Although permanent teeth are supposed to last a lifetime, there are many reasons why a tooth extraction may be needed when visiting your dentist. One of the most common reasons involves a tooth that is too badly damaged, from decay or trauma, to be repaired. Other causes may include a crowded mouth or even infections when a root canal treatment cannot get the job done.
Care Post-Extraction
After the extraction, we will give you a bit of gauze to bite on until the bleeding stops and a blood clot forms. The pressure from the gauze will stop the bleeding. Some of the things that you will need to keep in mind include:
- Take any prescribed pain medicine to calm soreness in the jaw.
- Apply an ice pack on any swollen areas for around 20 minutes to decrease irritation.
- Have soft foods for 24 hours after the extraction.
- Do not spit or drink from a straw, since the force could remove healing blood clots.
Dry Socket
A dry socket is a painful dental condition that sometimes happens after a permanent adult tooth is extracted. A dry socket occurs when the blood clot at the tooth extraction site fails to develop, or it dislodges or dissolves before the wound has healed. You may have a dry socket if you feel frequent pain, accompanied by bad breath, in the days following your tooth extraction. If so, you must immediately contact our dental office for an appointment.
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