How Can You Make Your Tooth Extraction Heal Faster?

Tooth extractions are common among adults and teenagers performed by dentists or oral surgeons in a relatively quick outpatient procedure. While many teenagers and adults might receive recommendations for tooth extractions near you for wisdom tooth removal, other reasons make tooth removal necessary during adulthood.

Excessive tooth decay, dental infection, and crowding all require tooth extractions. Patients considering orthodontic treatment to straighten teeth might need one or two teeth extracted for their other teeth to move into proper positions. Patients undergoing chemotherapy or considering organ transplants may need their compromised teeth extracted to keep their mouths healthy.

Tooth extractions In Canton, OH, are performed by the dentist after providing you with local, general, or intravenous anesthesia. Extracting visible teeth is a simple extraction, while teeth broken below the surface of the gum line may require a surgical procedure for the removal.

Preparing for Tooth Extraction

Before scheduling your appointment for tooth removal, the dentist in Canton, OH, takes x-rays of your tooth and inquires into the medications you take, including vitamins, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements.

If you are scheduled for another treatment for a medical condition with the intravenous drug bisphosphonate, ensure that you tell your dentist about it. In such cases, your extraction is better performed before the procedure because your jaw can be at risk of bone death.

The Tooth Extraction Procedure

Tooth extraction procedures are either straightforward or surgical.

If you are scheduled for a simple extraction, you receive local anesthesia near the affected tooth to numb the area to ensure you feel no pain. The dentist uses elevators to loosen the tooth before extracting it with forceps.

You will receive local anesthesia in the mouth besides intravenous anesthesia if you need a surgical procedure. The professional makes incisions in your gum and remove bone around the tooth or section the tooth in pieces before extraction.

Risks of Tooth Extraction

Few risks are involved when undergoing a tooth extraction, especially if your dentist recommends the procedure. After tooth removal, a blood clot develops in the socket at the extraction site. Unfortunately, if the clot doesn’t form or dislodges, it exposes the bone inside the socket to cause a dry socket. If you experience a dry socket, the dentist protects the area by putting a sedative dressing over it for a few days until new clot forms.

Other associated risks include bleeding lasting longer than 12 hours, severe fever with chills signaling infections, chest pain or breathlessness, nausea and vomiting, and swelling and redness in the surgical site.

Tips for Faster healing After a Tooth Extraction

You generally require a few days to recover from tooth extraction. However, if you want to recover faster without complications, the dentist suggests the following:

• Use ice packs on the cheeks soon after the tooth extraction to alleviate the swelling. However, please do not use the ice pack for over 15 minutes because it can cause tissue damage.
• After tooth removal, the dentist places gauze over the extraction site, asking you to bite on it to prevent bleeding and help blood clot formation. Leave the gauze over the removal site for three to four hours until it is saturated with blood.
• Take medications and antibiotics if prescribed, including over-the-counter pain relievers according to dosage.
• Do not consider jumping into activities like exercising, lifting heavy objects, or bending forward because you must rest for at least 24 hours to help the blood clot remain in place.
• During the initial 24 hours, do not use a straw for drinking liquids, smoke, or spit vigorously after tooth removal.
• Elevate your head when lying down by using extra pillows to prevent blood from rushing to your mouth and creating complications with the blood clot.
• Brush and floss your teeth, as usual, remaining cautious to avoid the extraction site.
• On the day following tooth removal, you can have some foods like yogurt, pudding, applesauce, et cetera with a spoon.
• As you heal, you can gradually reintroduce other foods into your diet.
• After 24 hours of tooth removal, make a rinse of warm salt water to rinse your mouth and use it three to four times per day.

If you experience pain that doesn’t subside after several days or signs of infections like fever, pain, drainage, or pus, see your dentist as soon as possible by scheduling an appointment with them.

Following the tips mentioned and recommended by your dentist can help make your extraction heal faster than you imagine.

Danner Dental performs many tooth extractions on patients using minimally invasive techniques and providing comprehensive tips for quick recovery from the procedure. If you must have a tooth removed, schedule an appointment with this practice to undergo the process and recover faster than expected.