How to Manage Tooth Extraction Pain Even After 7 Days?

Tooth extractions remove natural teeth from the jawbone when they pose various oral complications. Dentists eliminate teeth when they are severely decayed, deeply cracked, impacted, or pose a risk of infection. Even with tooth extractions, dentists still uphold the best interest of your oral cavity to preserve various oral features.

​Is It Normal to Experience Pain After Tooth Extraction?

Everyone experiences pain as a major side effect of any dental surgery. The same applies when you have undergone tooth extraction near you. The pain and discomfort you experience will often be accompanied by other side effects like:

• Swelling in the surrounding areas
• Bleeding gums or streaks of blood in your saliva
• Tender and reddened gums
• Increased saliva production
• Foul odor as the wound is healing and blood clots forming

While these side effects are typical after an extraction surgery, they should not last forever. Most of these symptoms disappear after 2 or 3 days of recovery. Generally, it takes about seven days for many side effects to disappear naturally as you heal.

​How To Manage Tooth Extraction Pain?

Before you leave the dental clinic after tooth extraction, your dentist will be keen to provide a set of instructions for Aftercare. These instructions should cover details on managing your extraction site and alleviating pain during recovery. Some instructions to help manage tooth extraction pain include:

1. Practice proper oral hygiene to keep the mouth clean and disallow bacterial infection in the wound that can severely compromise the success of the treatment by introducing new complications.
2. Take pain medication as advised by your dentist. Follow the recommended dosage and frequency.
3. Apply cold compresses in the initial hours following the extraction to reduce pain and swelling. Wrap a thin cloth around an ice pack or use a bag of frozen vegetables, and apply it to the outside of your cheek for 10-15 minutes at a time. Take breaks between applications to prevent tissue damage.
4. Use warm saltwater rinses for gentle rinsing to help keep the extraction site clean and aid in healing. Dissolve a pinch of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, then combine well to rinse your mouth gently several times a day, especially after meals.
5. Avoid strenuous activities that increase blood flow and elevate pain in the extraction site. Avoid intense physical activities, heavy lifting, or exercise for the first 24-48 hours after the extraction.
6. Eat soft, cool foods, like mashed potatoes, yogurt, smoothies, and soups, in the first few days after the extraction. Avoid hot, spicy, or hard foods that can irritate the extraction site.
7. Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption: which can impair healing and increase the risk of complications.
8. Rest and elevate your head with an extra pillow while sleeping to reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort.

​How to Manage Tooth Extraction Pain Even After 7 Days?

If you have been experiencing tooth extraction pain seven days post your treatment, you cannot be causal about it. While it can take several months for complete healing to occur after specific extraction procedures, the initial symptoms, like pain, should get better after a week post-treatment. If not, consider the following solutions:

• Visit your dentist for an oral exam – the dentist must ensure you do not have an infection on the wound.
• Take pain medicine – they alleviate discomfort and manage your swelling.

​Should I take painkillers or apply natural remedies?

Usually, dentists in Concord, CA, recommend painkillers as the first line of action to manage discomfort after tooth extraction. However, there is nothing wrong with Exploring some natural remedies to better your recovery experience. However, it must only be natural remedies that your dentist at Concord Dental & Orthodontics approves as safe for your oral and overall health, including:

1. Resting so that the body can focus better on healing the wound
2. Saltwater rinse to eliminate food debris and destroy bacteria that may threaten an infection
3. Cold compressing to alleviate pain and swelling at home
4. Chew food away from the extraction site, even though the gums look fully healed.