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Avoid
cycling or excessive exercise for several hours. Ideally, rest by sitting in
a chair and use an extra pillow for the first night.
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Do not
drink anything alcoholic for 24 hours and avoid smoking.
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Take any pain-killing tablets
as advised by your dentist. Follow any instructions regarding dosage
carefully.
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After six hours rinse your
mouth gently with a warm salt solution (level teaspoon of salt to cup
of water) and continue after meals and before bed for seven days,or as
advised by your dentist.
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You may feel the sharp edge
of a socket with your tongue and occasionally small fragments of bone may
work their way out. This is normal.
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Try not to disturb the socket
with your tongue, by eating food on that side, or by vigorous rinsing. This
will delay the healing process and may lead to infection.
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If excessive bleeding occurs…
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Use some clean linen or gauze
about 1½” (4cm) wide to make a roll of 1”(2.5cm) thick, thus forming a firm
pad, or use a clean handkerchief. Make a few such
pads if necessary.
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Keep sitting up and clear the
mouth of loose blood clots with a clean linen square or tissue so that you
can find where the socket is bleeding. This is important.
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Place the pad across the
bleeding socket from the tongue to the cheek side. If the socket is between
two standing teeth constrict the pad to fit.
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Bite firmly to compress the
pad on the bleeding socket for at least 15 minutes. Avoid lying down.
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Inspect the socket and
replace the pad, or use another one, if bleeding still appears from the
socket.
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If your efforts are
unsuccessful after an hour or two contact your Dentist. Before doing so
however ensure that you have continuously placed direct pressure
on the socket without removing the pad to investigate before the 15 minutes
is up. Curiosity and ineffective pressure application combine to stop the
arrest of bleeding.
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It is not unusual to
experience swelling or discomfort for a few days. However, if pain, swelling
or bleeding persist contact the dentist…
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…but remember, if
excessive bleeding does occur it is important to avoid exercise,
drinking alcohol or disturbing the socket.
