After a Tooth Extraction
Immediately Afterward
During the office visit when the tooth is extracted, a wet gauze pack is placed over the site where the tooth was extracted. This is used to prevent excessive bleeding and to help stop the bleeding by forming a blood clot in the open wound. You should keep slight pressure on it for 30-45 minutes after the extraction. If bleeding continues longer than this, you may need to replace the gauze pack with another one. Bleeding should stop or almost stop during this time. The ice pack recommended for swelling below will also help to slow and stop the bleeding.
Swelling
After a tooth is extracted, some swelling and/or bruising of the skin is normal. As with any such condition, cold is the thing to have. Use an ice pack or a cold moist cloth and apply it to the cheek to minimize the swelling and bruising. During the first 6 hours, keep the cold-pack on the affected area for 15-20 minutes of every hour. After that, you may use it less frequently for the next few hours to help with any pain and continued swelling.
Medications
You should not use an aspririn-based pain medication because aspirin is a blood thinner and that works against wound healing. Instead, you may want to use an acetominiphin-based medication, such as Tylenol, to relieve the discomfort you may experience. If this proves to be insufficient, and if Dr. Winchester did not already give you a prescription for an analgesic, contact Dr. Winchester and request one. As with all medicines, be sure to use these as directed by the doctor and, please, keep them from the reach of toddlers and small children.
Brushing and Flossing
You should continue to brush and floss the rest of your teeth as you normally would, but be very gentle near the extraction site.
Salt-water Rinse
Do not rinse your mouth on the day of the extraction. On the next day, rinse your mouth gently with a warm salt-water mixture. Mix about 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Wash your mouth, and especially the wound site, with this mixture every 3 to 4 hours or more. Be sure to rinse after meals. Continue with this practice for the few days, especially while the wound remains sore, or a small amount of bleeding continues.
Food
Plenty of fluids and a very light diet are recommended for the first day after the tooth extraction. Obviously, chewing should be done carefully and as far as possible from the site of the extraction to avoid discomfort and restarting bleeding.
Chips of Bone
During the healing process, you may have small fragments of bone work their way to the surface of the gums and this is perfectly normal. Dr. Winchester can easily remove these partially-exposed bone chips if they become too annoying, otherwise, they will usually work themselves right on out and you will just wonder when and where they went.
Please, contact us if any unusual problems come up.
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