Your dentist may recommend a tooth extraction for a damaged or overcrowded tooth that does not respond to other dental treatments. As with other surgeries, you will need to set aside time to allow your extraction site to heal properly.
As the area heals, a blood clot forms over the site naturally. If this is disturbed or dislodged, you may contract a painful condition called dry socket. Dr. Dominic Roppa, a dentist in Rockledge, FL, outlines three steps you can take to avoid developing dry socket while recovering from a tooth extraction.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
One of the primary aftercare guidelines your dentist will suggest is to keep the tooth extraction site clean by practicing proper oral hygiene routines. This can be done by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily.
However, you should be careful when cleaning near the surgical site because if you disrupt the blood clot, you may experience painful symptoms. Dry socket must be treated by a dental professional, so you will have to return to the dentist’s office for additional treatment if this occurs.
Avoid Sucking Movements
The airflow and muscle movement involved when performing a sucking motion with your mouth can potentially dislodge a blood clot over your healing extraction site. For this reason, your dentist will ask you not to use a straw for at least one week after your oral surgery.
Similarly, your dentist will recommend that you avoid smoking while you heal from this procedure. To make it easier to abstain from this habit, it could be a good idea to cease smoking in the days leading up to your tooth extraction.
Eat Soft Foods
Your mouth may feel sore when you return home from your oral surgery, and soft-textured foods will be the most comfortable option for you to eat during this period. Foods like applesauce and yogurt are easy but also less likely to disturb a blood clot and cause dry socket than hard, sticky, or chewy foods.
The day after your procedure, you can begin to eat more solid foods. However, if you notice any pain, you should return to eating soft-textured foods.
Learn More from Your Dentist in Rockledge, FL
Smile Viera offers tooth extractions and other general dentistry treatments to patients of all ages. Dr. Roppa is an expert dentist also specializing in cosmetic and restorative dentistry for patients in Rockledge, FL. To schedule an appointment with us, contact our office online or reach us by phone at 321.614.3833.