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.
In a study published in Evidence-Based Dentistry, researchers discovered that patients who didn't rinse their mouth with salt water after their surgery were more likely to develop dry sockets as opposed to those that did. Doing this will also help speed up your recovery.
Tip #1: Salt Water Rinse
After a tooth has been removed, it is possible for small particles of food to be lodged in the socket. We recommend a gentle salt water rinse to clean the area that is healing and prevent food from getting caught. The salt water promotes healing and reduces the risk of complications.
Keeping your mouth clean after oral surgery is essential. Keep using warm salt-water rinses to rinse your mouth at least 2-3 times daily for the next seven days.
Partial or total loss of the blood clot at the tooth extraction site, which you may notice as an empty-looking (dry) socket. Visible bone in the socket. Pain that radiates from the socket to your ear, eye, temple or neck on the same side of your face as the extraction. Bad breath or a foul odor coming from your mouth.
How will I know if my blood clot fell out? If you develop dry sockets, the pain will let you know that your wound is no longer protected. Swelling is also an indication you have lost your blood clot, as is the taste of blood in your mouth.
After about 7-10 days, your clot should be fully formed and in place. If you had stitches placed, they will be removed if they were non-dissolving. If they were dissolving stitches, they'll disappear on their own.
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.
Post-surgery bleeding should only last a few minutes. While gauze is necessary, you don't want to sleep with it.
Making a mouth rinse is incredibly easy — simply add about a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water, then stir until dissolved. To use, lightly swish the solution around in your mouth for 30 seconds. Spit it out gently, taking care not to dislodge the blood clot that's formed over the extraction site.
Dairy contains proteins that can encourage the growth of bacteria and increase the risk of infection. This is because dairy provides an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, which can lead to swelling and discomfort in the gums and surrounding area.
A dry socket occurs when the blood clot that normally forms to protect the wound after surgery becomes dislodged, exposing the bone and nerves. By sleeping with your head elevated, you can help to minimize the risk of developing a dry socket and promote faster healing after your wisdom tooth extraction.
Drink plenty of clear liquids to remain hydrated and to prevent nausea that may be associated with some pain medications. Rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water several times a day. Brush your teeth gently around the dry socket area.
Dry socket is a painful condition that can easily develop, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk. Make sure to rinse your mouth with salt water several times a day and gently brush your teeth.
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.
After tooth extraction, it is normal for the area to bleed and then clot, generally within a few minutes. It is abnormal if bleeding continues without clot formation, or lasts beyond 8 to 12 hours; this is known as post‐extraction bleeding (PEB).
It is normal for bleeding to exist for up to 24 hours after the tooth extraction. However, the bleeding should be minimal and tolerable, and excessive bleeding that causes a major distraction or that causes major discomfort that is not tolerable is a concern.
Your body is using energy to heal itself, so you may feel more tired than usual – this is perfectly normal.
What is the white stuff after tooth extraction? The white stuff that you might see forming around your tooth socket after a tooth extraction is called granulation tissue. This tissue is comprised of blood vessels, collagens and white blood cells, hence its white colour.
Don't Smoke or Drink. Avoid smoking for at least 48 hours after an extraction as the chemicals in the smoke can delay healing, and even provoke serious complications such as inflammation of the empty socket. Similarly, drinking alcohol can slow down clot formation, cause new bleeding, and delay healing.
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.
You should not use toothpaste for at least 3 to 4 days. The activity of brushing your teeth requires you to spit out the toothpaste. By doing this, you could cause the blood clot to come loose and cause bleeding, and the healing process will have to begin all over again.
To ensure proper healing on your tooth extraction site, avoid the following foods: crunchy, spicy, hard and chewy candy, acidic foods and drinks, alcohol and smoking. These foods can irritate and prolongue the tooth extraction healing socket.
Drinking water helps keep your teeth clean and bacteria free on top of keeping your body hydrated. You should drink plenty of water after your tooth extraction to keep the extraction site clear and prevent infection.