Simple Ways to Manage Pain After Tooth Extraction

After tooth extraction surgery, you feel sensitivity and pain in the treated region for 1 to 3 days. The healing process usually takes one or two weeks. The pain fades off in 24 – 72 hours. Usually, each person heals differently, and also each case is unique. The professional will guide you through the perfect action plan to cope with the discomfort after tooth pulling. Make sure you communicate regularly with the dentist in Salem to ensure speedy healing.

Pain Relief Tips to Follow After a Dental Extraction

Try the following methods to manage pain while your mouth recovers:

Wash Mouth with Saltwater

Use a saltwater solution to cleanse your wound to decrease pain and prevent infection. You can create it by mixing ½ tsp salt and 1 cup warm water. But make sure you wash your mouth gently so that it doesn’t dislodge the blood clot formation.

Apply Ice

Swelling on the cheeks after the surgery is common. Therefore, another effective way to reduce pain after surgery is to use ice packs on the face. But avoid putting it directly on the skin. Instead, wrap the ice packs in a towel and hold them against your face for around 20 minutes, and then eliminate them for another 20 minutes. Repeat this for the first 24 hours to reduce swelling and irritation in the area.

Use Warm Compresses 

Using a warm compress can also help with early teeth pain and other discomforts.

Stick to Soft Foods

In the days after the tooth extraction in Salem, MA, strictly say no to hard, chewy, and crunchy foods. Tiny food bits from them can easily get collected in the gum tissues and lead to infection and pain.

Rather, choose soft food varieties such as mashed potatoes, Jell-O, yogurts, soups, etc. It can help you avoid irritation, sensitivity, and pain in the extracted area of your mouth as it heals. As you begin recovering, move towards solids such as cooked veggies, rice, etc. Also, make sure you take plenty of liquids.

Take the Required Painkillers

Experiencing pain after tooth pulling is common. The professional will prescribe antibiotics or pain-killing medications to alleviate pain and minimize inflammation around the extracted area. For a complicated extraction, the professional will usually prescribe a powerful pain medicine.

Make sure you read the medicine labels carefully and stay in tune with every dosage. If you are facing severe dental pain after dental extraction, immediately get in touch with the oral surgeon or dentist at Mass Bay Dental.

When the pain turns more severe or constant, you will most likely experience a dry socket. It usually occurs when the socket wall bone gets exposed, and clot formation in the socket has been dislodged or failed to create. The professional will use a medicated gel to cover the socket.

Get Proper Rest 

Another method to relieve pain post-surgery is to take proper rest for the first few days of surgery. Full rest allows your body to recover naturally and get back to the standard routine quickly. Strictly avoid stringent activities such as heavy object lifting, exercises, etc.

Refraining from Alcohol and Smoking

To minimize pain, say no to smoking and alcohol for several days. It can help you return to your everyday routine faster. But using them can disturb the healing process and cause other health complications.

Do Not Disturb the Blood Clot

For a few days after the tooth-pulling procedure, avoid doing certain things that could disturb the blood clot formation in the area. They include:

• Spitting harshly from the mouth.
• Washing your mouth too vigorously.
• Taking too cold/hot things.
• Brushing and flossing at the extracted area.

Prop Up Your Head 

While sleeping during the day or night, prop up yourself with the support of a pillow or two. But, avoid lying down on the extracted side. It is another way to handle tooth extraction pain by allowing blood clot formation in the tooth extraction site. The elevation lets the fluid drain from the region. It will even minimize swelling and new bleeding in the treated area.

Manage Bleeding

After tooth removal, one of the excellent ways to treat pain at home is to gently use a gauze pad over the area for half an hour. Do this till blood clot formation finishes (which usually takes 3 to 4 hours). You can even use a moist tea bag on the site.