What to do after tooth extraction: recommendations when you can eat, smoke

From this article you will learn:

How much can you not eat after tooth extraction?
what antibiotics and rinses to use,
How long after you can smoke after tooth extraction?

The article was written by a dental surgeon with more than 19 years of experience.

If you have just had a tooth removed, it is very important to know what to do after tooth extraction. This will prevent complications that often arise as a result of patient behavior errors (inflammation of the socket, development of bleeding or swelling of the soft tissues of the face). And I will try to summarize my experience accumulated over many years of work as a dental surgeon in this article.

The most common mistake is that patients rinse their mouth too much, which leads to the blood clot falling out of the socket. As a result, we will get inflammation of the socket of the extracted tooth - alveolitis of the socket. Either the patient took aspirin before or after tooth extraction (without thinking that aspirin thins the blood) and, accordingly, in this case we will have a high risk of bleeding and hematoma formation.

Tooth extraction: photo

Also at the end of the article you will be able to see what the sockets of extracted teeth should normally look like (at different times after extraction). This will help you decide if you need to re-examine with your dental surgeon.

What to do with a gauze swab -

A tooth was removed today: what to do after removal with a gauze swab on the socket... A swab soaked in blood is an excellent breeding ground for infection. And the longer you keep it in the mouth, the greater the risk of developing inflammation in the socket of the extracted tooth. If you still have a gauze swab on your socket, you need to remove it urgently. It is advisable to do this without jerking and not strictly vertically, but sideways (so as not to pull out the blood clot from the hole along with the tampon).

An exception may be a situation where the hole is still being touched up - in this case, the gauze swab can be held for a little longer. But it’s best to spit out this old gauze swab soaked in saliva and blood, make a new one from a sterile bandage, and place it on top of the hole (biting firmly).

Important: saliva at first may normally turn pink due to the secretion of ichor (this should not be confused with bleeding). At the same time, it is not clear why many patients stop swallowing saliva and accumulate it in the oral cavity. There is absolutely no need to do the latter; saliva can be swallowed as usual.

Installation

The principle of using turunda is simple, you need to twist the material into a rope, then close the hole, reaching to the bottom. Cavities should not be left, and the doctor should not apply too much pressure, further injuring the tissue. If empty cavities remain after the procedure, there is a high risk of bacterial growth and inflammation.

Installation Features:

inspection of the cavity after the intervention, the fragments must be completely removed, as they can cause inflammation and the appearance of pus;
the turunda is tightly inserted into the hole, filling the cavity;
The turunda is bitten to eliminate the remaining free voids.

The turunda remains in the hole for the entire time recommended by the doctor; you cannot remove the gauze yourself earlier. In case of inflammatory processes, the tampon is impregnated with medications. It is placed in the hole for one to two weeks, during which it cannot be removed. During normal removal, the gauze swab remains in the hole for no more than twenty to thirty minutes.

Attention: Turunda cannot be kept in the hole for a very long time, as it will become a source of proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Also, a tampon left for a long time prevents the formation of clots at the operation site.

After removing the gauze, you need to make sure that bleeding does not start. This situation often occurs if the patient is taking any blood-thinning medications.

There are no special contraindications to the use of turunda, however, the patient should not have allergic reactions to the iodoform used for impregnation and other materials used for treatment. The doctor must conduct a preliminary test. If there are no rashes or itching, turunda can be used to stop bleeding and protect the wound. If allergic reactions occur, other methods are used, for example, sterile bandages.

How soon can you eat after tooth extraction?

Most often, patients are interested in when they can eat after tooth extraction and what food is best to eat. You can safely eat after 2 hours, but on the same side (where the tooth was removed) it is not advisable to chew anything dense or hard in the first days after extraction. This is necessary in order not to injure the fresh blood clot in the socket of the extracted tooth.

You can drink water immediately after tooth extraction. As for food, if you still can’t wait 2 hours, then you can absolutely safely drink a glass of kefir or eat yogurt right away. In general, there is no ban on any specific foods; it is only necessary that the prepared food be soft in the first days (for example, if there is meat, then it must be cured).

