Care of the mouth after dental extractions under local anaesthetic

Do not rinse your mouth out for the rest of the day or you will dislodge the blood clot from the socket, which can cause pain and bleeding.

The following day you should rinse your mouth with a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm, pre boiled kettle water. Repeat this three times a day after meals for 3-4 days.

You can clean your teeth as normal, but to be careful around the socket as this area is likely to be sore for a few days.

If you have bleeding, roll up some gauze and apply firm pressure for at least 20 minutes. Repeat if necessary. If the bleeding does not stop after 40 minutes of applying firm pressure please contact the oral and maxillofacial surgery department on the numbers below.

Pain afterwards is normal, although varies between patients. The doctor may have prescribed you with painkillers following your procedure. Please take them as prescribed. If not, mild painkillers such as Ibuprofen or paracetamol are usually adequate for controlling post-operative pain. You can get these without prescription from your pharmacy. Please check that these medications are suitable for you with the chemist.

There is often some swelling which is usually at its worst about 48 hours after the procedure. It can last for a week or so.

You will be numb after the procedure from the local anaesthetic so soft and bland foods are advisable for the first 12 hours. Avoid eating anything hot until the numbness has worn away.

Try not to smoke for at least 72 hours, as smoking will delay healing and may interfere with blood formation and increase the risk of post-operative infection. It is advisable not to drink any alcohol for 24 hours after the operation.

If you have stitches put in these are usually dissolvable, but this can take anything up to a couple of weeks. If they are not dissolvable, you will be informed.