TOOTH EXTRACTIONS in HOUSTON, TX

Your natural teeth are the best for chewing, biting, and maintaining your jawbone and mouth structure, which is the reason our dentist here at Pinnacle Dental strives to save, restore, or repair your teeth. But, sometimes having tooth extractions in Uptown Houston, TX is the best option.

Before your dentist extracts your tooth, an anesthetic will be used to help with your discomfort. It will take a few hours after the extraction before the feeling comes back to your mouth. But, while it is numb, be careful not to bite your lip, tongue, or cheek. After the extraction in Uptown Houston, TX, you cannot eat any foods that will need to be chewed as long as your mouth is numb.

Your dentist will place a small gauze pack where the tooth was extracted to help stem the bleeding. It will also aid in the forming of a clot that is necessary for healing. The gauze pack needs to be left in this place for 30-45 minutes after you have left our dental office near the Galleria. DO NOT chew on this pack.

You might notice some oozing or bleeding after you remove the pack. If that happens, here is what you need to do:

• Fold a piece of new, clean gauze into a thick pad that you can bite on. Dampen this pad with warm, clean water and place it where the tooth was extracted.
• Apply pressure by biting down over the pad firmly. Keep this pressure for 30 minutes. If this pad gets soaked with blood, replace it the same as before.
• DO NOT suck on the site of the extraction or disturb it using your tongue.
• There might be a little blood leak from the extraction site until the clot forms. But, if it happens and that heavy bleeding continues, call your dentist.

Once the blood clot has formed then the tooth socket is on its way to the normal healing process. You should avoid things that could disturb the clot. Here are ways to protect it:

• Don’t rinse your mouth out briskly or drink with a straw for 24 hours. Both of these actions create suction inside your mouth and could cause loosening of the clot and delay your healing.
• Avoid mouthwash containing alcohol and alcoholic beverages for 24 hours.
• If you smoke, do not smoke after surgery.
• No strenuous activity for 24 hours after the tooth is pulled.
• There are times that a clot will not form the first or second day after the extraction, or it might form but falls apart. This is called a dry socket and can be extremely painful. You should report it to your dentist.

Your dentist will give you further instructions. For painless extractions in Uptown Houston, near the Galleria area, give our office a call.