How to Deal with Excruciating Pain after Tooth Extraction

Pain after a tooth extraction is standard. Unfortunately, the discomfort disrupts your everyday routine besides distracting you from your routine obligations. For example, you might feel discomfort for several days after undergoing dental surgeries to extract a wisdom tooth.

The dentist Hackensack, NJ, recommends techniques to ensure a smooth and comfortable recovery after tooth removal. In addition, they are available to provide instructions to manage your oral hygiene during your recovery, including providing at-home tips to help you manage the discomfort after tooth removal.

Is Pain Standard after Tooth Removal?

After undergoing tooth extraction in Hackensack, NJ, your gums need some time to recover. Sensitivity or pain at the extraction site is standard for 24 to 72 hours. However, you will notice an improvement after three days. Unfortunately, if the pain worsens, you can call the dentist for advice.

Managing Pain after Tooth Extraction

Managing pain after tooth removal differs for every individual. However, you can try various methods to help you release pain as your mouth recovers. Use the tips and suggestions mentioned in this article to ease pain levels and return to your routine faster.

Over-The-Counter Painkillers

You can ease the discomfort you experience using over-the-counter as many people do. The medications help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. However, if you experience excruciating pain, your dentist might prescribe more potent painkillers.

Ice Packs

Ice packs can help reduce swelling and numb the area. When using ice, do not apply it directly to your skin. Instead, wrap it in towels and hold it against your cheeks for no longer than 15 minutes. You can repeat the application after a gap of 15 minutes and continue doing so for the next 24 hours after tooth extraction.

Get Plenty of Rest

Your body recovers best when resting. Therefore after tooth removal, do not jump into your regular activities or indulge in strenuous exercises for fear of dislodging the blood clot. Instead, get at least 24 hours of rest after tooth removal, remaining patient with the healing process.

Rinse With Saltwater

Managing dental care around the extraction site becomes challenging after tooth removal. While you can brush and floss your teeth must remain cautious near the extraction site to ensure you don’t dislodge the blood clot. You can use salt water rinses, mixing a cup of water with half a teaspoon of salt to rinse with it the day after the extraction. Saltwater rinses help prevent infections, and warm water can ease your discomfort.

Keeping Yourself Nourished

Having a tooth removed doesn’t require you to fast and remain hungry. Instead, you must avoid crunchy and hard foods even as you experience pain and sensitivity after tooth extraction. You can shop ahead of time for food products like yogurt, soup, mashed potatoes, applesauce, pudding, and Jell-O. You can include solid foods like rice and cooked vegetables before returning to your regular diet as you recover.

Refrain from Smoking and Having Alcohol

Chemicals from tobacco can delay your healing process, making you prone to infections. Therefore you must stop smoking at least 24 hours before tooth extraction and refrain from smoking until after a week after tooth removal. Better still, you help yourself by quitting the habit altogether because it harms your dental and overall health.

Alcohol also delays recovery and is best avoided after tooth removal, especially if your dentist prescribes stronger medications to manage your pain.

Managing Oral Care

You will find it challenging to brush around the extraction site with the blood clot in place because you must make every effort to ensure it doesn’t dislodge. However, while maintaining dental hygiene, you can brush around the extraction site gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush because dislodging the blood clot results in a dry socket, causing more pain and needing treatments from the dentist.

What If the Pain Continues after 72 Hours?

If your discomfort continues after 72 hours, contact the dental office that performed the tooth extraction. You might have an infection or other complication in your mouth that needs attention from a dental professional.

Tooth extractions are never pleasant but become necessary due to infections, diseases, injuries, et cetera. Pain after a tooth extraction is expected, and dentists recommend medications and provide after-care tips to help you recover quickly without significant discomfort.

If you have recently undergone tooth removal or are scheduled for the procedure at Roman Dental Arts, rest assured you will receive the after-care instructions needed to recover smoothly.