If you’ve never had surgery before, a tooth extraction may be intimidating at first. Fortunately, by learning about the procedure and proper aftercare, you can protect your oral health and ensure that there’s minimal pain. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to speed up the recovery process.

Do:  

Watch what you eat. 

A tooth extraction exposes the jawbone tissue, where a blood clot will form. The clot can be damaged by foods that are crunchy, hard, or rough. Moving your jaw after surgery helps reduce swelling, reducing swelling often helps decrease pain so there are no restrictions to eating after tooth extractions.  However most stick with soft foods and liquids, such as bananas, eggs, milkshakes, soups, smoothies, and juices, until your oral surgeon says it’s okay to resume your regular diet. 

Rest. 

After your procedure, take some time off of work to relax and recover. In addition to being numb after the extraction, many patients get IV sedation, which can leave you feeling confused and out of it. Rather than heading to the office, take the day off. Get plenty of rest, and keep your head elevated to prevent bleeding. 

Don’t:  

Brush or floss without the oral surgeon’s permission. 

This may seem odd since dental professionals are always encouraging patients to clean their teeth. However, brushing the surgical site can damage and dislodge the blood clot that forms after the extraction. As a result, the recovery and healing process will take longer.  You may gently brush around the site of extraction. 

Smoke.  

Don’t smoke for three to four days after the procedure to avoid dislodging the blood clot. This will help you prevent dry socket, a painful and irritating complication. Plus, the nicotine in cigarettes can slow the healing process. If you think it’ll be difficult to stop smoking for a few days, get nicotine patches before the procedure.  If you must smoke, take small puffs instead of a prolong drag.

If you need a tooth extraction, contact Lyle C. Yanagihara DDS, MS. Serving Oahu, HI, Dr. Yanagihara has over 20 years of experience working as an oral surgeon. He brings compassion and care to each procedure and helps patients recover as quickly as possible. Call (808) 973-1433 to set up an appointment, or visit the website to learn more about the practice’s services.