What to do after a tooth extraction

Some oozing from the extraction site for the first 24 hours is normal, and most discomfort settles within a few days. Here’s what actually helps healing, and what should prompt a call to your dentist.

How much bleeding is normal?

Bite on the gauze your dentist gives you for 30 minutes. If it bleeds again, fold a clean piece of gauze into a ball and bite down on that instead.

To avoid restarting the bleeding in the first 24 hours:

• Don’t smoke
• Don’t drink through a straw
• Don’t spit or rinse vigorously
• Sleep with your head slightly elevated
• Skip strenuous exercise

Call your dentist if the bleeding persists, restarts, or worries you.

How much pain is normal, and what helps?

Some pain for a few days is expected. Take pain relief before the local anaesthetic wears off, rather than waiting for the pain to build. Contact your dentist if the pain gets worse rather than better.

What should I eat after a tooth extraction?

• Avoid hot or hard food for the first two days
• Stick to cold, soft options — mashed potato, pasta, ice cream, yoghurt
• Drink plenty of water
• Skip alcohol while healing

How do I keep the area clean while it heals?

Gently brush the teeth away from the extraction site as normal from day one. From day two, add a warm salt-water rinse a few times a day. By around day five you can generally resume brushing normally over the site.

Is swelling or jaw stiffness normal?

Swelling depends on which tooth was removed and how. Ice on the day of the procedure, then heat on the days after, both help. Stiffness opening your mouth usually improves within five to ten days — moist heat helps here too.