Care After Extractions or Surgery.

Having a tooth out can be a very traumatic experience. Initial healing can take from 1 - 2 weeks but it can take up to 6 months for the bone to heal fully. Take these steps to minimise any discomfort following the procedure

For the first 24 hours, try to avoid eating hot food, Patients are strongly advised to refrain from smoking during the healing period as this will greatly increase the risks of delayed healing and infection, don't drink any alcohol and try not to disturb any blood clot which might have formed.

Don't rinse your mouth for six hours after extraction. After that, rinse gently with warm salty water - half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water is enough.

Brush your teeth as normal to keep your mouth as clean as possible.

You may feel some small pieces of bone work their way out of the socket - don't worry, this is perfectly normal.

There may be some swelling and a bit of discomfort in the first two to three days. If you need to, take some ordinary painkillers - ibuprofen or paracetomol will be fine. NOT aspirin

If you feel pain immediately after the tooth has been removed, it might be where the blood clot has broken down leaving an empty hole in the gum. This is called a 'dry socket' and will need to be looked at by your dentist. Simply go back and the dentist will pack the wound to ease your discomfort.