One of the main goals of modern cosmetic dentistry is the prevention of tooth loss. You must adhere to healthy dental hygiene practices so as to avoid the possibility of any tooth loss. Any tooth loss can affect your long-term health and over all appearance. Even those who do every thing in their ability to protect their teeth may face certain situations where they will be forced to remove them. Some occasions, which can cause tooth removal, are:

Severe Tooth Decay
Advanced case of periodontal disease
Infection or abscess
Orthodontic correction
Crooked teeth
Fractured teeth or their roots
Impacted teeth

The instructions given below can be useful for people who have recently extracted their teeth. If you find any thing out of the ordinary, check immediately with your dentist and follow his advice.

Postoperative Instructions

Never Disturb The Wound. If you do that, that can cause bleeding, irritation or infection. During the first 24 hours after the extraction, use the other side of your jaw to chew/bite. Do not let your fork or tooth pick to disturb the wound.

Avoid Smoking For 12 Hours. As smoking can delay the healing process and can cause bleeding, avoid this bad habit.

Brushing. Avoid brushing during the initial 8 hours after surgery. Afterwards, when you brush, do not brush on the wound and brush gently.

Mouth Wash. Avoid the use of any mouthwashes for the first 24 hours after the surgery. Mouthwashes can wash away the blood clot formed on the wound and may cause bleeding or dry socket. After the initial 24 hours, you may use mild mouthwashes, under your dentist’s instructions.

Avoid Spitting Or Sucking Through A Straw. As either one of these activities can displace the blood clot, this would lead to a painful condition called dry socket.

Bleeding. Your dentist will give you instructions on handling bleeding after tooth extraction. When you leave the dentist’s office, there will be a rolled up gauze pad set on the wound. He may ask you to change this every half an hour or so. If the bleeding is more, you may have to change this more often. Bleeding is a normal part of any tooth extraction and you may have to set the rolled up gauze pad on the wound and exert pressure for 15 to 30 minutes of time. In case, the bleeding is still persisting, you can set a rolled up tea bag on the wound. The contents of tea are known to be effective in stopping bleeding. If you are naturally prone to bleeding due to genetic problems or medical conditions, let your doctor know about this in the first place.

Pain. After any tooth extraction, there is bound to be some pain. The dentist may prescribe you pain medications to bring your pain under control. In case the pain is continuing or getting worse, contact your dentist.

Swelling. Swelling is quite common after any dental procedures and especially after surgery. But this should last only for two or three days. In case the swelling is making it hard for you to eat, swallow, chew, talk etc, contact your dentist. You may apply an ice pack or a cold towel on your face near the surgery location, during the initial 12 hours after the extraction. Leave this on for a twenty-minute period of time and then remove it. Place it again later, if you need to.

Difficulty In Opening Mouth. As you have kept your mouth open during the surgery, your jaw muscles can become stiff and this may cause problems in opening your mouth later. This problem may last for a few days. Apply a heating pad on your jaw muscles for 10 minutes at a time and remove it. You may massage the jaw muscles gently as well. Consume soft food items so as to reduce the strain on your jaw muscles. Never exert too much pressure on the jaw joints, in your attempt to open your mouth.

Diet. Stick to soft food items and drinks for the initial days after surgery. Follow the instructions provided by your dentist and consume all the prescribed medications in time. They are helpful in reducing infections and swelling. Some of them can be pain medications too. If you start consuming medications before the numbness is gone, you will not feel much pain. Drink lots of water. Start eating a healthy meal as soon as possible after the surgery.

REPORT ANY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCES IMMEDIATELY !