Advice for after dental extractions and surgical procedures
Information about how to care for your mouth after dental extractions or surgery of the mouth, face or jaws.
This leaflet has been produced to improve your understanding of what may occur after a dental extraction or surgery to your mouth, face or jaw. If your treatment is continued by another department, please follow their advice in addition to any instructions within this leaflet.
If you have any questions or would like further explanation, especially if you are unsure, please discuss this with the student, dentist or the attending nurse.
Instructions to patients after surgery of the mouth/face/jaws
1. After leaving the clinic, do not rinse out your mouth for 24 hours, unless you have been advised to do so.
2. Please do not smoke.
3. Do not disturb the surgical wound with your fingers or tongue.
4. For the rest of the day, only have food that requires no chewing.
5. Do not chew on the affected side for at least three days.
6. While your mouth is still feeling numb, be careful not to bite your lip, cheek or tongue.
7. Avoid exercise or heavy lifting.
8. Do not have any alcoholic drinks or very hot drinks.
Bleeding
Blood stained (pink) saliva is normal and to be expected for 24-48 hours after the operation. If persistent (red, fresh) bleeding occurs, roll up a piece of gauze, dampen under cold water, place it over the wound and place it over a period of at least 15 to 20 minutes. Do not take the gauze in and out of the mouth to check. Repeat if necessary.
If the bleeding still does not stop, seek dental or medical advice using the telephone numbers at the end of this leaflet.
In the event of sudden onset of severe bleeding or severe bleeding that cannot be controlled, call 999 and request ambulance services and continue to apply firm pressure to the bleeding site.
Care of your mouth the day after surgery
Your mouth will heal more quickly if you keep it clean and use warm salt mouth baths.
1. After 24 hours, dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a tumbler of warm water (about the same temperature as a cup of tea). Take a mouthful and tilt your head so that the warm salt water bathes the affected area.
2. After about 30 seconds, gently swill and spit out. Repeat the bathing until you have used the whole tumbler. If possible, the warm salt mouth baths should be used three times daily for seven days, after meals.
Toothbrushing
You can brush your teeth as usual but avoid direct contact with the surgical site.
Pain and swelling
You may have been given an injection into the gum to make the area numb. This generally lasts 3-4 hours, before sensation slowly returns and care should be taken to biting the lip, cheek or tongue during this time.
Pain and swelling should gradually improve over 7-20 days. Simple over the counter painkillers such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen should be used to control the pain.
Stitches
Stitches may have been used to close the gum. These are usually dissolvable (unless told otherwise) and will take 2-3 weeks to dissolve.
Do not disturb the stitches with your tongue or fingers as the wound heals
Dry socket pain
This painful condition usually begins 24 to 48 hours after the removal of a tooth. It is caused by the loss of the blood clot from your extraction site and exposure of the jawbone. The chance of getting a dry socket is increased if you smoke. Please try to refrain from smoking.
This condition is not treatable with antibiotics; you will need to be seen by a dentist. If you do have this condition, the extraction site will be washed out and a special pain-killing dressing applied.
If you feel that you may be suffering with dry socket or another post-operative problem, for example:
- Uncontrolled pain that is not resolved with painkillers
- Swelling that is spreading
- Bleeding that cannot be controlled
Please contact us early in the day to arrange an early appointment.
Bristol Dental School (8:30am - 4:30pm) Tel: 0117 374 6647
Emergency out of hours: NHS 111