Recommendations after tooth extraction and other oral surgeries

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Recommendations for patients

Recommendations after tooth extraction and other oral surgeries

We wish health and prosperity to you and your family!

To ensure the healing process after surgery proceeds smoothly and quickly, please follow these recommendations:

1. The tampon should be removed from the oral cavity 20-30 minutes after tooth extraction, unless the doctor gives you other recommendations (depending on the characteristics of your body).

2. Do not eat for 2-3 hours after tooth extraction. You can drink it after about 1 hour.

3. In the next 2-3 days after surgery, exclude rough, spicy, and hot foods from your diet. Failure to comply with this requirement can lead to the blood clot being washed out of the socket, becoming infected and causing severe pain.

4. Do not remove medications that the doctor places in the socket of an extracted tooth. Do not touch the tooth extraction site with your tongue or other foreign objects. Under no circumstances should you rinse the socket of an extracted tooth or try to pull something out of it yourself; you should also not use ointments or lotions.

5. After surgery, minor bleeding may be observed for 1-2 days. If significant bleeding occurs, contact your doctor immediately.

6. Edema of varying severity is an inevitable consequence of surgical intervention and goes away on its own starting from the 4th day after surgery. To prevent swelling, you can apply a cold compress to the face from the side of the extracted tooth - in the first 20 minutes after removal.

7. Before and after surgery (tooth extraction), you must take medications in accordance with your doctor’s recommendations. When taking medications, you should not drink alcoholic beverages or other medications without consulting your doctor.

8. For 3 days after surgery, it is necessary to reduce physical activity. Avoid running or high-impact activities. You cannot sunbathe, visit the solarium, swimming pool, bathhouse or sauna, or take a hot bath.

9. In the first 3 days after surgery, to maintain hygiene, carefully rinse your mouth with warm water after each meal. When brushing your teeth, be careful not to damage the tissue in the surgical area.

10. Be sure to consult a doctor if you: pain intensifies and/or persists for more than 12 hours; if there is a putrid odor from the mouth; if the swelling increases and/or persists for more than 3 days; one or more stitches are lost, etc.

11. If there are stitches, the dentist will remove them during your follow-up visit in 3-10 days.

12. Be sure to visit the doctor at the appointed time.

If the above recommendations are not followed, the clinic declines responsibility for the result of surgical treatment and the possibility of developing any postoperative complications.

Apply cold to prevent swelling -

What to do after tooth extraction to prevent the development of swelling... As soon as you come home, your first actions are to take ice or a piece of frozen meat from the freezer, wrap it in a towel and apply it to your cheek in the projection of the extracted tooth (24stoma.ru). This is necessary to avoid or reduce possible swelling of the soft tissues of the face that may develop (especially if the removal was difficult).

It is necessary to hold the ice 3-4 times for 5 minutes, with an interval of 5-10 minutes between each approach. It makes sense to keep ice only in the first hours after removal, then it is useless. But heating and applying heat is strictly forbidden, because... In this case, suppuration is guaranteed.

Important: if you want to avoid the development of swelling of the soft tissues of the face as much as possible, then in addition to using cold, be sure to take antihistamines (anti-allergic) medications in the first 2-3 days after removal. This group of drugs also has a good anti-edematous effect. Suprastin is especially suitable: 1 tablet per day before bed (for 2-3 days).

Routine and nutrition after tooth extraction

The diet after tooth extraction is followed for about a week while tissue restoration occurs. The most serious restrictions apply to the first hours; later the requirements become less stringent.

After tooth extraction, you can eat 2-3 hours later, drink immediately after removing the gauze swab. Recommendations for what to eat after tooth extraction:

Soft products to prevent mechanical damage to the socket. The first day after tooth extraction, liquid food is indicated, then minced meat dishes, purees, and soups are also allowed.
Warm dishes at a comfortable temperature. Excessively hot or cold foods may cause recurrent bleeding.

