If you’ve had a tooth extraction in the past, you know that the recovery process isn’t the most comfortable experience. Your child may have the same worries when their appointment draws near. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to help with children’s tooth extraction recovery.
Continue reading to learn from your children’s dentist in Center about some things you can do to make the process smoother.
Advise Them Through the Numbness
Your child’s mouth will be numb for a while after their extraction. Advise them not to bite down on their tongue or cheeks. They could accidentally injure themself without realizing it. This is why they should only be given drinks and liquid foods until the local anesthetic completely wears off. Don’t allow them to consume anything with a straw. The suction in the mouth created by straw use can dislodge the blood clot and prevent their smile from healing properly.
Help to Reduce Bleeding
Before your child leaves the practice, a gauze pad will be placed on the site to control the bleeding as the blood clot forms. The gauze should be left in place for about 45 minutes after leaving the office to stop any bleeding. If it persists after the gauze has been removed, you should do the following:
- Fold a piece of clean gauze into a thick pad. Dampen it with warm water and place it on the extraction site.
- Instruct your child to bite down on the gauze with gentle pressure for about a half-hour.
- If bleeding continues for more than 30 minutes, give their dentist in Center a call.
Soothe Pain and Inflammation
Your child may experience discomfort and swelling for the first few days after their extraction. This can be reduced by using a cold compress or ice pack on their cheek for about 20 minutes at a time. Over-the-counter and prescription medication should only be taken as directed.
Clean the Area Carefully After Children’s Tooth Extraction
Make sure that your child doesn’t clean the area around their extraction for 24 hours after the procedure, but they should still be brushing and flossing their other teeth as usual. The next day, they can begin normally cleaning the teeth near the extraction site and should gently rinse their mouth daily with warm salt water. Rinsing too vigorously can dislodge the blood clot and delay the healing process.
Regardless of age, no one looks forward to a tooth extraction. But following these tips can help put your child in a position to recover quickly with minimal discomfort.
About the Practice
At Family Dental Center of East Texas, you are always welcome to get the convenient, comprehensive, and high-quality dental care you deserve. Our dentists can perform a wide array of personalized treatments at our office location. We help patients of all ages and flexible payment options are available. If you need a children’s dentist for a tooth extraction or any other reason, we have a friendly and gentle staff, we offer sedation dentistry, and appointments are available on Fridays and Saturdays. You can schedule an appointment for them on our website or by calling (936) 427-9070.