Caring for Your Mouth After an Extraction

Aftercare Instructions

The First 24 Hours Matter Most

A blood clot forms in the socket and is the foundation of healing. Protecting that clot for the first day is the single most important thing you can do.

Right After Your Appointment

Bite firmly on the gauze for 30–45 minutes. If bleeding continues, replace it with fresh damp gauze (or a moistened tea bag) and bite for another 30 minutes. Some oozing for a few hours is normal. Rest with your head slightly elevated, and avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day.

For the First 24 Hours — Please Avoid

Do not rinse vigorously, spit forcefully, drink through a straw, or smoke. All of these create suction that can dislodge the clot and cause a dry socket — a painful complication that delays healing. Avoid hot drinks and alcohol, and don’t poke the area with your tongue or fingers.

Managing Swelling and Discomfort

Apply an ice pack to the outside of your face for 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off, for the first several hours. Swelling typically peaks around day two, then settles. Take pain relief as directed — for most people an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory works well, but follow any specific instructions we’ve given and take prescribed antibiotics to completion.

Eating and Cleaning

Stick to soft, cool foods for the first day or two — yoghurt, eggs, soup that isn’t hot, mashed vegetables — and chew on the opposite side. From 24 hours onward, rinse gently with warm salt water several times daily (half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water). Keep brushing your other teeth normally, avoiding the socket itself for a few days.