Post-Operative Swelling

We have lots of experience extracting wisdom teeth at Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Flushing. While we don’t recommend removing teeth lightly, the procedure is usually simple. But some swelling is expected, and to prevent complications, we want patients to know what they should look out for.

Inflammation is the immune system’s response to an infection or injury. Tissue swelling prevents pathogens from traveling to other parts of the body and makes cellular walls more permeable to resources white blood cells need to fight disease. Extractions trigger the immune response, with inflammation usually being proportionate to the complexity of the extraction. During the first twenty-four hours after an extraction, patients should try to control it by applying cold packs. They should be careful to limit cold pack usage to fifteen-minute increments, with fifteen minutes between each use. The swelling should peak after thirty-six hours, at which point patients can reduce it by using hot packs.

Complications following simple extractions are unlikely, but patients should keep a look-out for gum discoloration. If their oral tissues turn black or white, they should seek emergency care. During extractions, we anesthetize patients’ lips, and some people bite down on them afterward. This could cause extensive swelling, which is uncomfortable, but usually not dangerous. However, patients should inform us if swelling is still increasing after forty-eight hours.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Preventing and Treating Dry Sockets

Although it is rare, one of the biggest risks following a tooth extraction is that the socket may dry out. Normally, our patients at Fresh Meadows Dental Care are able to follow our instructions and avoid an emergency, but should the worst happen, we’re here to help.

A little bleeding is not only normal when a tooth is removed, it’s necessary. The empty socket needs to be sealed off with a clot or it will painfully dry out and be at risk for infection. To prevent this, we need our patients to provide information about all the medications they are taking, as some may prevent clotting. They also need to avoid sipping through a straw following the surgery, as this may rip off the clot prematurely.

A dry socket is more likely to develop following a difficult extraction that required an incision to be made and sutured. The appointment at which the sutures are removed allows us to ensure the socket is healing well, but the risk of dryness is usually highest in the first two days after the extraction. If a patient is in severe pain, they should come see us so we can apply medication to the surgical site and prescribe any painkillers or antibiotics that may be required.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit FreshMeadowsDental.com and fill out a contact form.