HOME CARE FOLLOWING ORAL SURGERY and EXTRACTIONS
Below are very important steps to help reduce pain, bleeding and promote
good healing and prevent infections or dry socket.
1. Keep the gauze swab (where used) in place with pressure for at least 30
minutes.
Replace the gauze swab after that at least one more time.
2. DO NOT RINSE your mouth for at least 6 hours after the surgery.
After that only GENTLY with luke warm water with added salt or with the
prescribed mouthwash until the wound is healed.
Brush your teeth normally and keep an excellent oral hygiene.
Be cautious to avoid trauma to the wound or dislodgment of the clot
with the tooth brush.
3. Rest and/or sleep with your HEAD RAISED (extra pillow) for the first
night.
4. NO SMOKING until the wound is healed.
5. AVOID ALCOHOL during healing process.
6. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for the first week or until the
wound is healed.
➢ To minimize a possible swelling you may be advised to use an ice pack.
DIET: Choose liquids and soft foods until socket has healed. Ice-cream,
smoothies, yoghurt and juices with no seeds.
Due to numbness after local anaesthetic, you should avoid hot drinks and hot food as you are at risk of burning your lip / mouth and be careful to not bite your lip.
➢ There should be little bleeding mixed with saliva following surgery.
If bleeding recurs apply pressure with the gauze swab for 30 minutes.
Where significant bleeding persists contact your surgeon or local
hospital.
Preventing Dry Socket
1. What is dry socket?
Dry Socket is a fairly common complication associated with tooth extractions.
The formation of a dry socket occurs when the blood clot which forms in the tooth socket
after an extraction is not properly retained and becomes dislodged.
Since this clot is an important factor in protecting the bony socket and initiating the healing process, if it is
lost healing is interrupted and delayed.
2. Symptoms of a dry socket
With more extractions patients will experience some level of discomfort on the first days
following the procedure, each day after there should be reduced pain as the healing
process progresses.
When a dry socket forms the patient typically notices that the level of pain and
discomfort progressively diminishes for the first few days, however, after 3-5 days pain
begins to intensify.
The pain can be very severe with a throbbing component that may
radiate from the extraction sire to the patients eye or ear.
Additionally the patient may notice a foul odour and taste.
3. What causes a dry socket?
The exact cause of a dry socket is yet to be determined.
There are, however, several contributing factors that have been suggested, which place the dental patient at greater
risk.
Patients who do not follow their dentist’s post-operative instructions have
increased risk of developing a dry socket.
To help prevent a dry socket it is very important to follow the guidelines below :
➢ Good oral hygiene is extremely important
➢ Avoid vigorous mouth rinsing before the clot is formed
➢ Avoid sucking on a straw
➢ Do not disturb the clot with your tongue
➢ Do not smoke
➢ Do not drink hot liquids on the first day such as hot coffee, tea or soup.
4. Treatment
There is no real treatment for a dry socket.
It is a self limiting condition that will improve
and disappear with time.
Additional analgesics are often prescribed but are not always
effective.
Placement of a sedative dressing often helps with pain relief but is
unfortunately only temporary pain relief.
Below are very important steps to help reduce pain, bleeding and promote
good healing and prevent infections or dry socket.
1. Keep the gauze swab (where used) in place with pressure for at least 30
minutes.
Replace the gauze swab after that at least one more time.
2. DO NOT RINSE your mouth for at least 6 hours after the surgery.
After that only GENTLY with luke warm water with added salt or with the
prescribed mouthwash until the wound is healed.
Brush your teeth normally and keep an excellent oral hygiene.
Be cautious to avoid trauma to the wound or dislodgment of the clot
with the tooth brush.
3. Rest and/or sleep with your HEAD RAISED (extra pillow) for the first
night.
4. NO SMOKING until the wound is healed.
5. AVOID ALCOHOL during healing process.
6. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for the first week or until the
wound is healed.
➢ To minimize a possible swelling you may be advised to use an ice pack.
DIET: Choose liquids and soft foods until socket has healed. Ice-cream,
smoothies, yoghurt and juices with no seeds.
Due to numbness after local anaesthetic, you should avoid hot drinks and hot food as you are at risk of burning your lip / mouth and be careful to not bite your lip.
➢ There should be little bleeding mixed with saliva following surgery.
If bleeding recurs apply pressure with the gauze swab for 30 minutes.
Where significant bleeding persists contact your surgeon or local
hospital.
Preventing Dry Socket
1. What is dry socket?
Dry Socket is a fairly common complication associated with tooth extractions.
The formation of a dry socket occurs when the blood clot which forms in the tooth socket
after an extraction is not properly retained and becomes dislodged.
Since this clot is an important factor in protecting the bony socket and initiating the healing process, if it is
lost healing is interrupted and delayed.
2. Symptoms of a dry socket
With more extractions patients will experience some level of discomfort on the first days
following the procedure, each day after there should be reduced pain as the healing
process progresses.
When a dry socket forms the patient typically notices that the level of pain and
discomfort progressively diminishes for the first few days, however, after 3-5 days pain
begins to intensify.
The pain can be very severe with a throbbing component that may
radiate from the extraction sire to the patients eye or ear.
Additionally the patient may notice a foul odour and taste.
3. What causes a dry socket?
The exact cause of a dry socket is yet to be determined.
There are, however, several contributing factors that have been suggested, which place the dental patient at greater
risk.
Patients who do not follow their dentist’s post-operative instructions have
increased risk of developing a dry socket.
To help prevent a dry socket it is very important to follow the guidelines below :
➢ Good oral hygiene is extremely important
➢ Avoid vigorous mouth rinsing before the clot is formed
➢ Avoid sucking on a straw
➢ Do not disturb the clot with your tongue
➢ Do not smoke
➢ Do not drink hot liquids on the first day such as hot coffee, tea or soup.
4. Treatment
There is no real treatment for a dry socket.
It is a self limiting condition that will improve
and disappear with time.
Additional analgesics are often prescribed but are not always
effective.
Placement of a sedative dressing often helps with pain relief but is
unfortunately only temporary pain relief.
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