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Tips for Recovering From a Tooth Extraction

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tips for recovering from a tooth extraction

Your dentist will always prioritize preserving your teeth and eliminating the need to undergo any tooth extraction near you. Despite those best efforts, though, sometimes tooth extraction in Cranbrook is the right choice. The reasons that a dentist may recommend a tooth extraction are various. They range from the proactive extraction of wisdom teeth to prevent future complications to the need to remove a tooth damaged in an accident or one too seriously infected to be saved by a root canal.

Any recommendation to extract a tooth is made after careful consideration of all the other options. So too is every extraction procedure planned carefully and carried out precisely to minimize any discomfort. Your dentist will provide you with a set of detailed instructions about how to ensure your complete and quick recovery without experiencing any complications. Follow them precisely. Here’s a general guide to some of the instructions you can expect to see as you get ready for your procedure and recovery.

Take pain medication if necessary, but only as directed by your dentist. If you have any concerns about taking medication or have allergies or past negative experiences with pain medication, discuss those with the staff at your dental clinic in Cranbrook in advance.

You can expect to experience some swelling on your face during the first few days after an extraction. To ease swelling, use a cold compress or a bag of ice wrapped in a clean towel.

Don’t smoke during the recovery period. You should avoid smoking for three days after extraction for a couple of reasons. First, smoking interferes with the body’s healing process by causing the contraction of blood vessels. Second, toxins in tobacco can cause an inflammatory condition called alveolitis that can destroy the blood clot that protects your extraction site. The suction produced by the very act of smoking can likewise disrupt that clot and cause a painful condition called dry socket.

Don’t drink alcohol during the recovery period. There are two important reasons to abstain from alcohol for 48 hours after undergoing tooth extraction. First, alcohol has the effect of thinning your blood and thus delaying or preventing the clotting action necessary to ensure recovery. Second, alcohol can interact negatively with medications your dentist may prescribe — including painkillers and antibiotics. Negative interactions between alcohol and those prescriptions can include the risk of respiratory depression — slowed and ineffective breathing. Drinking alcohol can also cause the condition called alveolitis discussed above.

Avoid anything that produces suction to protect your clot. To avoid developing the painful condition called dry socket, refrain from any activities that produce suction in your mouth. There are three particularly risky things to avoid: the suction produced by smoking (in addition to the smoking-related risks mentioned already); drinking from a straw; and spitting (even after brushing your teeth gently). After brushing your teeth during your recovery, let the dirty water fall from your mouth rather than spitting it out.

Get lots of rest and keep your head elevated. For a few days after a tooth extraction, avoid any strenuous physical exercise. Instead, spend more time on sedentary activities during which you can rest as much as possible. Read, binge-watch some favourite shows and nap. While doing so, keep your head elevated under an extra pillow. You’ll find that it helps keep swelling and the discomfort of throbbing at bay.

Tooth extractions are extremely common and almost always performed without complications. Having said that, there are risks of complications that you can minimize by following these instructions and the rules your dentist provides. If you experience anything unexpected or symptoms worsen rather than improve, contact a dental clinic near you for advice.