Sometimes you may have a tooth that needs to be extracted. It could be that the tooth is so damaged that there is no way for it to be repaired. It could also be that you need to have teeth removed for things like dentures or braces. Having any teeth removed can be slightly scary. Knowing what to expect after you have this minor dental surgery can make the process much easier. 

The Day of Extraction

On the day of your extraction, there are several things that you should do. 

1. Keep biting on the gauze: Your dentist will have packed the socket with gauze. The instructions you will get from your dentist will include biting down on that gauze for some time. The reason for this is that the gauze will help to stop any bleeding. It is just like any other wound; direct pressure will keep the bleeding down. 

2. Take your painkillers: Directly after your extraction you may not feel a thing. That's because of the numbing agents that the dentist used. You may feel like you can get away without the painkillers. Don't try it. In fact, you should take some as soon as you get home. That's because painkillers take some time to work, and they will start working before the numbing agents wear off. 

The Days After the Extraction

In the days after your extraction, there are some things that you need to keep doing. 

1. Watch for dry socket: Dry socket can be a worry after you have a tooth pulled. It can be very painful. Dry socket is an inflammation of the bone around the socket of your tooth. There are several causes for it. One is that you lost the blood clot that formed in the socket. If the area of the extraction starts to feel a lot worse, you should go to your dentist about it. They will check to see if it is dry socket. The cure for that is packing the socket full of gauze that is soaked in oil of cloves. It may sound odd, but it works, and it will make you feel much better. 

2. Keep eating soft foods: In the few days after your extraction you may feel like you can eat the regular things you always do. However, you really should keep eating nice soft foods for several days after. That's because the socket is still healing and something hard could get into it and cause you more pain and even more damage. 

Getting your tooth pulled doesn't have to be scary or upsetting. As long as you know what is going on and pay attention, getting an extraction should be as little a problem as possible.