Use an Ice Pack Using an ice pack on the outside of your cheek can reduce swelling, speed up healing, and provide some relief from any discomfort. However, if the ice causes any strange itching sensations, or increased pain, then stop using it immediately and consult your dentist if the symptoms continue.
Tips for speeding up healing time
Practice good oral hygiene: Brush your teeth twice a day and floss regularly. This will help to remove any bacteria or debris from the tooth socket. Eat a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals will help your body to heal more quickly.
The surgical team will brief you on exactly what to do — and what not to do — for a smooth recovery. One of the directions you may be given is to start using a saltwater rinse the day after your procedure. Oral surgeons frequently recommended this step, as it expedites the healing process.
Watch Your Diet
While you are at it, avoid spiced foods because they can irritate the gums and cause pain as well as slow down the healing process. Sugar is also harmful as it supports the growth of bacteria in the mouth.
It is best to stick to soft foods requiring minimal chewing, such as applesauce, yogurt and pudding. Vitamin C and vitamin A help to support the healing process following a tooth extraction. Therefore, it is a good idea to eat foods rich in these nutrients.
When it comes to molar extraction, the healing time may be longer than any other tooth. In this case, it is the gum tissue and the jaw bone that need to heal. Therefore, you can expect the socket to heal completely after several months.
By day 3, your gum swelling should subside and your open wound from extraction will begin to close. In 7 days, your gums should be very close to being completely healed with minimal sensitivity or pain. These are all signs that your gums are healing nicely and in the expected time frame.
Additionally, dairy products are harder for your body to digest as they contain casein protein, which slows down digestion significantly and increases inflammation throughout the body. This can delay the healing process and cause more discomfort.
Typically, your oral surgeon will ask that you at least take about 48-72 hours to relax afterward so the treatment area is allowed to clot. After that, a patient should be able to return to normal physical activity. The soft tissue will usually fully heal in about 3-4 weeks.
A simple tooth extraction site should heal within 7 to 10 days as the blood clot forms solidly over the area. 2 Within two weeks or so, the entire area should be mostly healed.
After surgery, you are more vulnerable to infection as your surgical sites start to heal. Keeping your mouth clean with salt water prevents infection by keeping bacteria and food particles away from the open wounds.
Fill the syringe with warm salt water and place the tip of the syringe into the extraction site to clean. Do this 2–3 times a day for 2–3 weeks and lessen as the surgical site heals. Swelling is normal after surgery and is a major cause of post-extraction discomfort.
While every patient heals at a slightly different pace, most people can begin drinking small amounts of coffee around 5 days after an extraction. If all goes well, within two weeks any swelling should subside and your mouth should be mostly healed. At that point, you can return to drinking your normal amount of coffee.
What to Expect 3 Days Post Tooth Extraction. The tooth extraction site after three days should be feeling better and healing nicely. Swelling should be minimal, and there should be no more bleeding. The blood clot that formed in the socket should be more secured but can still become dislodged if you are not careful.
Wait until the socket has fully healed before drinking tea or coffee. This can take several days or weeks, depending on the extent of the extraction.
For the first 24 hours, you are supposed to take a soft diet that includes well-cooked rice.
Will You Be Able to Resume Work Immediately? Resuming your daily activities without downtime after a tooth extraction is a big stretch. Usually, dental experts recommend resting for 48 – 72 hours before resuming daily activities. This period is necessary for rest, allowing your body to focus on healing.
When a tooth's number is up and it needs to be pulled, the bacteria can spike in our bloodstream causing bacteraemia. This sets off the immune system's alarm bells, causing a rush of infection-fighting cells to the scene to clean up the carnage which uses immense amounts of energy so the body must recharge afterwards.
Protein is one of the main ingredients during the healing process. Since it is responsible for tissue regeneration, drinking yogurt could help you when recovering from oral surgery. Tropical yogurt contains about 12 grams of protein in 7 ounces of yogurt.
Yogurt is a nutritious high-protein food you can enjoy after dental surgery. It has a smooth and creamy texture that may help soothe and numb your mouth.
Bread and crackers
Bread is typically tough to chew after wisdom tooth removal and you are generally recommended to avoid any foods that could get stuck to your surgery site. Crackers and breads are notorious for getting stuck on teeth and stuck in the mouth and that can only cause trouble post oral surgery.
Shortly after, you will see tooth extraction healing white stuff form around the tooth socket. If you are not in any pain, this is a good sign. It means that the white stuff is something called granulation tissue, that replaces the clot in the extraction site as the wound begins to heal.
Dislodge the food by gently rinsing your mouth with warm salt water (saline) solution. Avoid swishing the water around and don't spit—this can lead to painful dry sockets. If you received a syringe from your clinician, you can use warm water or salt water to gently flush the socket clean.
Over the first few days, you'll notice a soft covering start to form over the socket. The gum tissue should close off the extraction site within a matter of days. Within about two weeks, there should be a smooth texture over the socket that matches the gingiva (gum tissues) surrounding it.