Our Top Picks for Best What should you rinse with after a tooth extraction?

Our Top  Picks for Best What should you rinse with after a tooth extraction?

Your dentist gave you a lot of instructions after you had your wisdom tooth removed. You just got home and everything is still a bloody mess, but what were you supposed to do again? Can you rinse or can't you?

After a tooth extraction, there are specific instructions on what you can and can't do. You must follow them very carefully to avoid permanent bleeding from the extraction port.

Post-operative extraction instructions:

On the day of the procedure - do not rinse, do not spit and do not drink through a straw.

Bite on a folded piece of gauze for 30 minutes.

Switch to a new piece of gauze every 30 minutes until the bleeding stops.

If it is still bleeding, you can soak a black tea bag and bite into it.

Starting the next day, you can start using the salt water rinse after each meal.

Just to reiterate, start rinsing with salt water after every meal, but start not the day, but the day after the tooth extraction.

Put about a teaspoon of salt in the cup.

Add 8 ounces of water.

Rinse your mouth very vigorously to loosen food residue in the socket.

You can repeat more than once to make sure all food remains have been removed.

It is important to remember that you should only do this the next day and not on the day, as any type of douching will cause the bleeding to continue.

Why does it bleed more when you rinse?

It bleeds when you rinse because the blood clot is trying to form, but any type of pressure in the mouth will dislodge the blood clot and that's usually when it bleeds. When you think about it, spitting and drinking through a straw creates a lot of pressure in the mouth. That's what you want to avoid, mouth pressure. Bleeding should stop the day after, so we recommend rinsing with salt water.

What happens if you don't rinse with salt water?

If you don't do this type of mouthwash, food gets stuck in the extraction holes and this slows healing. It will take your body longer to close the hole in your gum because food is still interfering with the healing process.

In addition to delayed healing, any food stuck there will start to ferment. That means it will start to smell. What do you think will happen if you leave food on the table for another 7 days? Will it start to rot and smell right? The same thing happens if food gets stuck in a hole and you leave it there for days. You start to perceive a very unpleasant smell.

You may then be asked to rinse with salt water.

The salt water rinse also has one last added benefit, which is that salt has a natural anti-inflammatory effect. This will help keep the swelling down. If you can keep gum swelling under control, it will have a chance to heal more quickly. Hopefully you picked up a few new tricks when you get the extraction!