Guide On Dos and Don’ts After Tooth Extractions

What Is a Tooth Extraction?

It is a dental procedure for removing natural teeth from the mouth. Tooth extractions near you target problematic teeth that may compromise your general oral health. Even though tooth extractions in Baltimore, MD, mean removing your natural tooth permanently, the underlying goal is dental preservation. Dentists will always work to preserve your oral health, even at the expense of one of your natural teeth.

When Do You Need a Tooth Extraction?

Although dental extractions can preserve your oral health, dentists in Baltimore, MD, will not recommend them as the first line of treatment. In many cases, dental experts will explore other treatment alternatives before resolving to dental extraction. Therefore, you will only undergo a dental extraction when absolutely necessary for your oral health. Some factors that merit tooth removal are:

1. Severely decayed tooth – many tooth extractions occur due to severe dental decay. When bacteria damaged a tooth structure, it can be significant to render the tooth unsalvageable. For such a case, reparative options like endodontic treatment may not save the tooth.
2. Impacted teeth – not all teeth erupt without complications. Some teeth may grow in the wrong direction, so that they get partially or wholly stuck under the gums. Such teeth can cause dental pain when chewing and inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues. The stakes are higher for wisdom teeth since they are the last molars to grow, usually in tight and small spaces at the furthest ends of the jaw.
3. Overcrowded mouth – in orthodontic dentistry, a dentist may recommend removing one of your natural teeth if you have a crowded mouth. Removing one tooth will create more space in your oral cavity for the rest of your teeth to align properly using braces.
4. Periodontitis – is a severe infection of the gums, featuring an advanced stage of gum disease. Periodontitis is severe enough to cause teeth to fall off on their own. Part of the treatment may involve removing the loose teeth.

How to Care for Your Oral Health After a Tooth Extraction

Dos After Tooth Extractions

1. Keep the gauze on the wound until bleeding stops – you should change it every 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of bleeding you experience.
2. Cold compress – place an ice bag on the affected side of your cheek. The cold will alleviate pain and reduce inflammation.
3. Eat healthily – ensure you are eating while recovering. It is crucial to provide the energy and nutrients necessary for speedy healing.
4. Clean your mouth – although you may still be sore during the first few days of recovery, you need to maintain a clean mouth. Brush your teeth gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush. You can even use a clean cloth to wipe around the wound area, leaving no room for bacteria to infect the wound.
5. Take your prescribed medication – the dentist will prescribe pain medicine and antibiotics that can help fight bacteria that cause infection.
6. Rest – even when it feels like you are wasting time, ensure you are resting after tooth extraction. The goal is to allow your body ample time to focus on healing only.

Don’ts After Tooth Extraction

1. Hard foods – do not eat any hard or crunchy food as it may hurt the soft tissues around the extraction site.
2. Drink through a straw – although it may seem wise to drink using a straw, it is not. Instead, it invites dry air into your mouth, which causes a condition called dry socket. Many tooth extraction patients return to our clinic at Canton Crossing Dental for dry socket treatment that causes significant tooth pain at the extraction site.
3. Skip meals – even though it may be hard to eat, do not skip your meals. You need food to provide nutrients and energy for your body to heal quickly.
4. Over-exert yourself – taking on big tasks that demand loads of energy from you is a bad idea when recovering from a tooth extraction near me. At least commit the first week of recovery to rest only. After that, start by working on small tasks until you have fully healed.