After Dental Tooth Extraction instructions, 2026 onwards...

After a dental tooth extraction of teeth or roots, there are several sensible precautions you can take, to allow nature's healing to work best for you.

Some people are surprised how big the roots of teeth are, usually bigger than the visible Crown of the tooth visible above the gum. Please see a picture below of a tooth Dr.Kilcoyne extracted in such a careful way that not only was the whole tooth with it's 3 roots removed in one piece, but also the abscess sac attached to the back root was removed whole too, to help remove the bad tooth with its infection, which should allow healing after the extraction to be as comfortable and quick as possible. However, the skill of the extraction technique is just one important factor. 

CORONA VIRUS & SAFETY UPDATES 2025 : Thank you for your continued patience with our systems, as there are still occasional outbreaks of Covid, Flus and Norovirus etc; people mix and travel more and frankly, most don't clean their hands as well as they used to.
So please wash your hands often (a common spread of diseases are contacts with people and handles), especially before eating snacks or fast foods, pizza etc.

See this Video link below showing a Tooth after our careful extraction, where we managed to keep fractured roots intact AND still remove the infection abscess sacs forming in the jawbone at the end of the roots too:

Click this link here to go to the Extracted tooth Video

After an extraction, it's important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That's why your dentist will ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 5 minutes or so, after an extraction. Pressure stops bleeding - If bleeding or oozing continues after you remove the gauze pad, place another gauze pad on the area and bite firmly for another 15 minutes. You may have to do this several times. Do NOT dab the pad on and off as this stops a clot forming, keep the pressure on constantly.After the blood clot forms, it's important to protect it, especially for the next 24 hours.

It's also important to:

NOT Smoke at all
NOT Suck through a straw
NOT Rinse your mouth vigorously
NOT do heavy exercising or lifting

These activities would dislodge the clot and slow down healing. Limit yourself to calm activities for the first 24 hours. It's a case of "Walk rather than Run". This keeps your blood pressure lower, reduces new bleeding, and helps the healing process to get a good start after an extraction.

After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and have some swelling. You can use an ice pack (15 minutes on, 15 minutes off) to keep this to a minimum. The swelling usually starts to go down after 48 hours and is normal if you had a difficult extraction or say 4 wisdom teeth out.

To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended. Don't take medication on an empty stomach or nausea may result. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone.

Drink lots of fluids
Eat only soft, nutritious foods on the day of the extraction
Don't use alcoholic beverages
Avoid hot and spicy foods

You can begin eating normally the next day, or if not by then, as soon as it's comfortable. Gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water three times a day (put a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, gently rinse-swish-spit). Also, rinse gently after meals. This helps keep food out of the extraction site. It's very important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing your teeth and tongue and flossing at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your breath and mouth fresh. Call your dentist right away if you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling after two or three days, or a reaction to the medication. After a few days, satisfactory healing can happen, however, if you have any concerns we'd be pleased to help you.

Unless you want Extractions to become a regular event for you, there is a better way so as well as regular check-ups to your Dentist to prevent problems (or at least catch them very early on), please follow your aftercare advice and don't neglect your Toothbrushing and Flossing Techniques that reduce Dental Plaque attack on your teeth, gums and dentistry work.

Here are some webpage links for alternative options to Extractions at one extreme, for alternative Dental Implants at the other extreme, or even Braces alternatives for straighter teeth that don't take years. If curious you can click these links for Tooth Extraction alternatives or Dental Implant alternatives or Tooth Braces alternatives links.

The Importance of good Aftercare and Maintenance!

So as well as regular check up examinations for prevention DO please follow ALL your aftercare advice, reduce sugar attacks and don't neglect your Toothbrushing and Flossing Techniques that reduce the soft bacterial Dental Plaque that damages your teeth, gums and dentistry work. This may sound like boring advice but you must ACT UPON it regularly for your own good - it is NEVER TOO LATE to make improvements. Not easy, but smart, because good self-care efforts COMBINED with expert dental professional care, is the optimum plan to first get health and stability established, then to KEEP IT that way, ideally!
Want to know more about tooth brushing and Flossing techniques that prevents bad breath and keeps your Mouth and Dentistry Healthier too? Then please click these for Tooth Brushing Information or Dental flossing techniques or Preventing Gum Diseases links.

Dr.Kilcoyne is a fully registered UK Specialist in Prosthodontics ,which includes Teeth Implants, Crowns, Veneers, Dentures, Bonding etc, to Restore or Replace teeth functionally and cosmetically so you can have a Smile that you can be proud of, without compromise. Yes all this expertise, experience and excellent track-record have a price, but we still believe it is Good Value for the level of Specialist Quality one is getting and can be confident in.

Dr.Kilcoyne has won National Prizes for the Quality of Patient Services, so you don't have to compromise ! Please do ask your regular Dentist for a Specialist referral to us, or if this is impractical for some reason, you may refer yourself directly.

*Dr.Kilcoyne is a fully GDC Registered, Trained Dentist and Specialist* in the Functional & Cosmetic aspects of Tooth Implants, Crowns, Bridges, Precision Dentures, mini-implants, Ceramics, Veneers, Occlusion, Bonding and Restoring Smiles.

Wishing you good Dental Health AND a Smile to be proud of, from all at the SmileSpecialist® Team.