Also good prevention after tooth extraction is chewing food on the side opposite to the removed unit, which preserves the protective blood clot intact.

Is it possible to drink alcohol after tooth extraction?

Due to the stress they have experienced, many patients separately ask whether it is possible to drink alcohol after tooth extraction. In general, drinking alcohol is contraindicated during the first 24 hours after removal, but if the doctor has prescribed antibiotics, then alcohol should not be taken during the entire course of antibiotic therapy (i.e. 5-7 days).

If antibiotics were not prescribed, then, of course, a small amount of weak alcohol is unlikely to cause any consequences. But large doses can lead to the fact that the hole may begin to bleed again, or a hematoma may appear.

How can you rinse your mouth after wisdom tooth removal?

No frills are needed here: a regular warm saline solution is suitable for rinsing. Simply dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of water. Do not buy mouthwashes in the store: they contain substances that will irritate the wound.

The doctor may also give other recommendations after wisdom tooth removal:

In the first three days, you cannot keep your head below the level of your heart. You cannot lie down so that your head is at the same level as your body. You need to sleep in a half-sitting position. Otherwise, the flow of blood to the head will increase bleeding from the wound.
Do not drink through a straw, do not spit, do not whistle, or blow on hot food. All of this can cause the blood clot that has formed at the site of the extracted tooth to dislodge, causing a condition known as dry socket. At the same time, healing slows down and an unpleasant odor occurs.
In the first 24 hours, you can apply ice or a towel soaked in cool water to your face. This will help reduce bleeding and swelling of the face.
Avoid physical activity. Do not lift heavy bags. This may cause the blood clot to fall out of the socket.

What not to do after tooth extraction -

What absolutely cannot be done after tooth extraction...

for the first 1-2 days, you should not take a hot bath (a warm shower is fine), or sleep lying on the side of the extracted tooth - all this will contribute to the appearance of swelling,
visit the pool or sauna during the week,
engage in heavy labor (to avoid bleeding),
picking at the wound with foreign objects, tongue,
open your mouth wide and make active facial movements, because if stitches were placed, they may come apart,
do not take aspirin as a pain reliever (it thins the blood and thereby promotes bleeding and bruising),
You should not rinse your mouth intensively in the first 2-3 days, because intensive rinsing can lead to a blood clot falling out of the socket (this will certainly lead to its inflammation).

Basic rules of oral hygiene after tooth extraction

In order to prevent possible complications after the procedure, you need to strictly follow the rules of oral hygiene.

Two to three days after tooth extraction, the mouth can be rinsed with a soda solution. It is diluted in the ratio of one teaspoon of soda to one glass of warm water. You can also rinse with other means that help faster healing, for example, Chlorhexidine. Rinsing should be done very carefully, as it can damage the integrity of the blood clot that has formed in the hole. Gentle rinsing is carried out by drawing a solution into the oral cavity. After this, you just need to hold the solution in your mouth for a while and then spit it out. This rinse will not harm the blood clot.
Rinsing is necessary to prevent infection or food particles from entering the wound, which can cause suppuration.

There are a number of symptoms that indicate the presence of complications in the postoperative period. Among them:

pain that does not subside for several days after the procedure. In the presence of such pain, even various painkillers cannot help;
the patient notes continuous bleeding from the wound. In this case, the blood has a bright scarlet hue;
The patient’s body temperature rises and remains for 24 hours after the tooth extraction procedure;
slight swelling of the cheek after the procedure develops into severe swelling that spreads over the entire side of the face. The patient feels weak and drowsy;
pus is leaking from the wound or the area around the wound has begun to darken. In this case, after a few days the patient experiences a persistent putrid odor from the mouth;
the dentition may become mobile;
divergence of applied sutures.

Important ! If the patient notices any of the listed symptoms, in this case it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. If such complications are left unattended, they will soon develop into more serious pathologies that can threaten not only the patient’s health, but also his life.

Painkillers –

If the extraction was simple, you may not need pain relief after tooth extraction. But if you want to completely prevent the appearance of pain, then it is better to take a strong tablet analgesic even before the anesthesia wears off (which one is better to choose - see the link, but remember that after removal you cannot take aspirin).

