How long does extraction take to heal

Table of Contents Show

2. Eat a Soft Food Diet
3. Avoid Using a Straw or Smoking
4. Cold Therapy
5. Use Over-the-Counter Medications
6. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Visit TruBlu Dentistry for Compassionate Dental Care
Simple vs. Surgical Extraction
Recovery Time After Having Your Tooth Pulled
Can I Speed Up Healing Time After Getting a Tooth Pulled?
Take Medications as Directed
Keep the Area Clean as Directed by Your Dentist
Eat Soft Foods
Do Not Drink From a Straw, Smoke, or Vape
Avoid Strenuous Activity
How long does it take the hole to close after tooth extraction?
How can I make my tooth extraction heal faster?
Should I still have pain 5 days after tooth extraction?

If you have an impacted wisdom tooth or severely decayed tooth that cannot be saved, you may need a tooth extraction. A tooth extraction involves the surgical removal of the entire tooth under anesthesia, either local or general, depending on the tooth’s condition and the complexity of the extraction.

Although tooth extractions are a safe and simple procedure, the initial recovery period from surgery can take between one to two weeks. If you follow the right aftercare regime, you can speed up the recovery process.

1. Rest

It is crucial to get adequate rest after your tooth extraction. Avoid strenuous activity and any tasks that require you to bend over or lift heavy objects because this can increase the blood pressure in your head, leading to bleeding at the surgical site.

You can manage post-surgical swelling and bleeding by resting with your head elevated on a pillow. This allows lymph and blood to flow away from the extraction site, reducing inflammation and allowing you to heal faster.

2. Eat a Soft Food Diet

A nutrient-rich diet provides your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to promote cell renewal and wound healing. However, it is vital to avoid hard, crunchy, or chewy foods during your recovery to minimize irritation to the empty tooth socket.

Eating a soft food diet allows you to get the nutrition you need without damaging the soft tissue around your surgical site. For the first few days following your procedure, fruit smoothies, lukewarm blended soup or broth, yogurt, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, mashed avocado, and soft fish, like tilapia or Alaskan pollock are excellent and nutritious options.

3. Avoid Using a Straw or Smoking

Drinking through a straw or smoking creates negative pressure in your mouth, which can dislodge the blood clot that forms in the tooth’s socket. If the blood clot is dislodged, you are at risk of developing a painful health complication known as dry socket. Dry socket can lead to severe infections, deteriorate jaw bone, and damage nerves.

4. Cold Therapy

Post-surgical swelling can last for up to a week after your tooth extraction, peaking around day three. Excessive swelling can hinder the healing process, extending your recovery time.

Manage swelling by applying a cold pack to the affected side of your face intermittently for 15 minutes at a time. The cold not only slows blood flow to decrease swelling, but it also numbs the area, reducing your discomfort. Cold therapy is typically only effective for the first 48 hours after surgery.

5. Use Over-the-Counter Medications

Once the anesthesia from the extraction wears off, you may feel some discomfort at the surgical site. While the discomfort should pass after several days, you can manage painful symptoms with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.

Do not use medications for more than three days consecutively, and take the dosage recommended by the manufacturer. If the pain persists, it may be a symptom of an underlying issue, such as an infection or dry socket, and you should contact your dentist immediately.

6. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Although you can’t brush or floss the extraction site for one to two days after the procedure, you can remove food debris and prevent infection by rinsing with a salt water solution made with a teaspoon of table salt dissolved in a cup of warm water. Gently swish the solution in your mouth morning, evening, and after eating.

Continue to brush and floss your remaining teeth twice per day. But avoid rinsing with alcohol-based mouthwashes to prevent irritation to the tooth socket.

Visit TruBlu Dentistry for Compassionate Dental Care

If you need a tooth extraction, the dental team at TruBlu Dentistry can help. Our experienced dentists use the latest in comfortable, painless dental technology and provide detailed aftercare instructions to help you recover faster. Call our practice today to schedule your appointment.

Tooth extraction healing times can vary, but most people feel back to normal in a matter of days. In fact, you can typically return to work or school within one or two days but talk to your dentist to be sure.

