To stop the bleeding and begin the healing process after a tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form. To ease the process, you’ll have to bite down on a gauze pad for 30 to 45 minutes immediately after the procedure. If the bleeding continues, place another gauze pad in your mouth and bite down firmly for another 30 minutes. This process may have to be performed various times in order to stop the flow of blood.
After the bleeding stops, it’s important not to disturb or dislodge the clot. For 72 hours after the extraction, do not rinse vigorously, use straws, smoke, drink alcohol, or brush teeth near the extraction site. Any of these activities may dissolve the clot and impact the healing process. For the next 24 hours, limit any kind of vigorous exercise as an increase in blood pressure may cause more bleeding.
After an extraction, it’s normal to experience some pain and swelling. Keep swelling to a minimum with the help of an ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas. Take your painkillers as prescribed by a doctor. After 48 hours, the swelling usually subsides.
Call us if your pain medication doesn’t work. If you’ve been prescribed antibiotics, continue to take them as prescribed even if the symptoms and signs of infection are no longer present. Stay hydrated and eat nutritious, soft food on the day of the procedure. As soon as you are comfortable post-procedure, it’s usually safe to eat.
After 24 hours, it’s important to resume your normal dental routine. Brush and floss at least once a day, as it will help the healing process while keeping your mouth fresh and clean.
You should be able to resume your normal activities after a few days. Call our office immediately if you continue to have heavy bleeding, severe pain, or swelling that doesn’t subside after two or three days, or react to your medication.
