It’s very important to remember that after tooth extraction, your mouth will be sore. You may need strong pain medication to manage the discomfort. Your mouth will also be numb from the local anesthetic, so you should expect some irritations for a few hours following the surgery. It’s also perfectly normal for you to feel dizzy, nauseous, or lightheaded for up to 24 hours following tooth extraction surgery from your dentist office in Aliso Viejo.
Anyway, here are the top 6 aftercare instructions for tooth extraction.
- Keep the extraction site clean
After having the tooth extracted, it’s important to keep the extraction site clean so bacteria and infections are kept at bay. This can be done with warm salt water rinses or ice chips. The first thing you should do is see your dentist at least a day following the procedure to make sure there weren’t any complications. If you have any issues, such as sensitivity, bleeding, or swelling in the mouth, call your dentist immediately.
- Avoid hot foods and drinks
It’s recommended that you avoid hot foods and drinks for the first 3 days following your tooth extraction. This is to give sufficient time for the swelling to go down and the bleeding to stop.
- Eat soft foods
For the next few days, you should eat soft foods that are easy on the mouth. You can try juices, ice creams, popsicles, and even puddings if you feel like it, but avoid chewing on hard foods or brittle items, such as popcorn kernels or almonds, because they may irritate your wound.
- Do not rigorously rinse your mouth or spit
It’s important to avoid rigorously rinsing your mouth or spitting for the first 24 hours after tooth extraction. This will prevent you from pulling out the stitches or dislodging any blood clot that may have formed over your extraction site, which could cause bleeding.
- Avoid strenuous activities for a few days
After tooth extraction, it’s recommended that you avoid strenuous activities for a few days, including exercise and heavy lifting. This is to prevent any further bleeding or swelling, which are common after extractions.
- Do not smoke for at least 24 hours
After extraction, it’s important that you don’t smoke for at least 24 hours. This will prevent the blood clot from dislodging from the extraction site. If you do smoke, please avoid having a cigarette in your mouth for at least 24 hours after your procedure.