Sometimes the pain is very severe. As a rule, this happens if the removal was performed by a doctor in a very traumatic way or if inactive bone fragments were left behind. The pain is most severe when the doctor used a drill to drill out the bone, and water cooling was not used (this leads to necrosis of bone tissue as a result of overheating).

Important: numerous studies show that the severity of pain after tooth extraction is reduced by an average of 30-50% if the doctor places sutures on the socket of the extracted tooth. In addition, bringing the edges of the mucous membrane together by applying sutures helps protect the blood clot from loss and injury, sharply reduces the risk of developing inflammation of the socket, and almost completely eliminates the occurrence of bleeding.

After a simple simple extraction, most dental surgeons very rarely use sutures. I can recommend for the future - always before removal, ask your surgeon to put 1-2 stitches on you, even if the removal is simple, and even if you have to pay an extra 300-400 rubles for it. As a rule, sutures do not have to be removed (they dissolve on their own), but they will reduce pain and reduce the risk of complications.

What to do if bleeding increases

If such situations arise, it is recommended to take a sterile bandage, form it into a ball and apply it to the wound. Then you need to clench your jaw tightly. The resulting mechanical pressure will help stop bleeding.

If the described manipulations are ineffective, you must:

Moisten the bandage with hydrogen peroxide.
Apply it to the wound without pressing.
Repeat the procedure 2 – 3 times.

If all of these methods are ineffective, the patient is advised to consult a doctor for suturing.

Proper wound care after tooth extraction contributes to the patient’s rapid recovery. Later, he must definitely visit a dental clinic to evaluate his condition.

Antiseptic rinses/baths –

Remember that you should not rinse your mouth vigorously during the first few days after removal, because... you can easily rinse the blood clot out of the socket. Food will constantly accumulate in a hole without a clot and rot there, causing inflammation and pain. It is better to replace rinses with baths (pour an antiseptic solution into your mouth, hold it and spit it out, or lightly “squelch” it).

When are antiseptic baths necessary?

if the tooth was removed due to inflammation,
an incision was made on the gum to expose the gumboil,
if you have teeth with untreated caries or dental plaque, infection in which can lead to suppuration of a blood clot.

Antiseptic baths are best done with an aqueous solution of Chlorhexidine 0.05-0.12%. This drug has a pronounced antiseptic effect and is slightly bitter in taste. Baths should be done 3 times a day (keep the solution in your mouth for about 1 minute each time).

Antibiotics after tooth extraction –

Antibiotics after tooth extraction should be prescribed by a dental surgeon and not taken independently. An antibiotic for tooth extraction is always prescribed in situations where -

the tooth was removed due to inflammation,
it was difficult to remove
there is a risk of complications.

Amoxiclav after tooth extraction is one of the most effective and popular drugs among dental surgeons, because it has affinity for bone tissue. Adults need Amoxiclav 625 mg (each tablet contains amoxicillin 500 mg and clavulanic acid 125 mg). The drug is taken 2 times a day for 5 to 7 days. But we DO NOT RECOMMEND taking this drug, because... immediately in 10-25% of patients - it causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Follow the link above to read a review article on the use of antibiotics in dentistry.

Reduce the risk of developing diarrhea when taking Amoxiclav or Augmentin - if you combine it with taking Metronidazole (Trichopol). This combination is not only safer in terms of diarrhea, but also significantly enhances the antibacterial effect. The antibiotic Metronidazole is especially effective against anaerobic bacteria and protozoa, which are especially numerous in chronic purulent inflammation (for example, in the area of the roots of teeth), while Amoxiclav and Augmentin do not have a clinically significant effect on protozoa.

