Post Extraction Instructions

    Back to Services
    Post Extraction

    Post Extraction Instructions

    Hopefully, it can be avoided, but if you ever do need an extraction, here are 13 basic post-extraction instructions to follow in order to avoid infection and inflammation in the extraction site.

     

    #1. No smoking.

    #2. Don’t use a straw to drink beverages.

    #3. Only cold drinks are allowed. 

    #4. Spitting and rinsing are off-limits for 24 hours post-extraction unless instructed otherwise.

    #5. Don’t touch the extraction site with your tongue or fingers.

    #6. Food consumption should only consist of soft foods that don’t irritate the extraction site. 

    #7. Your post-surgical diet should consist of mild foods. Avoid spicy meals.

    #8. Consider applying ice packs (or a bag of frozen peas!) on any facial swelling for 48 hours post-extraction with 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off.

    #9. You may have gauze placed over the extraction site. DO NOT remove it.  bite firmly on it for 30 minutes. Only change it after those 30 minutes have passed.

    #10. Unless we have provided you with different instructions the day of your treatment, 
    analgesics should be consumed before the effect of the local anesthesia wears off. You can use Tylenol or ibuprofen every 3–4 hours.

    #11. Avoid any strenuous exercise for 48 hours after the extraction.

    #12. If you have a stiff jaw (we call that trismus) you can wrap a hot pack with a piece of cloth and apply it over that area of your face.

    #13. Use a warm salt water rinse after your meals on the day following the extraction, to make sure that the extraction area remains clean.

    If you follow our instructions, you are more likely to avoid post-extraction complications and the site will heal much faster (which means you can go back to your normal diet faster) 

     

    When to Contact Our Office:

     

    If you experience any of the following symptoms after your extraction, please contact us at 828.631.3283 immediately.

     

    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Fever, chills, and fatigue.
    • If the wound does not seem to heal for 3 days 
    • If your jaw becomes very stiff and hinders normal function.
    • If the surgical site becomes really painful and the swelling doesn’t resolve in 3 days
    • A slight ooze of blood is expected.  A little bit of blood mixed with saliva can seem like a lot. But if you have heavy bleeding that persists for 4 hours after the extraction, call us right away.

     

    If you have any questions after or prior to your extraction, my team and I are here to help. If you need to make an appointment, please call our office or visit us online.

     

    Sincerely,

     

    David S. McGuire, DDS

    NextPrevious