How Much Time Do You Need after Tooth Extractions to Become Pain-Free?

Tooth extractions among adults are typical for various reasons. You may think tooth extractions are challenging even for dentists to perform. Fortunately, improvements in anesthetics, instruments, and dental techniques have made tooth removal surprisingly not challenging at all. This article provides a breakdown of what you must know in the weeks following the process to ensure you recover successfully without undergoing a great deal of discomfort.

Reasons for Tooth Removal

Tooth removal is the extraction of a tooth from its socket performed by dentists or oral surgeons for various reasons. They are:

• Damaged Teeth: if you have a broken or severely fractured tooth that your dentist considers irreparable, they will likely recommend emergency tooth extraction to prevent the damaged tooth from creating additional complications in your mouth.
• Tooth Decay: Similarly, if tooth decay has affected your tooth, leaving it irreparable with dental fillings, root canals, or dental crowns, the dentist in 21046 recommends it is best for your oral health to have the tooth removed.
• Periodontal Disease: the buildup of plaque and bacteria beneath the gums causes gum disease. When left untreated, gum disease advances to periodontal disease, a severe condition. Periodontal disease erodes your gum tissue and bone. In addition, the situation loosens your teeth, compelling dentists to recommend their extraction.
• Crowded Teeth: If you have a tiny jaw incapable of accommodating all your teeth or if you have additional teeth, your dental professional may recommend extractions to eliminate overcrowding.

How Long Must You Endure Pain after Tooth Removal?

The procedure you underwent for tooth extraction determines how long you must endure the pain after the removal process.

Visible teeth removed in a straightforward procedure may cause discomfort for two to three days after the process. Simple extractions merely require local anesthesia to numb your mouth before it is pulled from its socket after loosening it with elevators.

Unfortunately, if you must undergo wisdom teeth removal, you must endure the pain for more time than visible tooth removal. This is because wisdom teeth removal requires a surgical process, and the number of teeth you have removed will determine how long you must endure the pain from the extraction. Therefore you may need several weeks, as mentioned by the American Association of oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Managing the Discomfort After Tooth Removal

Dentists and oral surgeons are professionals who understand the procedure you underwent will cause some discomfort after the anesthesia wears off. To help you manage the pain, the professionals recommend a prescription or over-the-counter medicines you can take as you begin feeling the discomfort. However, you must exercise caution and remain within the dosage recommended by the professionals without trying to exceed it to alleviate the pain in one go. Besides the above, our dentist near you also provides after-care instructions to ensure your recovery proceeds smoothly without significant challenges.

What Are the After-Care Instructions Provided by Dental Professionals?

First 48 Hours

You must follow the after-care instructions diligently during the initial 48 hours after tooth removal. The following tips help make the most of this time.

• Leave the gauze in place for a few hours to allow blood clot formation. After that, you can change it as required.
• Get rest for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
• Keep your head in an elevated position when lying down.
• You must avoid rinsing your mouth immediately after tooth removal because it can dislodge the blood clot formation delaying your healing time.
• You must avoid drinking hot liquids or alcohol and using a straw for drinking and spitting.
• If possible, do not blow your nose or sneeze.
• Use an ice pack on your cheeks for 20 minutes at a time to minimize swelling.

After 72 Hours

After blood clot formation has completed, you can take these straightforward precautions to prevent other issues until your gums have healed entirely.

• You can rinse your mouth with saline solutions or warm salt water to eliminate bacteria from your mouth.
• You can continue brushing and flossing using interdental brushes, avoiding cleaning your teeth near the extraction site.
• The dentist in Colombia, MD, recommends you have soft and nutritious foods that don’t require chewing. You can have foods like soups, applesauce, yogurt, protein shakes, milkshakes, et cetera. You must avoid nuts, candy, steak, or chewing on ice.

You can contact your dental professional if you experience pain after tooth extraction near you that increases instead of decreasing. If your blood clot dislodges or the bleeding does not improve, leading to a condition called dry socket, contact the dental professional for help. If you experience nausea, high fever, or pain spreading to the ear, don’t hesitate to request assistance from our Columbia dentist.

Generally, you can overcome the pain you experience or keep it under control by having the painkilling medications prescribed by the dentist. However, when you become pain-free depends on the extraction procedure you underwent and how many teeth you had removed from your mouth.