How you look after the socket in the first few days makes a big difference to healing and comfort. A blood clot forms in the socket and acts as a natural dressing. Your main job is to protect it.
The first 24 hours
- Bite on the gauze with firm pressure for the time your dentist advises, and replace it if soaked.
- Rest and avoid strenuous activity or exercise.
- Use a cold compress on the cheek in 15-minute intervals to limit swelling.
- Keep your head raised when lying down.
- Take pain relief as advised, before the anaesthetic wears off.
What to avoid
- Rinsing vigorously, spitting hard or touching the site with your tongue or fingers
- Using straws, which creates suction
- Smoking, chewing tobacco or paan, which delay healing and raise the risk of dry socket
- Alcohol
- Hot drinks and hard, crunchy or spicy foods at first
- Chewing on the extraction side
What to eat
Cool or lukewarm soft foods such as curd, khichdi, mashed potato, soups, smoothies (without a straw) and scrambled egg. Gradually return to normal food as comfort allows.
Cleaning
Brush your other teeth as usual, avoiding the socket. From the next day, gently rinse with warm salt water after meals, without forceful swishing, unless advised otherwise.
Normal vs not normal
- Normal: mild pain, swelling peaking on day two or three, slight oozing for the first day, bruising
- Call us if: pain becomes severe after a few days, a bad taste or smell develops (possible dry socket), bleeding does not stop, there is fever, or swelling spreads or you struggle to swallow or open your mouth
Replacing the tooth
If the extracted tooth leaves a gap, discuss options such as an implant or a bridge. For emergencies, see emergency dental care, and for the wisdom tooth context read wisdom tooth pain and removal.