by Skye Martin

Created on: May 10, 2011   Last Updated: May 11, 2011

After a tooth extraction, you may feel some discomfort depending on the complexity of the procedure used to remove your tooth.  In most instances, taking an over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen, will help you avoid a lot of pain.  It is important to note that taking a pain-killer before the pain has a chance to develop is best as it is more difficult to rid yourself of pain once it has set in.  If you have a more complex procedure done, your dentist will most likely prescribe an appropriate drug to ease your suffering.

The skin in your mouth is unlike the skin anywhere else on your body.  This skin is difficult to heal because your mouth is never dry and cannot form a scab.  The dentist will give you some gauze for you to place over the wound and bite down on, gently.  If you place the gauze in your mouth and your teeth come together as you bite down, you will want to use a bigger piece of gauze.  Use the gauze as needed, but the bleeding should slow enough within an hour that you will be able to take the gauze out of your mouth.  At this point your top priority should be to make sure that the wound in your mouth stays clot.

You should avoid smoking, drinking out of straws and spitting.  Doing so may cause the clot to break open which could lead to further complications.  Also, keep in mind that hot liquids may dissolve the clot so avoid hot teas and coffee.

If you experience swelling, gently press an ice pack against your jaw.  Try to avoid rinsing your mouth out, especially vigorously, for 24 hours and then after that use a gentle rinse of warm salt water to disinfect the wound and promote healing.  If you have stitches, the salt water will also help the stitches dissolve.  You should only eat soft foods for the first 24 hours that do not require you to chew.  Chewing hard foods may also cause the wound in your mouth to break open where food can enter and cause it to become infected.

If you experience swelling that does not go down after 24 hours, you should call your dentist or the surgeon who performed the procedure.  Other signs of complications include:  fever, chills, difficulty swallowing and heavy bleeding.  After 24 hours, the wound should be completely clotted and you should not experience any further bleeding.  If you do experience more bleeding, or if you believe that the wound is not healing properly, please notify your dentist.

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