You probably already know that you won't be feeling any pain during or after your dental extraction, thanks to anesthesia and pain meds, but you might be dreading the surgery anyway. The reason that many people dread dental extractions is actually due to the recovery, rather than the surgery itself. You may envision a long, drawn-out recovery period that will keep you from your normal routine, but it doesn't have to be that way. There are a couple of easy methods that can help you bounce back fast after your dental extractions. Keep reading to learn more.

Stopping the Blood, Starting the Healing

Your dentist will typically pack the area around your extraction site with gauze. Many people remove that gauze after a few hours, but they may not replace it. If you do a gauze change whenever the gauze becomes wet or bloodied, it will help keep the area clean and prepare the gums to start the healing process.

When you place fresh gauze, bite down firmly to curb any bleeding, and then leave the gauze packed tightly around the extraction site. Your dentist will tell you how long to expect bleeding and how long to keep gauze on the extraction site. A very small amount of blood spotting may continue for a few days post-extraction, but if you keep that gauze firmly in place the blood will stop faster. Once the blood is out of the way, you can also add in another faster healing method: mouth irrigation.

Mouth Irrigation, Not Irritation

Your dentist often provides a small syringe called an irrigator at the follow-up appointment a few days after your extraction. If not, you can buy it at places like drugstores or pharmacies. Generally, dentists recommend filling the irrigator with warm salt water. A typical proportion would be half a teaspoon of table salt to eight ounces of water.

If you use the irrigator faithfully after each meal, you can keep the mouth clean, which helps facilitate faster healing. The salt water helps prevent irritation and infections, as well. Your dentist will recommend exactly how long to use the irrigator, but it is normally used until the wound appears completely closed and on the mend.

Use the two simple methods above to help you get back to your normal life as fast as possible after your dental extraction. Soon, you may even wonder why you ever dreaded the recovery!