After your tooth extraction Dr. Grecco and staff will provide you with a set of aftercare instructions to follow to minimize the potential for any postoperative problems. In general, there will be instructions regarding things to do, and not to do, during the first 24 hours after your extraction and then another set of instructions (see below) regarding things to do, and not to do, after the initial 24 hour period has passed. Remember, following your post-op instructions during this first 24 hour period will set the stage for the healing in the days to come.
Some bleeding may occur for after your tooth extraction. In most cases, this bleeding can be effectively controlled by placing a piece of moist clean gauze over the empty tooth socket and then biting firmly on this gauze for 45 minutes to an hour. Make sure the gauze is positioned so that when you bite down it applies pressure directly onto the extraction site.
It is firm, constant pressure over a prolonged period of time (45 minutes or so) that makes the oozing stop.
If the bleeding seems to persist, a slightly moistened tea bag can be a very effective substitute for gauze. One of the components of tea (black tea, the regular stuff you would make iced tea from) is tannic acid and this can aid in the formation of blood clots. (Same instructions as above, just substitute the tea bag for the gauze.)
The blood clot that forms in the extraction socket is an important part of the healing process, so be careful not to do anything that will dislodge it.
You should avoid rinsing or spitting during the first 24 hours after your tooth extraction. Also, creating suction, such as that produced by using a straw or smoking, can dislodge the blood clot that has formed. Hot liquids will tend to dissolve blood clots, so stay away from hot coffee or soup.
The trauma created by the tooth extraction process may cause swelling. This swelling might present itself as a slight, minimally visible fullness to significant enlargement of facial tissues. In general, the more difficult the extraction the greater the expected swelling will be.
Swelling can be kept to a minimum by the use of ice. Position the ice on your face for 15 minutes, and then leave it off for the next 15 minutes. Repeat this cycle as you feel is necessary for up to 24 hours after the extraction.
Those people who smoke tend to have more complications with extraction site healing than people who don't, including the development of "dry sockets". If you can avoid smoking for the first 48 hours after your tooth extraction, it will be to your benefit.
For minor pain you can use a non-prescription drug such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil). You will need to read and follow the directions and warnings that accompany these products so you know that their use is appropriate for you and your circumstances.
If Dr. Grecco has prescribed prescription pain medication for you, make sure you read and adhere to the precautions and directions for this product. If you have any questions about your medicine, the manner in which it should be taken, or any problems associated with taking your medicine, please call Dr. Grecco at 209-824-7230.
Your prescription pain medication may contain a narcotic. Many narcotic pain medications will have a tendency to upset your stomach, so it is usually best to take them with food. Narcotics can also make you drowsy and you should limit your activities (driving, operating machinery, etc.). Please consult the information that came with your prescription medication for complete information.
Any antibiotics prescribed should be taken as directed. Failure to do so can lead to the development of bacterial resistance to the antibiotic.
To reduce the amount of bleeding which occurs, and to promote the formation of a blood clot in the tooth socket, avoid strenuous exercise or other such activities for 24 hours after surgery. When reclining, use an extra pillow to elevate your head.
After a difficult extraction a soft or liquid diet may be indicated for 24 hours. For simpler extractions, making sure that you do your chewing with teeth that are distant from the extraction site should be sufficient. Hot liquids will tend to dissolve the blood clot that has formed, so avoid them for the initial 24 hour period. You should minimize alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours after your extraction.
It is important to maintain good oral hygiene during the healing process. On the day of the extraction avoid brushing the teeth directly neighboring the extraction site. The next day you can resume cleaning these teeth in a gentle manner. During the first 24 hours after the extraction do not rinse vigorously when you clean your teeth because it might dislodge the newly formed blood clot. Do not rinse with mouthwash or a mouth rinse.
The cleaner you keep the extraction site (the hole in the bone where the tooth has been removed, also referred to as the tooth's socket) the quicker it will heal. Beginning 24 hours after your tooth extraction, you may gently rinse the area with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt in a cup of water) after meals and before bed. Do not use commercial mouth rinses as they may irritate the extraction site.
Dr. Grecco may have placed sutures ("stitches") in the extraction site after removing the tooth. Most sutures are resorbable and will dissolve away on their own although others will need to be removed. Dr. Grecco will want to remove stitches that don't resorb about a week or so after the extraction, so make sure you keep your post-op appointment. The process of removing stitches is usually very easy and quite painless.
Sometimes small fragments of dead bone (called a "sequestrum" [singular] or "sequestra" [plural]) will come to the surface of an extraction site during the healing process. This is more likely to occur in those cases where the tooth extraction has been relatively difficult. If the tooth broke or splintered during the extraction process, you may find that small shards of tooth may come to the surface of the extraction site, even some weeks after the socket seems to have healed. You may be able to remove the smallest of these splinters of bone or tooth on your own, or you may find that you require assistance in removing them.
After a tooth has been extracted there will be a hole left in your jawbone (the tooth's socket). As time passes the shape of this hole will smooth over and fill in with bone. While it may take many weeks or months for this healing process to occur fully, after 1 to 2 weeks the extraction site should be of only minor inconvenience to you.