Having a tooth extracted is one of the more common forms of dental surgery that people will need to undergo. While a dental extraction is a routine procedure for a dentist to perform, it can be a stressful ordeal for patients that are have never been through this experience and lack the knowledge of what to expect.
How Much Pain Will A Patient Experience During And After Their Dental Exaction?
The amount of pain that a patient experiences during a dental extraction will vary based on the tooth that is needing to be extracted and the reason for the extraction. However, dentists are able to greatly reduce the discomfort for most patients with local anesthetics. Once this medication has taken effect, patients will typically experience little more than a sensation of pressure as the tooth is removed. After the procedure, patients can experience some soreness and swelling for the first day or two, but tooth extraction patients will typically experience a fairly rapid recovery. If you notice that you are still experiencing discomfort several days after the procedure, you may want to schedule an early follow-up visit with the dentist so that they can determine whether any secondary complications are starting to develop.
What Is Needed To Keep The Extraction Site Clean?
One of the most important things that tooth extraction patients can do is to keep the surgery site clean. When patients neglect to properly keep the extraction site cleaned, they can expose themselves to a far greater risk of developing infections. To help patients with keeping the extraction site clean, dentists will often prescribe an antibacterial mouthwash that can be used to help clean the extraction site without disturbing the scab that protects it while it heals. Furthermore, patients should make sure that they are rinsing and cleaning after each time that they eat to remove any food particles.
Why Is It Advised To Avoid Using Straws After A Dental Extraction?
Throughout the recovery, patients are advised against using straws. Often, patients will greatly underestimate the problems that straws can cause for their recovery. When you use a straw to drink, the suction that is needed to pull liquid through the straw can actually lift the scab over the extraction site so that a small gap forms. Once this occurs, bacteria and fluid can gather in this space, which can be immensely painful for a patient. Correcting this problem can require the use of antibiotics and an additional procedure to drain any fluid that may have gathered.
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