But the risk of diarrhea will be lowest when using fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Among the antibiotics of this group, we especially highlight the combination drugs “Tsiprolet-A” or “Tsifran-ST”, which in addition to 500 mg of ciprofloxacin also contain 600 mg of tinidazole. Fluoroquinolones themselves cause diarrhea in only 1-2% of cases, but the above drugs also contain tinidazole (an analogue of metronidazole). Tinidazole also has antiprotozoal activity, i.e. it will be effective against anaerobic microorganisms, including Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens, which are responsible for the development of diarrhea while taking antibiotics,

Important: because These antibiotics are not cheap - as an alternative, we will also indicate such a drug as the usual “Tsiprolet”, which contains only ciprofloxacin (without tinidazole). This antibiotic costs only 90 rubles per pack, but it is slightly less effective for purulent inflammation than the antibiotics Tsiprolet-A or Tsifran-ST.

Another antibiotic that everyone knows about is Lincomycin 0.25 (taken 2 capsules 3 times a day, usually 5 days). This is an inexpensive, moderately effective drug, but it kills all life in the intestines due to poor bioavailability (only 30% of the drug is absorbed from the intestines if taken on an empty stomach, and only 6% when taken with food). Therefore, it may turn out that, having bought a cheap antibiotic, you will then have to “expensively” restore the intestinal microflora.

How to reduce the risk of diarrhea after taking antibiotics -

Of course, parallel intake of probiotics (i.e., drugs that contain bacteria beneficial to our intestines) can help you with this. There are a large number of probiotics, but the best of them are Linex and Bifiform. Keep in mind that it is better to choose multicomponent preparations that contain several types of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics may contain lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, enterococci, and their combinations.

Probiotic Bifiform (30 capsules) –

Specifics of socket care after tooth extraction

After a surgical operation to remove a tooth, the dentist must give the patient recommendations on how to care for the oral cavity during the recovery period. These tips will depend on the specifics of the extraction procedure, which tooth was removed, and alternative factors. This is the key to rapid healing of the hole after the tooth extraction procedure and the absence of complications. But there are a number of recommendations that are common to all patients after tooth extraction surgery:

It is forbidden to pull out the turunda. After the operation, the doctor applies a bandage to the hole. Most often, it needs to be kept for half an hour, but in some cases, for example, after removing an impacted wisdom tooth, the turunda is applied for 7-14 days. The bandage is required to prevent bleeding that may open from the post-operative wound. Turunda with the drug also promotes rapid healing of the hole, therefore it is impossible to remove the bandage earlier than the prescribed time;
Do not rinse your mouth. Depending on the type of intervention, a medical specialist may prohibit or, conversely, recommend rinsing the mouth. If there is a need to rinse, the patient needs to draw a treatment solution into the oral cavity and tilt his head in the desired direction. The solution will flow to the right place on its own; you just need to hold it in your mouth for a while and spit it out. With active rinsing, rejection of a blood clot formed in the socket may occur. This can lead to pain and increase the duration of the recovery period;
It is not recommended to endure pain. A few hours after the operation, the anesthesia wears off, and the patient begins to feel pain and discomfort, which makes no sense to endure. The patient should discuss appropriate pain medications with their healthcare provider;
use of medications. In some cases, after tooth extraction, a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended to avoid complications. It should be remembered that along with the use of antibiotics, the intake of beneficial bifidobacteria is required.

You should stop drinking alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, as this can lead to bleeding from the socket and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. In addition, smoking patients experience a significant slowdown in the healing process.

It is necessary to adhere to a healthy and calm lifestyle after the operation, not to create a vacuum in the oral cavity and to perform proper and careful brushing of the teeth (without cleaning out the healing socket).

If there is blood coming from the hole -

There are several effective methods to stop bleeding.
Most often, the wound bleeds in people who have high blood pressure (hypertension). However, a rise in blood pressure can be triggered in completely healthy people due to psychological stress. The first thing to do is to apply a tightly twisted swab of sterile bandage to the wound, and then immediately measure the pressure. And if it is elevated, take the appropriate drug. For more information on how to stop bleeding, read the article: → “How to stop bleeding from a tooth socket at home”

If you have high blood pressure -

If you regularly measure your blood pressure, if it is higher than normal, take the appropriate medication. Otherwise, there is a very high risk of bleeding or hematoma formation. The first can lead to weakness and dizziness, and the formation of a hematoma is fraught with its suppuration and the need to open it.

