Having a tooth extracted is sometimes necessary for the protection of your oral and overall health. In most cases, the recovery process will take one to two weeks. Keep reading to learn more about some easy steps you can take to make healing as quick and comfortable as possible! Your dentist is in with everything you need to know about recovering from a tooth extraction in Ponte Vedra Beach.
#1. Eat a Soft Diet
Getting plenty of nutrients is important as you heal after any procedure, and the same is true with having a tooth extraction. However, you won’t feel like eating your normal diet right away — and doing so could also spell trouble for the healing treatment site. Keep a soft foods diet in the days following the procedure, eating things like vegetable soups, fruit smoothies, scrambled eggs, white fish, and other nutritious items that don’t require a lot of activity from your jaw. You can resume your normal diet once you feel comfortable enough to do so.
Extra tips:
- Wait until you have regained feeling in your jaw to eat anything
- Avoid sucking through a straw
#2. Be Gentle
You should brush and floss your teeth normally beginning on the very same day as the tooth extraction, but take extra care around the treatment site. With whatever you do, you do not want to disturb the clots which cover the extraction area. This can lead to dry socket, a painful condition which delays healing.
Extra tips:
- Avoid rinsing and spitting
- Gargle with salt water to cleanse the area and provide a soothing effect
#3. Manage Discomfort and Swelling
You will experience some discomfort and inflammation as you heal after the extraction. You have just undergone oral surgery, after all. To reduce both, rest with your head elevated and take all pain medication exactly as prescribed. You can also use an ice pack on the affected cheek(s). Wrap a bag of ice or frozen vegetables in a protective cloth and place on the outer skin in 10- to 15-minute intervals. Repeat every few hours for the first 36 hours after the procedure.
Extra tips:
- Get plenty of rest following the procedure
- Have prescriptions filled in anticipation of the procedure to make things easier on yourself
#4. Know When to Call the Doctor
When you follow all post-op instructions closely, you should speed through the recovery and feel completely back to normal after a week or two. However, if bleeding, swelling, and discomfort worsen or do not improve after several days, get in touch with your dentist right away. Infection or dry socket can cause serious pain and delayed recovery.
About the Author
Dr. Kristopher Harth is a general, cosmetic and restorative dentist who offers comfortable and efficient tooth extractions. If you are preparing for a removal or if you would like to discuss this procedure in more detail, do not hesitate to get in touch with your dentist in Ponte Vedra Beach by calling him at (904) 567-0102.