On the day of surgery, you should avoid:
- Mouth washing/Brushing the area
- Spitting out
- Hot drinks
- Hot Food
- Alcohol
- Exercise or effort for the first 24 hours after surgery
- Smoking
From the day after surgery
Use hot salt water (teaspoon of table slat in a mug of hot water) or an antiseptic mouth rinse every 4 hours and after meals. Continue with this until the area has healed.
Brushing
Be gentle when brushing teeth for the first few days in the extraction site, keep rest of teeth as clean as possible.
Bleeding
You may get a small amount of bleeding in the first few days. If the bleeding is persistent you should apply pressure to the area by biting hard on a clean rolled up handkerchief or cloth for 10 minutes. Make sure the handkerchief is placed directly on the bleeding area.
Avoid further mouth rinsing for 12 hours.
Pain
Discomfort can be expected after a tooth extraction or oral surgery and there may be some swelling. Simple pain-relieving tablets may be needed for the first few days. We recommend Paracetamol or any tablets you would normally take for headaches. Please follow the instructions on the packet.
Your local pharmacist can advise you on pain relief if necessary.
