Further Update on Tooth Extraction

[Kendrew]

So!...its day 5 since my extraction with sedation and I've picked up a few useful tips for those who mentioned they were having the same done.

- my cavity/wound didn't stop 'oozing' blood for almost 10hrs.

Keep a little pot or some tissue to spit blood into as swallowing too much blood can make you feel very nauseous over a period of time. (Someone else may find their 'oozing' stops sooner of course)...but don't touch wound or stick anything in it.....unless medically advised to of course.

- don't drink through a straw for at least first 24hrs. I thought it would be a helpful tool but some research explained that the sucking action could cause the clot (plug of blood that should form) to come out of the cavity until it forms a more secure seal.

- I only ate soup, smoothies and yogurt for first 24hrs.

I then progressed onto soft solids like porridge, baked beans, cheesy mash, scrambled eggs.

Day 5 and I'm carefully eating more substantial foods such as poached eggs, fish, vegetables, pasta.

I probably won't start eating anything that requires a biting action or hard chewing for another week or so. That means, no hard fruits like apples, no nuts, no chewy meat, no crusty bread, etc.

- every time I've eaten anything I've cleaned my mouth with nothing more than some warm water with salt in. Initially I gently syringed the salt water over affected area (to avoid dislodging the 'plug') but now I gently rinse my whole mouth with it.

- as the wound heals it begins to develop what looks like a white film over it. It looks almost like oral thrush! This is perfectly normal but can be a bit alarming if you don't realise this.

- my gum area is still swollen and may be for another few days before it begins to subside. Again, this is normal and in the absence of intense pain or pus being evident is not indicative of an infection.

Hope that's useful for the people who are about to go through same procedure.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you are likely to bleed a lot - a possible effect of being on pred - your dentist might lay a bit of gauze soaked in an anticoagulant over the socket. Mine does.

[Charlie1boy in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I got given an antiseptic piece of gauze in case I needed it. Fortunately for me, I didn’t.

I was very careful about what I ate for a couple of days. For me, it was just a matter of being patient. No bleeding issues at. Perhaps I was just lucky!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Charlie1boy]

My guy just stuck it over the socket, told me to bite on it and not remove it for a couple of hours. Then I could drink carefully and eat sometime later. Not an ooze, absolutely no problems. I was impressed.

[Charlie1boy in reply to PMRpro]

👍

[Songbird69 in reply to PMRpro]

Same here when I had one of mine extracted.

[Kendrew in reply to PMRpro]

I actually expressed my concern that it could take longer for bleeding to stop because of the pred. The dental surgeon didn't offer any suggestions other than giving me a sterile pad to bite down on for 10mins if necessary! In fact the whole process was like a conveyor belt and I was just the next number in and then out! (I'd been referred by my own dentist)Good job I did my own research first!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kendrew]

Delightful ...

[Sandradsn]

It sounds to me you've done everything correctly. I was a dental nurse and would recommend all these tips to patients 😁

[Kendrew in reply to Sandradsn]

That's a great endorsement. Thankyou.

[Daffodilia]

Better to be oozing than have a dry socket - that really is agony - good luck

[Broseley]

I had numerous teeth out as a child due to overcrowding. Most of the molar roots had hooked round the jaw bone so it took a lot of wrestling! However I don't remember having any problems afterwards except picking bits of bone out of the wound! Does it get worse as you get older then?

[Kendrew in reply to Broseley]

I really don't know about age being a factor, but I do know that long term steroid use can slow down the healing process, make you more susceptible to infection and there's a small risk of developing necrosis in the jaw, so lots to be mindful of.

[Broseley in reply to Kendrew]

Thanks that's helpful to know.

[Pixix]

Thanks! Good job you said. I’ve never taken trouble like that previously. Last time the dentist pulled a piece of cheek bone out as the roots had grown into it, but I still went to work for the day, & ate my sandwiches for lunch, & bled a lot!! Guess it’s quite different if you’re on pred! I haven’t found a dentist willing to give it a shot yet, though. Still have infection anyway. Dreading it.

[WaltzG]

Is anyone in here had actemra and had any problems with healing? Useful thread

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to WaltzG]

Pretty sure my last extraction was after I started Actemra - he was all set to pull the tooth out when I said I was on it and he sent me away to take a large dose of antibiotic to cover me and come back in the afternoon. Absolutely no problem at all,

You will get more answers if you post as a new thread - people don't read the entire thread. Besides DorsetLady and me that is. We read everything ...

[WaltzG in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks!

[SheffieldJane]

Sounds like a good regime. It’s the possibility of a “ dry socket’ that I dread.