Pain After Tooth Extraction If you can take ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®), take 400–600 mg every 6–8 hours or as prescribed by your doctor. Ibuprofen will help with pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory. If you cannot take ibuprofen, then 1–2 tablets of regular Tylenol® should be taken every 4 hours.
Many people find relief with over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or naproxen. These painkillers can help reduce inflammation as well as alleviate pain. If you experience severe pain following a tooth extraction, your dentist might prescribe stronger painkillers.
What is considered “normal” pain is likely to last for about three days post-extraction. If you are more of the sensitive type, expect a lingering tenderness on the extraction site for longer. However, other reasons could cause pain after tooth extraction.
After extraction the gum oozes out some blood at the blank tooth socket. This blood clots and stays there causing pain. If the clot by chance gets removed due to your food or drinks or is removed intentionally, then nerve endings at the socket gets exposed. And this causes more discomfort and pain.
Some swelling and soreness can continue throughout the first week. Throbbing pain during the first 24 hours after your extraction is likely just a sign that your body is healing. The pain should respond well to any over-the-counter or prescription medications you take. It may also decrease with basic self-care.
You should drink plenty of water after your tooth extraction to keep the extraction site clear and prevent infection. Remember to not drink through a straw, though, since the sucking motion can disturb the extraction site.
Extraction provides immediate relief from problems like: Severe tooth decay.
During the initial stages of healing, the tooth extraction site may ooze. Because of this, sleeping on your side is best, at least for the first night. Plus, if you lie flat on your back, you might experience more swelling. That could increase your pain and make resting an even greater challenge.
Rest for at least 24 hours and elevate your head when lying down. Apply an ice pack to your cheek at 20-minute intervals to reduce swelling. Avoid rinsing your mouth, spitting, smoking, or drinking through a straw because this can dislodge your blood clot and cause a painful secondary condition called dry socket.
Your dentist recommends you rest for 48 to 72 hours to ensure the formation of the blood clot. You can return to your regular physical activity after the resting period. The soft tissue in your mouth heals entirely in about three to four weeks.
Get plenty of rest – Your body needs time to heal after tooth extraction. It is important that you rest for at least the first 24 hours and avoid strenuous activity for at least 48 hours. Rest or sleep with head elevated – Sleeping with your head elevated on extra pillows will help the blood clot and promote healing.
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.
When Can You Drink Coffee After a Tooth Extraction? Just to be on the safe side, it's best to avoid drinking coffee for a few days after your tooth is removed. This is because caffeine may hinder the healing process.
Dry sockets become increasingly painful in the days after a tooth extraction. They may also have exposed bone or tissue, or an unpleasant smell. By comparison, normal healing sockets get less painful over time and do not cause any other symptoms. A dry socket can be very painful, but it is not usually serious.
You should try taking it easy for at least 1-2 days after the tooth extraction. When you are resting or sleeping, try to lie down so that your head is above your heart. This will lower your blood pressure and help control bleeding.
Everything You Need to Know About Tooth Extractions and Pain
Not necessarily. While the extraction may hurt if you are under the effects of nitrous oxide, you should not be in excruciating pain. For more serious extractions, you will need stronger painkillers such as oral sedatives or anesthesia.
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. Begin your normal tooth brushing routine the following day.
Following the extraction, it is necessary to eat a diet of soft foods that will not irritate the area during recovery. If a patient does not have sensitive teeth, ice cream is one of the first things that they should reach for following a tooth extraction.
(First 24 hours post-op) Avoid eating or drinking for the first hour after your surgery (with the exception of liquids needed as an aid with taking medication). Over the following 24 hours, drink plenty of fluids so you stay properly hydrated.
For at least 24 hours after your tooth extraction, you should consume only soft foods and liquids. You can ease into a more normal diet when you feel comfortable doing so. Try to stick with easy-to-chew foods for a few days. Initially, choose cool foods like yogurt, pudding, Jell-O, and ice cream.