Caring for your teeth means doing the best for them at all times. Sometimes this can mean you get veneers in Turkey to improve their appearance. And other times, it can mean you need to have the unhealthy teeth removed. Having a tooth removed can be quite daunting, and you may be curious about the recovery. So, keep reading and you’ll find out exactly what you need to ensure you do after a tooth extraction.
Before The Anaesthetic Wears Off
Your aftercare starts as soon as you leave the dentist’ office. It’s very important that you don’t eat or drink anything hot until the anaesthetic wears off. This is because you won’t be able to feel how hot it is, and you could end up hurting yourself and the affected area. The extraction site will be very sensitive to any heat, so you want to do your best to ensure you don’t damage it by mistake. So, don’t put anything hot into your mouth until all of your feeling has come back.
Avoid Rinsing
It’s recommended that you don’t rinse your mouth out for the first 24 hours as you need to allow the extraction site to heal properly. If you rinse your mouth or try to swill a drink over it, you could knock the blood clot off and cause it to bleed again. This can then lead to slow healing and even infection. So, try not to use any mouthwash or swill your mouth out with any drinks, and you’ll give yourself a better chance of healing quickly.
Brushing
While it’s important that you don’t disturb the extracted area, it’s crucial that you still keep on top of your oral health and brush your teeth. This will help to keep bacteria away from the healing area of your mouth and allow it to stay free from infection. You do need to be careful around the area where you’ve had your tooth out though, as you don’t want to accidentally disturb any of the blood clots that may have formed.
No Cigarettes Or Alcohol
It’s very important that you don’t smoke any cigarettes for at least 24 hours after a tooth extraction. This is because smoking can increase your blood pressure which will in turn, lead to the area bleeding more than it should. Although it might be hard, try not to smoke for 24 hours to give the extracted area a chance to close up slightly. You also need to avoid drinking alcohol for the first 24 hours at least as well. Again, it can cause you to bleed more and delay the healing process.
Soothing Pain
Once the anaesthetic wears off, you will probably notice some tenderness and pain in the area, but don’t worry, you can do something about it. Typically, over the counter pain medication is recommended like paracetamol and ibuprofen. However, do not take aspirin as this thins your blood and can cause you to bleed even more. It’s a good idea to ask your dentist what they would recommend, as they might be able to advise you better.
If you find that painkillers don’t work and the pain is getting worse, it’s vital that you go back to your dentist. This is because it could be an infection and it will need treating right away. If an infection is present, then the dentist will normally prescribe antibiotics and place a dressing within the wound.
Keeping It Clean
How fast you heal will depend on your body and how quickly it works to repair the area. But it will also depend on how clean you keep it during the healing process. After the first 24 hours, it’s time to start rinsing the area to ensure that it’s kept clean. You can do this by using a warm water salt rinse twice a day, as this will promote healing and keep it clean. Your dentist will also advise you on how long to do this for, so make sure you take their advice on board.
Having a tooth extracted is no laughing matter, and it requires you to look after the site to ensure that it heals properly. Make sure to avoid things like cigarettes and alcohol, rinsing too soon, and eating anything too hot. If you take good care of the extraction site, you’ll find that it heals much quicker. So, make sure you take these tips on board if you have to have a tooth removed and you’ll have a much better healing process.