It is important to maintain good oral hygiene.

You may brush and floss your teeth the day after your extraction, being careful to avoid the extraction site for the next 2-3 days.

Soften your toothbrush bristles by running them under hot water. This will make it easier to gently brush your healing gums.

Start rinsing your mouth with a pinch of salt and water 24 hours following surgery. You can rinse every 4-6 hours (½ tsp of salt in ½ a glass of water).

If you had your lower wisdom teeth removed, you may also be provided with a Monoject syringe to flush out the area to prevent food from trapping in the area and causing infection. Begin flushing out these healing areas the third day after surgery after eating and continue until the area has fully healed. Tooth socket holes are normal and gradually fill in within 6 weeks.

A certain amount of bleeding, oozing or redness in the saliva is not uncommon the first two days following the procedure.

In the event of bleeding, dampen a folded piece of gauze (thick enough to bite on), place on the extraction site and bite down firmly for 30 minutes. If you run out of gauze, you may use a moist tea bag for 30 minutes. Repeat if necessary. Do not spit as this will cause more bleeding.

Please contact us if you have questions or concerns, or if you bleeding does not subside.

After oral surgery, stiffness of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for 2 weeks following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event which will resolve in time.

We recommend you avoid drinking out of a straw for at least a week after your extraction to avoid dislodging the clot and exposing the tooth socket, which will lead to intense pain - also known as dry socket (see below for more information).

If you smoke, vape or use tobacco, please avoid doing so for at least 48 hours after oral surgery and for as long as you can after that to allow for proper healing and reduce risk of complications - including infection and dry socket (see below for more information).

Dry socket occurs when the blood clot that forms in the tooth socket after your extraction dislodges or does not form, exposing the underlying bone and nerve endings and causing intense pain.

If you think you have dry socket, or have any questions, please contact us.

After surgery, most patients experience swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes and side of face. The swelling will not become apparent until the day following surgery and will not reach its maximum until 2-3 days post operatively.

You can minimize the swelling by applying ice over your face in the first 48 hours (15 minutes on, then 15 minutes off every hour you are awake).

If you experience increasing swelling lasting more than one day after the initial healing period, please contact us.

Although very rare, if the swelling moves towards your eyes or throat, or you have trouble breathing, this is an emergency. Call 911.

If an infection persists after oral srugery, you may notice:

1. Increasing swelling lasting more than one day after the initial healing period of 2-3 days.*

2. New swelling develops in the surrounding tissues.

3. A bad or bitter taste in your mouth.

4. Yellow / white pus or discharge coming from the site.

5. Fever

6. Trouble eating, talking or breathing.

*If you experience increasing swelling lasting more than one day after the initial healing period, please contact us.

Although very rare, if the swelling moves towards your eyes or throat, or you have trouble breathing, this is an emergency. Call 911.