Your tooth extraction after-care routine will ensure a timely recovery with minimal discomfort. The main part is knowing how to clean your mouth after tooth extraction procedures so that the extraction site will heal properly.
Tooth Extraction After Care Instructions
You will need to know how to clean your mouth after tooth extraction/removal so that you don’t irritate the surgical site. Otherwise, you could run the risk of infection or dry socket.
For the first few days, you’ll want to rinse your mouth very gently with lukewarm saltwater. The saltwater will help with inflammation (which is one of the leading causes of tooth pain) while also rinsing away any residual food debris. Since you won’t be able to brush around the extraction site, it’s important to rinse every so often for the first several days.
It’s completely fine to brush other teeth in your mouth, as long as you stay away from the area where your tooth was removed. If you’ve recently had a tooth extraction in Vista, we might suggest not brushing that side of your mouth at all for at least a couple of days. Be slow and specific, so as not to accidentally slip with your toothbrush.
How to Clean Your Mouth After Wisdom Teeth Removal
The process of how to clean your mouth after wisdom teeth removal may be slightly different than another type of tooth extraction. In Vista, we may provide you with a special type of syringe to help irrigate the extraction sites after a set period of time passes. The irrigation syringe will help to flush out any food that’s settled down inside of your wisdom tooth sockets, which would lead to a painful infection, facial swelling, or fever.
When Can You Brush Your Teeth Again?
Be sure to avoid brushing your extraction site for at least a few days or up to a week, so as not to irritate the soft tissues that are closing up over the socket. Aside from rinsing and irrigation, you can brush your other teeth as soon as you’re comfortable doing so. Just don’t rush!
Knowing how to clean your mouth after tooth extraction surgery is important because we don’t want to irritate the blood clot inside of your extraction site. If it’s knocked loose or you rinse too vigorously, it will significantly delay your healing time.
After about a week, it will be safe to brush the teeth and gums in that area, but only very gently. Within two weeks you can go back to brushing and flossing more thoroughly or using your electric toothbrush.
Be Sure to Schedule a Follow-up Visit
Our Vista dentist will need to evaluate your extraction site to make sure everything is healing properly. Although infections and dry sockets are uncommon, we need to make sure everything looks just right. Sometimes medication is needed, especially if there’s any redness or swelling.
If we prescribe any medication, be sure to take it as directed. In some cases, we will prescribe an antibiotic as a preventative measure. Even if you feel completely fine, please be sure to take it until you’ve completed the full course of antibiotic therapy. Pain relievers are usually only needed for the first few days if that. Most of our patients do best with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen (Motrin).
Have Questions? We’re Just a Call Away
After your extraction, we’ll provide you with written home care instructions reviewing how to care for your extraction site and clean your mouth. We’ll also verbally discuss what you should do before you head back home. Even then, we know that any type of oral surgery can be a little distracting, which is why we will also call you to follow up later that day or the next.
If you’ve had a tooth or wisdom teeth removed and are experiencing any complications-or have questions about how to care for the extraction site-please call our office. Ivory Pointe Dentistry is always here to help.
