Hot Liquids After Tooth Extraction: Balancing Comfort and Healing

If you have exhausted all options for saving a natural tooth, your dentist might need to extract the tooth. Tooth extractions are common procedures. However, you must follow your post-procedure instructions as directed by your dental professional. These instructions help advise you to avoid hot liquids, such as tea, coffee, cocoa etc., for the first few days after tooth extraction.

When Tooth Extractions Recommended

Our dentist in Houston prefers to save natural teeth whenever possible. However, sometimes other restorative methods, such as dental crowns or fillings, aren’t enough. If your tooth has been badly damaged to the point of no repair, then extraction may be necessary. Your dentist might recommend tooth extraction if you have the following:

• A fractured tooth
• Severe gum disease
• An impacted tooth
• Severe tooth decay or cavities
• Tooth luxation or other teeth injuries
• Crowded teeth

What to Expect During Tooth Extraction

Your dentist will first assess your affected tooth and surrounding gums during your tooth extraction in Houston, TX. They will then take dental X-rays to check bone levels and determine the extent of the damage. Ensure you tell your dentist about any medication supplements or vitamins you take.

Once they’ve gathered all the information, they’ll administer local anaesthesia to you. This helps now the affected tooth and the surrounding gum tissue. Your dentist will gently loosen the tooth and carefully lifted from the socket using specialized dental instruments. Sometimes the dentist might need to make incisions in your gums to help access your tooth, especially if it’s badly decayed or has broken off at your gum line.

Once the tooth is removed, your dentist cleans and disinfects it. In some cases, the dentist might also place a dental bone graft which prevents bone loss in your jaw. Finally, they might place stitches to help promote healing.

After the procedure, the dentist places a piece of gauze over the extraction area and asks you to close it with firm and steady pressure. This helps in slowing bleeding so a blood clot can form. You will then take the gauze out once the bleeding has slowed enough. However, you might continue to have light bleeding throughout the first 24 hours.

How do Hot Liquids affect Tooth Extraction?

Drinking hot liquids such as cocoa tea or coffee after the tooth extraction can prevent a blood clot from forming or dislodge a newly formed blood clot. This might lead to a condition known as a dry socket, which causes considerable pain and an unpleasant taste in your mouth.

When can you Drink Hot Liquids after a Tooth Extraction

You might be waiting during the whole tooth extraction procedure just to drink your favorite coffee, but you shouldn’t. After tooth extraction, you should avoid consuming hot tea, coffee and other hot drinks for one to two days. The heat from these liquids irritates the extraction site and damages the healing process.

How to Balance Comfort and Healing

After your extraction, your dentist at Quest Dentistry will give you a detailed list of post-surgical instructions. Some of the general guidelines for comfortable and speedy recovery include:

• Keep the extraction site clean : Ensure you gently rinse the area with an antimicrobial mouthwash twice daily. You should avoid brushing directly over your extraction site until your dental professional tells you it’s safe. Floss and brush all other areas normally.
• Avoid strenuous activities for at least two days : An elevated heart rate might cause discomfort and increased postoperative bleeding. You should skip the gym for the first two to three days. Also, ask your dentist when it’s safe to resume normal routines.
• Took all medications as directed : Your dentist might prescribe pain relievers and antibiotics. It’s essential to take all of these medications exactly as directed. You can also take over-the-counter medication or pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

The Time it takes for one to Recover from a Tooth Extraction?

The recovery period depends on the complexity of your case. However, most patients feel back to normal in just a few days. Although you can return to routine activities within two to three days, it usually takes your jawbone several weeks to heal completely. Therefore, if you are planning on replacing your tooth with a dental implant, you need to wait a few months for a full recovery.