Post Operative Instructions Dental Extraction

Expectations:

• Expect some mild bleeding or blood-tinged saliva for the first day after surgery.
• There will be some mild to moderate pain and swelling for the first few days following surgery.

What to do:

• Immediately after surgery, please bite down on the provided gauze firmly for at least 30 minutes to help stop bleeding. When bleeding has stopped, remove the gauze.
• If bleeding persists, replace with new gauze provided and bite firmly for at least another 30 minutes.
• For pain relief, take your pain medication (e.g. Panadol, Panadiene, Nurofen) as prescribed by your dental professional.
• After 24 hours you may start gentle rinsing with Savacol or Saltwater rinses after meals for up to 2 weeks.
• Eat a soft, non-chewy diet on the sides of the mouth that have not had surgery.
• Our stitches are self-resorbable. If they are still present 2 weeks after surgery, feel free to call us to get them removed.

What not to do:

• If you are numb, take care not to bite your tongue, cheek or lip and no spitting
• Do not eat whilst numb.
• Avoid rinsing your mouth for 12 hours. After that avoid vigorous or aggressive rinsing, gargling and cleaning for the next week.
• Avoid brushing around the extraction site the night of the surgery.
• Avoid strenuous activity or exercise for the next 48 hours.
• Do not physically clean inside the extraction site.
• Do not smoke, vape or drink alcohol for 1 week.
• Do not eat sticky foods or chew gum.
• Do not play with any dressing, wound or stitches with your tongue.

Things to look out for:

• Abnormal Pain, Swelling, Bleeding: If there is any excessive pain, extreme swelling or bleeding that doesn’t stop please contact our clinic for review.
• Dry socket: Premature loss of the blood clot from the extraction site is known as ‘dry socket’. It is not an infection but is severely painful (like a toothache) and usually presents in the first 2 to 5 days. If you think this condition has occurred, please contact the clinic for an appointment. To avoid dry socket, adhere to the ‘What not to do’ instructions. Maintaining the blood clot is the key to avoiding dry socket.
• Oro-Antral Communication: This rare condition is where there is an opening between your mouth to the sinus through the extraction site. If this has occurred your dental professional will let you know. Normally this will heal without complications, however there may be some blood or water that could come through your nose during the healing period. If this continues for months after the extraction, please call in for a review appointment.
• Infection: Dental infections after extractions are rare. Please adhere to the post-operative instructions to help avoid infections. Signs of dental infection include severe pain, large swellings, and bad taste or smell. If you notice these signs with no improvement, please contact the clinic for review.

Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions or complications. Our contact details for our respective clinics are as below.