How long to wait to brush teeth after tooth extraction

18 Jun When & How To Brush Teeth After Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth removal in Mississauga is a common oral surgery that many patients undergo at some point in life. Removing wisdom teeth helps prevent crowding and ensures better oral health, so extraction is a common recommendation.

Following wisdom teeth removal, oral care becomes even more critical. Proper dental hygiene ensures good healing and helps patients avoid complications. 

However, brushing teeth after wisdom teeth removal can be scary. The mouth and jaw can be very tender and sore after extraction, and many patients wonder when and how to brush teeth after wisdom tooth extraction. 

Read on for an answer to “when can you brush your teeth after wisdom teeth removal?” and more tips for brushing your teeth after wisdom teeth removal. 

After extraction, your mouth may be quite sore. This is even more true if your wisdom teeth were impacted prior to extraction. Of course, you must take care of your mouth and teeth, but brushing teeth after wisdom teeth removal seems intimidating. 

According to the American Dental Association, do not clean the teeth right next to the healing area for the rest of the day. However, you should start to brush and floss the very next day. Be careful when brushing, making sure to be gentle near the extraction site. Use a manual toothbrush, not an electric one, for the first two weeks after surgery. 

Tips for Brushing Your Teeth After Wisdom Teeth Removal 

Essentially,  you should start brushing the day after extraction unless your dentist tells you otherwise. For a few weeks though, the brushing may be a little different. Here’s some advice for how to brush your teeth after wisdom teeth removal:

• Be cautious near the extraction site. 
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush.
• Take your time, don’t rush the brushing. 
• Rinse your mouth with warm salt water after eating. 
• Rinse gently, not vigorously. 
• Consider a milder toothpaste for the first few days. 

Wisdom Teeth Removal Mississauga

Learning how to brush your teeth after a wisdom tooth extraction is critical for proper healing and good oral health. While wisdom teeth removal and brushing your teeth after wisdom teeth removal may seem scary, it doesn’t have to be. 

Choosing an experienced, compassionate dentist in Mississauga is the key to a successful wisdom teeth extraction and recovery. You can count on our team at Schellenberg Dental for wisdom teeth removal in Mississauga. Let us assess your smile and determine if you’re a good candidate for wisdom teeth removal. Of course, we’ll also tell you everything you need to know about brushing your teeth after wisdom teeth removal. Schedule your appointment today with our easy online portal!

Tooth extraction is generally suggested as a final alternative when a tooth is too damaged to be held. The exception would be wisdom teeth which sometimes get extracted even if they are not affected.

There are two main kinds of extractions used in dentistry. Simple extractions are performed when a dentist can get the tooth with forceps and pull them out, while surgical extractions are required if the tooth gets stuck under gum tissues. Regardless of the kind of extraction you get, it can take up to two weeks to heal from tooth extraction. Dentists typically advise waiting to brush your teeth with toothpaste for at least three days after getting a tooth extraction.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare

The following are some of the things that patients can do to make their healing go more smoothly after an extraction:

Oral Hygiene

Patients generally are injected with a local anesthetic when a tooth is getting pulled & they do not feel any pain as the dental professional extracts the tooth. It is normal to undergo some pain and discomfort once the anesthetic effects fade off. The discomfort caused by the procedure can last up to two weeks, so dentists often prescribe painkillers to help control them.

Maintaining your mouth clean after a tooth extraction is essential to lowering the risk of difficulties like an infection. The extracted tooth socket will be aching for a few days, so dentists suggest avoiding oral hygiene products like toothpaste and mouthwash during that time. Instead, rinse with a saltwater mixture after food to clean and disinfect your mouth. Do not spit out the saltwater since that can lead to the blood clot that forms inside the socket becoming dislodged.

Patients should also avoid brushing with a toothbrush during this period since that can upset the extraction site. They can start brushing with toothpaste after a few days have passed. Patients must try to avoid brushing near the tooth extraction site.

Soft & Liquid Foods

Patients should intake liquid and soft foods for the first week after undergoing tooth extraction. Soft foods and liquids are less likely to remove the clot that develops in the socket or irritate the area. Patients should also avoid hot or spicy foods that trouble the extraction site.

Patients can usually begin eating regular food once a week has passed, but they should still avoid foods with little bits that can get trapped inside the tooth’s socket. Most of the pain induced by the procedure should be gone at that point. New tissues will develop and fill up the extracted tooth’s socket over the next few months.

An extraction maybe is what you require to contain an extreme health issue like an infection that spreads to other parts of the body. If you have a severe toothache, a badly damaged tooth, or your tooth is beyond repair it is a sign that you need a tooth extraction. Contact us to book your appointment & meet us at our dental office in Twin Falls.