Tooth Extraction Aftercare
If the dentist put a piece of gauze on the extraction socket, bite on it for 15 minutes. This will stop the bleeding. If the wound was stitched, often there is no need for gauze.
Don’t eat, drink or rinse your mouth for 4 hours.
Rinsing stops the blood from congealing and that interrupts healing. Getting food in the socket is likely to cause infections and rinsing makes the socket bleed longer.
Smoking for the first couple of days makes you more likely to get a “dry socket”. This is a condition when the blood clot in the socket disappears and the socket is left empty. This can be more painful than a toothache. So don’t smoke!
Don’t run around. If you do, bleeding tends to start again. Go home and sit up, with your head high and read a book or watch TV. Mowing the lawn is a really bad idea right now.
If you are concerned about pain, take a painkiller that you know works for you (Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for example) but take it as soon as the numbness starts to wear off. You may also want to take painkillers before you go to bed tonight. Often there is no need for painkillers at all.
If bleeding starts up again, get a piece of gauze or tea bag, wind it up to a roll, and bite on it for 15 minutes. Don’t take it out every five minutes to check.
