Is tooth extraction painful?
It is likely that there will be some discomfort and swelling both on the inside and outside of your mouth after extraction/surgery. This is usually worse for the first three days but it can take up to three weeks before all the soreness disappears.
You may need to control the pain with tablets. If these have not been prescribed, you can use pain killers you would normally use if you had a headache. Follow the dosage recommended on the packet. If antibiotics have been prescribed, please ensure you finish the course.
When you have any teeth removed you are left with a hole (tooth socket) in your jawbone. At first a blood clot forms, before healing over completely.
If bleeding occurs when you go home, apply pressure on the tooth socket with a clean, damp rolled piece of cotton/linen handkerchief. If the bleeding does not stop, please telephone the surgery, (if after hours, please go to A&E). Keep biting on the handkerchief until you have spoken to or seen the dentist.
It's vital for patients to tell us about any blood thinning medication so that we can extract the tooth safely.
Try not to eat or drink if possible until after the numbness has worn off. It is advisable to eat on the opposite side of your mouth to the extraction site. For the first 12 hours (after the numbness has worn off) avoid hot drinks (which can break down the clot). Take only warm liquids or soft foods.
When you have had a tooth out you must look after the area to speed healing and to reduce the risk of infection. It is important to keep the extraction site as clean as possible for the first few weeks after surgery. It might be difficult to clean your teeth around the site of the extraction because it is sore.
The day after your extraction you can start using a warm salt water rinse to help reduce the risk of infection. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, hold a mouthful in your mouth for about 30 seconds so that the solution floods to the extraction site, then spit it out and continue in the same way until you have used the entire cup. You can do this after every meal or two to three times a day for at least 2 weeks. Keep using the salt water until the extraction socket has healed.
It is uncommon to get an infection, particularly if good oral hygiene is maintained after surgery however, some people may experience a condition known as 'dry-socket' (increased rick factors include being a smoker or having a difficult extraction). If you are worried about infection, the signs may be a raised temperature, a nasty taste in the mouth, increased pain and severe swelling around the extraction site. If you experience any of these after a couple of days, contact us.