If you have diabetes -

If you have a device for determining blood sugar, it is advisable to immediately measure your sugar. The stress of removal contributes to the release of adrenaline, the concentration of which largely determines blood sugar levels. This will help you prevent feeling unwell.

Removing sutures after removal –

After tooth extraction, the sutures are usually removed no later than 7-8 days. However, removal of sutures may not be necessary if, for example, catgut is used as a suture material. This material dissolves on its own within 10 days. When you see that the seams are very loose, you can simply remove them with clean fingers.

Treatment of teeth after extraction –

It is advisable to continue treatment after tooth extraction no earlier than 7 days later. If the removal was difficult, then sometimes it may take up to 14 days. This is due to the fact that carious teeth contain a lot of pathogenic infection, which, when drilling a tooth, can easily get into a blood clot and lead to suppuration.

How long should iodoform turunda remain in the hole?

The tampon is installed by a doctor. It should not be removed earlier than 15–20 minutes after removal. If the cotton wool falls out, you should return to the dental office and ask for a new one. The tampon must be removed after the bleeding has completely stopped.

Extraction is often accompanied by pain and discomfort. To prevent the development of inflammation, the hole is closed with a cotton swab.

After removing a unit, it is recommended to remove the cotton wool after at least a quarter of an hour. If you have hypertension - after 40 minutes.

There are situations when, before removing a tooth, the dentist has to drill it out of the hole or cut the gum. This is accompanied by increased bleeding. In such cases, the duration of use of the tampon increases to half an hour.

However, you should also not keep the tampon in the wound for longer than expected.
Optimally - no more than an hour. Blood accumulated on the material can become a breeding ground for microorganisms that live in the oral cavity. Their reproduction can lead to inflammation of the postoperative wound.

Dentist

Novikova Olga Alexandrovna

8 years of experience

If the patient suffers from hypertension, then he may need about 40 minutes of using the turunda to stop the bleeding. This is due to a blood clotting disorder. It is possible that the patient will have to take an antihypertensive drug.

What should a socket of an extracted tooth normally look like?

As you will see below, the blood clot after tooth extraction first has an intense burgundy color. Gradually, the surface of the clot becomes whitish/yellowish (this is normal, because fibrin effusion occurs). Normally, the blood clot should be dense the next day. If the clot becomes loose, this means it has disintegrated, and you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of inflammation of the socket in order to consult a doctor in time.

What does the gum look like after tooth extraction (normal) –

Oral care after tooth extraction –

The oral cavity requires careful care after tooth extraction. Teeth should be brushed as usual, including the group of teeth in the area of the extracted tooth. The latter are simply cleaned more carefully so as not to injure the blood clot. You also need to carefully rinse your mouth from foam so as not to rinse the clot out of the hole.

You also need to care for your gums after tooth extraction (antiseptic baths, which we described above, are sufficient for this). But the lack of proper hygiene will cause the accumulation of soft microbial plaque, which is fraught with suppuration of the hole and the development of alveolitis. We hope that the article on the topic: Tooth pulled out, what to do - was useful to you!

Sources:

1. Dental education of the author of the article, 2. Based on personal experience as a dental surgeon, 3. National Library of Medicine (USA), 4. “Outpatient surgical dentistry” (Bezrukov V.), 5. “Propaedeutics of surgical dentistry” (Soloviev M.).

Antibiotics and other drugs after wisdom tooth removal

Antibacterial drugs are prescribed only in cases where there has been an infection in the oral cavity or after an intervention there is a high risk of infection.

You can numb a wisdom tooth after removal with regular painkillers, such as ibuprofen. But don't rush to take the pill. Sometimes an ice pack helps relieve pain. If you still cannot do without medication, you can start with half a tablet.

If, even after taking the full dose indicated in the annotation, the pain does not go away for a long time and increases, you should consult a doctor: perhaps he will prescribe stronger drugs.