What Helps Tooth Extraction Heal Faster?

If you have a badly damaged tooth or are getting dental work that requires extraction, you’re likely wondering how to support the healing phase.

Post-extraction care isn’t complicated, but you will need to make some adjustments to make sure you prevent dry socket, a complication where the blood clot forming after a tooth is pulled dislodges, leading to high levels of pain. 

Here are six things you can do to help a tooth extraction heal faster: 

1. Improve Your Oral Hygiene Habits 

Your mouth is in a vulnerable state, making it even more important to care for your oral health. This means brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing daily to remove food and unwanted bacteria from your mouth. 

However, you shouldn’t brush directly over the extraction site. Rinse the mouth gently with saline water instead if you want to be more thorough. 

2. Make Some Dietary Adjustments

First, you should eat on the other side of your mouth until the extraction site closes, which can take around seven days for a simple extraction or even three weeks in some cases. 

Eat soft foods that don’t require lots of chewing in the first few days, like smoothies, mashed potatoes, or yogurt. Keep the foods at room temperature, as your mouth may be sensitive to heat and cold.

After 3–4 days, you can slowly add harder foods back, like pasta. You should avoid sticky, hard, and crumbly foods until the extraction site closes. 

3. Don’t Smoke 

Smoking increases blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of unnecessary bleeding and dry sockets. 

Even if this doesn’t happen, smoking cigarettes, using tobacco products, and vaping are known to delay healing. If you’ve ever needed a sign to quit, here it is. 

4. Take It Easy for a Few Days

Don’t exert yourself physically. That includes going to the gym, working out at home, or performing strenuous physical activity. 

These can increase your blood pressure, which may again lead to bleeding. Give yourself time to rest and heal. 

5. Don’t Spit or Use a Straw 

When you spit or use a straw, you create a vacuum in your mouth, which could lead to a dry socket. 

If you’re rinsing your mouth, tilt your head over the sink, open your mouth, and let the saline water or mouthwash pour into it. 

6. Avoid Aspirin and Blood Thinners 

If you take blood thinners, you need to inform your Naperville dentist prior to your extraction. These medications may increase the risk of bleeding. 

The same goes for aspirin. If you’re in pain, ask your dentist for their best recommendations for pain management.  

Tooth Extractions at Washington Dental Studio

Think you might need an extraction? See Dr. Rohan Shah for a short consultation to discover your options. 

Request an extraction appointment at Washington Dental Studio online or call us at (630) 796-0030.

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