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Many people fear the process of tooth extraction very much. The main problem for them is the pain they believe that they will have to endure. However, tooth extraction is not a painful procedure at all. The only pain you will feel during the process is a bit of burning during the anesthesia injection. After the anesthesia starts working, all the pain will vanish and, even though you will be aware of the entire procedure, you will not feel a thing. After the anesthesia wears off, you might feel some pain, but then you have different manners of coping with this problem.
Reasons for Tooth Extraction
People have their teeth removed for numerous possible reasons. While a tooth may need to be removed due to its decay, in some cases, broken or cracked teeth need to be extracted too. Moreover, in some cases, you might need to have a badly positioned tooth taken out of the way so that it can create space for other, proper teeth. Regardless of the reasons behind the procedure, tooth extraction is painless.
How to Recover from Tooth Extraction
During the day which follows the extraction, you may experience bleeding and swelling in the area where the tooth was. This is completely normal and is a part of the recovery process. The swelling may be gone after two days, but the whole recovery period may last for up to two weeks. Then, the gum tissue recovers completely in about 4 weeks while the bone heals in up to 8 months.
Nevertheless, the recovery process depends greatly on the type of the extraction procedure. Usually, the tooth extraction involves removal of a visible tooth by forceps, after the dentist moves it around in order to loosen it. Yet, there are situations where the troublesome teeth are located inside the gum tissue, requiring a surgical procedure. Once the surface of the gums has been cut, the recovery process is longer since stitches are necessary in order to keep the wound closed.
After Your Tooth is Gone…
First and foremost, make sure you follow your dentist’s instructions religiously. Be extremely careful during the first day after the extraction. You may take a piece of gauze and press on the extraction wound so that the bleeding can be stopped. Do not touch the area with your fingers, tongue or any foreign objects. Additionally, do not blow your nose violently or sneeze. Be very careful while brushing your teeth and skip the troublesome area until it heals. Cold compress made of ice cubes wrapped in a cloth and pressed against your cheek can relieve you of swelling and pain during the first 24 hours. Finally, rest and eat soft foods, avoiding alcohol and smoking.
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