home though, be sure to ask your dentist questions regarding his instructions. You may also raise concerns that he wasn’t able to mention. This is to ensure that you would know what to do when you’re already in your house.

Tooth extraction aftercare

Within 24 hours after teeth surgery, follow this aftercare practice to speed up your tooth removal healing: 

  • Take your medicine.

It’s normal to feel pain after the surgery. Especially when the anesthesia starts to wear off, you will notice a slight discomfort in the extraction area. Aside from discomfort, the open wound is also susceptible to tooth extraction infection. That’s why dentists will prescribe pain-reliever and antibiotics to help with your recovery. 

  • Leave the gauze on.

After dental extraction, do not remove the gauze from the socket. You should leave it in place for a few hours to allow the blood clot to form. The clot will cover the wound and helps in speeding up the gum’s healing. If you dislodge the gauze before the clot forms, this might not manage the bleeding and will develop an infection.

  • Avoid strenuous activities. 

Take ample rest and do not return to your normal routine after a wisdom teeth removal. If you normally do exercise, you may skip it for a few days. Also, keep yourself from lifting or carrying heavy objects. These activities will only increase your blood pressure and make the open site bleed. 

  • No smoking.

Although smoke has no direct connection to your recovery, however, smoking creates the same pressure you do when using a straw. Similarly, spitting is also creating pressure. The pressure can easily dislodge the clot formation on the socket. Avoid doing these while your wound is still fresh or you will delay tooth extraction healing. 

  • Do not rinse your mouth.

Within 24 hours after the treatment, do not rinse your mouth yet. You will delay blood clot formation or dislodge it. However, after 24 hours, you can rinse your mouth with a warm saltwater solution to prevent infection.

  • Eat only soft foods.

Gradually return to your diet and start eating soft foods for the meantime. Hard and crunchy foods like crackers or rice will only intensify the pain and may disrupt healing. You may take soup, pudding, and porridge and slowly go back to your normal diet after a few days.

  • Apply a cold compress.

You can also manage wisdom tooth extraction pain and swelling by applying cold compresses on your cheek. Take pieces of ice and cover a towel around it before pressing it on the affected area. If you have an ice pack ready, the better. Do this around 10-20 minutes until the swell or pain subsides. 

  • Elevate your head when sleeping.

If you don’t usually do it, use two pillows when you sleep during this time. You should prop your head when lying down as lying flat will also slow down recovery. 

Return to emergency if: 

  • There’s a fever.
  • Persistent pain and worsening swell.
  • Bleeding that persists even after medication.
  • Foul taste.
  • Oozing discharge, like pus or blood.
  • Loose or shifting teeth.
  • Numbness or tingling in the soft tissues.
  • Difficulty in opening mouth.

The threat of infection after a tooth extraction is real and could get complex. Follow the instructions of your Markham dentist and seek him if there are signs of an emergency.

The Six Most Effective Tooth Extraction Aftercare Tips For Parents

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Markham Dentistry - Forestbrook Dental

Your kids are meant to lose their baby tooth to let their adult teeth erupt without any problem. Most of the time, their baby teeth will go naturally on their own. There are also times when an impactful force may cause them to lose their teeth. However, there are instances when the dentist needs to remove the baby tooth to avoid tooth crowding as well as misalignment. As a parent, you need to be there when it happens. The procedure tends to be painful for a child. To help them fully recover, here are few tooth extraction aftercare tips to consider boost their body’s healing system.

Basic tooth extraction aftercare tips for parents

Discourage them from using straw

Your child’s newly exposed socket will become incredibly sensitive twenty-four hours post -operation. To avoid losing the healthy blood clot, ensure that your child doesn’t use a straw while drinking. The suction movement that happens when you slurp using the straw may cause the clot to dislodge and cause a tooth extraction infection.

Consequently, vigorously swishing any liquid may cause the blood clot to come loose. It may cause a dry socket to develop on the treated area. It’s a condition that happens when the blood clot failed to develop or it dislodged before the healing of the extraction wound.

Choose soft food

The day after the operation, it’s best to choose soft foods for your child that require minimal or no chewing. Since the socket where the wisdom tooth used to be will be very tender, chewing foods may cause your child to feel pain and distress. It’s best to serve meals that he may eat using a spoon such as soup, yogurt, pancakes, or apple sauce a day after the dentist pulls his tooth. Also, ensure that the food that you serve isn’t extremely cold or hot. Your child needs the right tooth extraction aftercare since their gums will be sensitive to extreme temperatures.

Prevent swelling with ice packs

Your child’s cheeks will immediately become swollen after the surgical tooth extraction. You may alleviate the swelling by placing an ice pack near the extraction area. You can wrap it in a thin towel or piece of cloth. Then, apply it to the swollen area for at least 15 minutes at a time every 2 to 3 hours.

Use a saltwater rinse.

24 hours after the procedure, use warm salt water to rinse the exposed socket to prevent tooth extraction infection. You may fill a glass with hot water and mix half a teaspoon of salt together with it. Then, let the water cool down a bit so that it won’t burn your kid’s mouth. Ensure that he takes a mouthful of saltwater rinse and advise him to hold it over the treated area until it cools. Advise him not to swish the water so it won’t dislodge the normal blood clot. Then, tell him to spit the water out and redo the tooth extraction aftercare step for about five to six times.

Advise him not to touch the extraction area

You need to ensure that the area remains clean all the time. That’s why it’s vital to let your child know that he shouldn’t touch the newly exposed area to prevent any infection. Since the empty socket is an open wound, there’s a higher probability of getting a tooth extraction infection caused by germs and bacteria.

Continue with proper oral health

tooth extraction aftercare

Although your child’s mouth will be very sensitive for the first few days, he still needs to brush his teeth twice a day. He must do it in no more than 2 minutes to prevent any disruption on the exposed area’s healing process. However, he must do it gently to stop any further bleeding.

These are a few of the things that you need to remember to ensure that your child’s tooth extraction in Markham, Ontario will heal properly. You may want to call the dentist if you notice any bleeding in the emptied socket. Set an appointment with your dentist to monitor the condition of the socket as well as your child’s overall oral health.