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When teeth are severely decayed, overcrowded, or extremely misaligned, a tooth extraction in Fort Worth may be necessary. While no one likes the idea of losing one of their natural teeth, this practice is often the first step in ensuring a healthier and longer-lasting smile.
Moreover, with dental sedation, a recognized oral surgeon, and the right recovery tips, healing after a dental extraction can be simple and smooth.
5 Recovery Tips from a Tooth Extraction
1. Protect the Blood Clot
Following tooth extraction, your body creates a blood clot in the tooth socket. This blood clot is crucial for the healing process, so you must protect it. Failure to do so could lead to a dry socket, a painful condition in which the underlying bone and nerve are exposed.
Avoid sucking, such as smoking or drinking through a straw, and refrain from touching or vigorously rinsing the extraction site. Additionally, follow your oral surgeon's instructions when replacing the gauze pad.
2. Relieve Discomfort and Swelling
Managing post-operative discomfort is a fundamental aspect of tooth extraction aftercare. To reduce swelling and pain, you can place an ice pack outside your mouth.
Although some swelling is common, you should let your oral surgeon know if you experience any severe pain, chest pain, or excessive discharge, as these could be signs of a problem.
3. Stay on a Soft Diet
Follow a soft-food diet for a few days after a dental procedure, such as tooth extraction. Eating solid, spicy, or crunchy foods may interrupt healing and irritate your gum tissues, causing additional pain.
Eat something that does not require much chewing, like smoothies, yogurt, or mashed potatoes. You can slowly resume your normal diet as the area heals.
4. Maintain Oral Hygiene
While keeping your mouth clean is fundamental daily, ensuring the surgical area's cleanliness after an extraction is essential to prevent an infection. You shouldn’t brush your teeth on the day of the surgery, but you can gargle with a mixture of warm water and half a teaspoon of salt to get rid of harmful bacteria in your mouth.
You can start brushing your teeth as normal 24 hours after the extraction, avoiding the surgical extraction area until after a few days.
5. Take Painkillers as Instructed
To prevent discomfort in the area, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. Your dentist may have prescribed some antibacterial medications. Even if the discomfort has subsided, it’s important to continue taking these to prevent an infection.
Recover from a Tooth Extraction in Fort Worth
Tooth extractions are relatively common procedures for both adults and children. While this procedure has a negative image, with the right surgeon and proper aftercare, recovering from a dental extraction can be a walk in the park. As soon as your mouth is in top shape, you can start exploring restorative options alongside Silver Sage Family Dentistry.
Replacing a lost tooth promptly is crucial to prevent bone density loss and to keep the surrounding teeth from shifting toward the newly available space. If you’d like to know more about the restorative procedures we offer, contact us today!
