Sometimes the extraction of a tooth is unavoidable. The reason to extract a tooth can be simply that it is so badly decayed that there is no use to it anymore you might have the option to do a Root canal treatment though, if not you will be left with one option only, that is to remove the tooth and replace the empty spot with Dentures, Bridges, or Dental Implants .
Gorgeous Smiles want to share with you what we recommend to all our patients about the healing process.
Right after the surgery:
- Bite on the gauze for at least 30 minutes or until the bleeding stops.
- Take the painkillers that have been prescribed by your dentist right after the surgery, otherwise as soon as the local anaesthetic wears away pain will start. The pain is usually not too bad, but we would still recommend taking pain killers.
- Do not spit out or suck on a straw. This will make the bleeding worse by the sucking motion.
- Do not smoke.
- Restrict your activities right after dental surgery and resume your daily activities after you feel better.
- Ice chips or ice pack on the side of the face where extraction took place can help avoid or reduce the swelling.
- Avoid Aspirin or Ibuprofen and proceed with Panadol.
- Do not rinse your mouth too often or touch the area of extraction. Touching and pocking the area increases the bleeding.
- Do not rinse for the first 24 hours after your wisdom tooth extraction.
- After the first 24 hours, rinse your mouth with warm salt water every three hours for three days to avoid any food particles lodging in the area of extraction.
- Depending on how hard and complicated the surgery was, there can be swelling of the face on the side of the tooth extraction. Swelling is most common around the area of the extraction, face, cheek, etc. Swelling can happen even after 3-4 days post-operatively. As mentioned before, applying ice chips or ice pack over the surgical side will help minimise the swelling. Application of the ice pack shall be right after surgery, otherwise applying it more than 24 hours after the surgery has no benefit to you. You can apply the pack for 30 minutes and then let it rest for another half hour. Repeat the procedure for 3 rounds.
- Slight oozing or bleeding after the surgery is to be expected. By applying pressure with the gauze, we placed it so you can control the amount of bleeding. Biting on a gauze pad for 30 minutes should stop the bleeding, but if the bleeding has still not stopped after four hours, use a dampened tea bag and place directly on the tooth extraction site. There is tannic acid in the tea bag that will help the bleeding to stop. If none of the above helps, contact Gorgeous Smiles Dentistry right away.
- Dry socket syndrome can happen 3-4 days after the surgery, which causes throbbing pain on the wisdom tooth extraction site. If this happens, do not worry as it is a common occurrence, but return to Gorgeous Smiles Dentistry so the dentist can irrigate the wound with disinfectant material and place a soothing dressing on the tooth extraction site. This shall repeat every two days until the pain is fully gone.
- If Antibiotics have been prescribed for you, please take them as directed. Tell your dentist if you have any allergies in advance (e.g. Penicillin Allergy). Rest and have minimum activity. If you are currently on birth control pills, they might be inactivated by antibiotics.
- If there has been sutured placed on the extraction site, please book in and come back in 7-10 days to have them removed.
- Pain mostly happens following the surgery and subsides the day after. So, we recommend that you take your prescribed painkillers before the numbness wears off to avoid any pain, and to take it easy and rest at least the first day after surgery. Do not take painkillers with empty stomach
- You can brush the night of the surgery, but please spit out gently.
- Avoid anything hot. Hot food, a hot drink, or a hot shower can agitate the extraction site and cause more bleeding.
- Try to avoid hard, hot, or crunchy food and only take soft food for the first 24 hours.
Contact us today
Do you want more information on the wisdom tooth extraction cost is and any other information on wisdom teeth removal? Contact us today on (03) 9042 0483 to book an appointment at our dental clinic in Melbourne.