- Bite firmly but gently on the gauze placed by the dentist to reduce bleeding and allow a clot to form in the extraction site. You should change this gauze about every 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the amount of bleeding.
- The blood clot that forms in the extraction socket is an important part of the healing process, so be careful not to do anything that will dislodge it. As a way of protecting the blood clot, you should avoid vigorous rinsing or spitting during the first 24 hours after your tooth extraction. Hot liquids will tend to dissolve the blood clot that has formed in the extraction socket, so avoid them for the first 24 hours. Also, you should avoid alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours.
- While you shouldn’t rinse for the first 24 hours, after this initial period you should gently rinse 2 times a day using the chlorhexidine mouthwash.
- Avoid drinking from a straw or any kind of sucking motion for the first 24 hours. This is because positive or negative pressure could dislodge the blood clot.
- Try not to smoke for as long as possible afterwards, but at the very least for the rest of the day. Smoking can interfere with the healing process, and also the sucking motion could dislodge the blood clot.
- After a difficult extraction, a soft or liquid diet may be indicated for 24 hours or so after your surgery. For simpler extractions, just making sure that you do your chewing somewhere away from your extraction site should be sufficient.
- On the day of your extraction, it might be best to avoid brushing those teeth that directly neighbor your extraction site. You can resume cleaning these teeth the following day but be gentle.
- Any antibiotics prescribed by your dentist should be taken as directed, to completion.
