As adults, you probably don’t prepare for losing teeth. After all, there is no tooth fairy to reward you for losing the adult teeth you assumed you would have forever. But some circumstances may require having a tooth pulled by a dentist in order to strengthen your oral health. Some reasons may include having a tooth too damaged to repaired, or even:

• An overcrowded mouth. Your dentist may have to pull teeth if your teeth are too big for your mouth. Especially if you are preparing for orthodontic work, you might realize that having an overcrowded mouth will not help you straighten your teeth. Your dentist may also need to remove a tooth if it hasn’t erupted from your gums due to overcrowding of teeth.
• An infection. If tooth decay reaches the pulp of a tooth, harmful bacteria can enter the pulp and cause an infection. Often times, this can be corrected by a root canal, however, sometimes the infection is so severe that the only option is tooth extraction. This is the best way to prevent the infection from spreading.
• Risk of an infection. If your immune system is compromised, this may be reason enough to remove a tooth.
• Periodontal Disease. Also known as gum disease, causes an infection in the gums and surrounding tissues that support your teeth. If this causes loose teeth, they may have to be removed.

The Procedure. Many people worry endlessly about the procedure itself, but our team will take care of you to ensure a painless process with beneficial results. When you go in for a tooth extraction, your dentist will first inject a local anesthetic to numb the affected area. This will prevent you from feeling any pain whatsoever and allow you to sleep through the whole procedure. Once a tooth has been pulled, a blood clot usually forms in the socket, which will be padded with gauze to stop the bleeding. A sedative dressing can be used over the socket in the event you begin to feel pain. Just talk to your dentist and keep us updated.

What To Expect After The Procedure. For most people, recovery only takes a few days. Some tips to help the healing process include:

• Take pain medication and ice the outside of your cheek on whichever side the tooth was extracted.
• 24 hours after the procedure, gently rinse your mouth out with warm salt water a few times each day. This will reduce pain and swelling.
• Regularly change your gauze pads.
• Avoid any physical activity after the procedure, as this may cause bleeding.
• Eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, pudding, ice cream, soup, or gelatin.
• Prop your head up on a few pillows. Laying flat will prolong the bleeding.
• Continue regular oral hygiene.

If you are concerned about a tooth and think it may need to be removed, contact the team at Greenspoint today so we can work to keep your mouth as healthy as possible.