Speed Up Your Recovery And Increase Your Comfort: A Guide To Recovering From Impacted Tooth Extraction

Living with an impacted tooth can be a painful struggle, and finally having it removed is generally a huge relief. Once the offending tooth is gone, however, it's important that you're active in making a full recovery. Otherwise, you can find yourself dealing with painful infections and inconvenient swelling that could risk significantly interfering with your daily routine.

Below, you'll find a guide to some steps you should take to assist in your recovery after an impacted tooth removal. Following these suggestions will promote thorough healing and will help guarantee that, regardless of the severity of the impaction, you'll be able to flash a bright and healthy smile for many years to come.

Rinsing

After having an impacted tooth removed, you'll have an open wound in the area of your body that is most susceptible to buildup of germs and bacteria. Therefore, it's essential that you keep your mouth as clean and sterile as possible.

Maintain a regular schedule of rinsing with warm water which contains a small amount of salt. This will help wash away any residual food particles or potential sources of trouble that you've breathed in from the surrounding air, making it less likely that your recovery isn't interrupted by a painful infection.

Brushing

As mentioned above, keeping the area around the wound clean is a vital part of recovery. Brushing your teeth is perhaps the best way to keep your mouth clean, but the soreness and bruising that comes with your impaction may make it difficult. Still, even if you can only comfortably brush teeth on the opposite side of your mouth from the surgical site, you should make an attempt to do so.

Returning to your regular brushing pattern as soon as it's comfortable to do so will lessen the chance of illness down the road during your recovery. It will also promote healthy dental habits, which may assist you in avoiding future impactions, as you'll be able to get in the habit of taking care of your oral health.

Diet

Making sure that you don't irritate the extraction area with food is an important goal to maintain. In the days following the surgery, it may be difficult to eat at all, but it's important that you avoid foods with sharp edges and very high temperatures. Straws should also not be used, as the suction could break up important clotting activity in the wound site. Allow yourself to transition gently back to your regular diet, but make sure you keep your nutrient intake high during recovery.

For more information, ask an oral surgeon like Central PA Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons LLC.