Tooth extraction recovery will be different from person to person and will depend on many factors, such as the type of extraction you have, the reason for your extraction, how many teeth are removed, which teeth are extracted, and post-procedure care. Following your dentist’s instructions and reaching out with any questions can help you be sure to recover quickly from your tooth extraction.

Simple vs. Surgical Extraction

Although there are many levels of complexity when it comes to tooth extractions, there are two main types: simple and surgical extraction. Knowing the difference can help you understand why the recovery times can be different for each procedure.

A simple extraction is performed when the tooth is visible and easy to access, intact, and free from other complications. Simple extraction is a common procedure done in your dentist’s office. Your dentist will discuss anesthesia options with you, and often local anesthetic, such as numbing the area, is sufficient (remember-other options are available, and you should discuss them with your dentist). Your dentist will use a device known as an “elevator” to loosen the tooth and then use forceps to remove it.

A surgical extraction might be necessary in a more complicated case, such as when the tooth is impacted (below the gums), heavily decayed, or broken. Surgical extraction will usually be performed with additional anesthesia, such as conscious sedation. A small incision is made into the gum in order to gain better access to the tooth. Your dentist or oral surgeon will use forceps to remove the tooth. The incision may require closure, such as stitches.

In either case, the dentist will use gauze to put pressure on the site. A blood clot will form in the place where the tooth used to be (socket). This may sound scary, but it is a normal part of the healing process. It is important to follow aftercare instructions to prevent a “dry socket,” which may require additional healing time and cause discomfort.

Recovery Time After Having Your Tooth Pulled

You will likely be back to yourself after a simple extraction within a day or two. For a surgical extraction, it may take 48-72 hours to feel better. Your dentist may give you a prescription pain killer or recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever for this time period. It may take 1-2 weeks for the socket to heal, and you may have mild discomfort and need to stick to softer foods for that time, especially in the case of a surgical extraction. It is a good idea to limit strenuous physical activity for this time as well, as it can cause additional bleeding.

Can I Speed Up Healing Time After Getting a Tooth Pulled?

Following your dentist’s instructions is essential to recovering quickly from your tooth extraction, regardless of whether you had a simple or surgical extraction.

Take Medications as Directed

Your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infections. Always take antibiotics exactly as described, including finishing the prescribed doses as directed. Pain medication may also be prescribed or recommended by your dentist.

Keep the Area Clean as Directed by Your Dentist

Your dentist should give you thorough instructions on how to keep the extraction site clean, which can help prevent infection and promote healing.

Eat Soft Foods

You should stick to soft foods following your tooth extraction. Ask your dentist how long you should wait until resuming your normal diet.

Do Not Drink From a Straw, Smoke, or Vape

The suction created by smoking or drinking with a straw may compromise the blood clot that forms at the extraction site. Therefore, do not drink from a straw or smoke/vape for a few days following your extraction.

Avoid Strenuous Activity

Exercise or other strenuous activities should be avoided for the days immediately following your extraction. The exertion could increase the risk of bleeding.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to our office immediately. We are here to help, even after your extraction is complete.

How long does it take the hole to close after tooth extraction?

Within 14-21 days, the hole will close, and your gums will heal. Keep in mind that large teeth, like the back teeth and wisdom teeth removal, takes the longest to heal. After a month, your tooth hole should be completely healed, and there should be no spicules or indentations.

How can I make my tooth extraction heal faster?

6 Tips for Faster Recovery After a Tooth Extraction.

Rest. It is crucial to get adequate rest after your tooth extraction. ... .

Eat a Soft Food Diet. ... .

Avoid Using a Straw or Smoking. ... .

Cold Therapy. ... .

Use Over-the-Counter Medications. ... .

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene..

Should I still have pain 5 days after tooth extraction?

Having pain after your surgery is expected and common. Pain may last up to two weeks after surgery. It is highly recommended to take two Advil or Motrin immediately when you get home. Keep the narcotic pain medications for bedtime.