4 Simple Ways You Can Make Tooth Extractions Easier For Yourself
Tooth extraction can be an extremely worrisome process that many people do not look forward to. Despite being painless during the initial extraction, tooth extractions are notorious for being painful as well as being troublesome to look after.
On the other hand, the better you look after your mouth, the faster it will heal and you can begin to use your teeth like you normally would. For this reason, the following are a few ways that you can follow to make tooth extractions easier for yourself.
- Full Disclosure of Medical History
Before you begin any tooth extractions, you need to give your dentist full disclosure of your previous medical history. While this is a process that is completely harmless, there is a possibility of an infection spreading in your blood stream. To counter this, you will be kept on medication that can prove to be harmful if you have the following conditions:
- An impaired or compromised immune system
- Cirrhosis – Liver disease
- Hip replacement or an artificial joint
- Bacterial endocarditis
- Congenital defect in the heart
- An artificial, man-made or damaged valve in the heart.
Based on your medical history, your dentist can best recommend a mode of treatment that can help make tooth extractions extremely easy for you.
- Changing the Gauze Pad
When the dentist places a gauze pad on your extracted tooth, be sure to bite down on it to ensure it stays secure. Be gentle and keep it in for at least 3 or 4 hours so that a clot can form over the area. Keep an eye on the gauze pad and be sure to change it if it fills up with blood. Be sure to clean it and replace it after every 3 or 4 hours in order to keep your gums clean and free of infection.
- Using a Disinfecting Rinse
Once the clot is formed, do not disturb it for almost 24 hours. After this time period, make a salt solution to rinse your mouth with. You can either make this at home or use some other disinfecting rinse that your dentist might recommend for you. This helps to clean the area and reduce chances of infection. Do not rinse with force otherwise you could end up causing more harm by slowing down the healing process by dislodging the clot that has formed.
- Stick to a Soft, Cool Food Diet
It’s a known fact that with tooth extractions, you’re going have to give up solid food for quite some time. Ice cream is a general favorite since it is cold enough to sooth the pain and swelling and soft enough to be eaten with ease. Depending on the swelling as well as the healing process, this could take a few weeks or up to a month. Keep soft, cool foods the main part of your diet with shakes, juices and soups. Slowly progress to more semi-solid foods such as yogurt and custard and others like them. Be sure to reintroduce solid food into your diet slowly, as the extracted area heals.