Impacted tooth: Tooth ‘impaction’ is when a tooth (usually a wisdom tooth) gets stuck in the gums or jaw. This can cause pain and swelling, or damage to neighbouring teeth.
Tooth decay: The build-up of bacteria known as plaque and tartar on your teeth can cause irreparable damage – leading to pain and infection, and sometimes requiring the removal of the decayed teeth.
Gum disease: Gum disease, like tooth decay, comes from a build-up of bad bacteria in the mouth and can cause further complications (such as tooth decay, infection, swelling, bad breath and receding gums).
Overcrowding: Sometimes teeth come in when the jaw is still too small. This overcrowding of too many teeth in one place can cause teeth to become crooked, sometimes so much so it requires the removal of one or more of them.
Injury: Accidents and trauma to the face can easily damage your teeth. If this happens, and the damage is severe enough, the broken teeth may need to come out so as to not cause further harm.
Learn more: Tooth extractions
Will a tooth extraction hurt?
You may experience some discomfort during tooth extraction surgery. However, anaesthetic is used to numb the area to minimise the chance that you will feel pain. That said, you will likely start to feel pain after the tooth extraction and for a number of days.
What level of pain is ‘normal’?
After tooth extraction surgery, it’s common to feel throbbing in the extraction area (known as the ‘socket’) as well as sensitivity. This is perfectly normal, and your dentist will likely prescribe some pain relief to help you minimise discomfort.
The amount of pain and length of recovery time depend on which tooth was extracted. For example, an impacted wisdom tooth is likely to require a complicated extraction, which may cause a higher degree of lasting pain.
When to see a dentist:
Severe, worsening or sudden pain.
Continued pain after three days.
You can see the exposed (dry) socket (see below).
Noticeable bad breath.
Pain spreading to your temple, neck, eye or ear.
If you experience these symptoms, call Kowhai Dental on 09 430 0707 or book an appointment online as soon as you can so we can help.
How long will the pain last?
Most people find tooth extraction pain passes after three days, however this can vary from patient to patient. If you still feel pain after three to five days, consider booking back in with your dentist for a follow-up appointment.
Why
does tooth extraction pain hurt more at night?
It’s normal to feel more dental pain of any kind at night. When we lie down, more blood and other fluids travel to our heads. This can increase swelling in a sensitive, healing area like an extraction socket, creating more pain.
To reduce this sensation, use pillows to prop up your head as you sleep.
If you find that the throbbing and sensitivity of your extraction site is too uncomfortable, there are some steps you can take at home:
Over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen can help manage aches, as well as swelling and inflammation.Hold a cold compress (such as an ice pack wrapped in a towel) to the side of your cheek to further help with swelling.
When the swelling has gone down, a warm compress may be soothing.
Prop your head up with pillows when lying down.
Eat soft, cold foods for the first couple of days.
Swish your mouth with salt water four to five times a day, for five days following your surgery. But, wait at least one day before starting.
To speed up your recovery, be sure to follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions carefully and don’t overexert yourself.
Yes, as with all types of surgery there is a degree of infection risk within the first few days. However, it is easily avoided with proper aftercare.
Common signs of tooth extraction site infection:
Discharge, e.g. pus.
Increased swelling.
Bleeding that lasts more than 24 hours.
Persistent fever.
Difficulty opening your mouth.
Acute bad breath.
What does a socket look like when healing?
Within the first day after your tooth extraction, a blood clot should form inside the socket to protect the open wound and prevent bleeding. You should then see a gelatinous tissue form over the blood clot (known as ‘granulation tissue’), which is your body’s way of protecting the clot while the jaw bone heals.
It will take several weeks for the bone to fully heal. However, most people feel more or less back to normal within a few days.
What to
do: Immediately after surgery
Immediately after surgery, the local anaesthetic will be wearing off and a blood clot will be trying to form. The biggest things to consider here are helping the blood clot and taking it easy so you don’t cause yourself pain.
Bite on the gauze pad your dentist gives you for at least an hour after the surgery.
Take prescribed pain relief as directed.
Avoid brushing or rinsing for the next 24 hours.
Try not to suck or spit – that means avoiding straws, avoiding smoking, and letting toothpaste fall out of your mouth – so you don’t spit it out. This is to ensure you do not accidentally dislodge the blood clot and increase the risk of dry socket (see below).
Avoid hard, sharp, granular (i.e. seeds and crumbly foods) or hot foods. They can all cause pain, damage, or get stuck in the socket.
Avoid chewing near the exposed socket.
Avoid vigorous exercise.
What to do: Up to three days after surgery
After 24 hours, up to three days, you’ll be in the most important period of healing for your extraction site. While you can start to brush your teeth again, you’ll still need to avoid activity that may harm the socket or dislodge the blood clot.
Continue to avoid strenuous activity.
Continue to avoid hard or granular foods, and try not to chew near the exposed socket.
Start to brush and floss your teeth properly, but avoid brushing vigorously (especially around the extraction site). If you normally use an electric toothbrush, you may want to swap to a regular one for a few days.
Keep the extraction site clean. Rinsing with salt water as described above can be of big help to keeping the extraction site clean while fighting inflammation.
Continue to avoid sucking and spitting.
What to do: Beyond three days
From three days onwards you can start to slowly reintroduce your regular habits back into your life, depending on how your mouth feels.
You may wish to avoid hard or granular foods for a bit longer, as they can stab the wound and get stuck in the socket.
Start slow with exercise and slowly work up, so you understand what will or won’t cause pain. You may also find you need to keep propping your head up at night.
Learn more: How to brush your teeth after wisdom tooth removal
Managing dry socket
What is dry socket?
Dry socket is a painful condition that can happen following a tooth extraction. It occurs when a blood clot fails to develop, becomes dislodged or dissolves before the extraction wound has a chance to heal.
A blood clot is necessary for healing following an extraction because it protects the underlying bone and nerve endings in the empty socket. When the clot fails, the exposed nerve endings can cause severe pain not just in the socket, but radiating across the side of your face. It also increases the risk of infection.
Learn more: Dry socket
Symptoms of dry socket
Intense pain radiating from the socket to your ear, eye, temple or neck.
A visible socket (partial or total loss of blood clot).
Acute halitosis (bad breath).
A deeply unpleasant taste in your mouth.
Food or debris accumulating in the empty socket.
Acute swelling around the socket.
Slight fever.
What does dry socket look like?
It may not be possible to see a dry socket, especially if it’s far back in the mouth. However, if you are able to see the extraction site, ideally what you would see is a noticeable blood clot at its centre. If the socket appears white in colour, you may be viewing exposed bone – in which case, the clot has failed.
In the case of an infected dry socket, you may also notice black, green or yellow discolouration in and around the socket.
Dry socket must be treated by a dentist, as you will typically need the site cleaned, medicated and dressed. Your dentist may also prescribe pain relief relative to the severity of your pain.
What to expect during your consultation
When you come to see us for pain or dry socket following a dental extraction, we’ll examine the wound for signs of a blood clot, infection or debris.
If dry socket has occurred, your dentist will usually irrigate the wound to remove debris and apply a medicated dressing. This dressing often provides immediate relief and will likely need replacing every fews days until recovery is complete.
Where dry socket hasn’t occurred, we may provide stronger pain relief to assist your comfortable recovery, or investigate further if we have cause for concern.
Making an appointment is easy: