Advances in dental medicine have made it possible for your dentist to save teeth that in many cases might have needed to be extracted. Be that as it may, there may still be occasions when an extraction may be needed. For example, if you have an impacted wisdom tooth, you may need a surgical extraction. That will require removing and repairing muscle and jawbone. A tooth that has been severely damaged by trauma, disease or decay may need a simple extraction. Your dentist may need to remove teeth if you have an overcrowded mouth, or if they need to be extracted to accommodate orthodontics. Depending on your extraction, your dentist may give you one or more dissolvable stitches, or he may send you home to recover, after scheduling a follow-up appointment.
When you get home, you may want to take things easy for the first 24 hours. An over-the-counter pain reliever, or an ice pack may help with any discomfort. You may need to bite down gently on a piece of gauze if you are still bleeding. Try to avoid speaking or eating for the first 12 hours, and when you are able to eat, stick to cool, soft foods for the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, you can brush your teeth, but rinse the extraction area with a saltwater solution or an antiseptic rinse. If you use tobacco, avoid it for at least 24 hours after your procedure. Tobacco slows the healing process, and suction of any kind whether it is through smoking or a straw can damage or dislodge the blood clot in your tooth socket. That blood clot is protecting the nerves and bone in the socket, and if it is removed, you will be vulnerable to infection and in a great deal of pain. This condition is called dry socket, and if you experience it, you should see your dentist as soon as possible.
If you have a tooth that has been giving you trouble, Dr. at Premier Dental can help. If you live in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area and would like to make an appointment at Premier Dental, call 319-294-2323 today. We’ll get you in as soon as possible.