Caring for your smile after surgery

What to Expect After Local Anesthesia

The numbness from your anesthetic will fade in a few hours. It’s normal to feel some tenderness, mild swelling, or light bruising around the injection site. If you notice the numbness hasn’t gone away within 48 hours, please call us—we’re here to help.

Protecting the Healing Site

After a tooth extraction, forming a proper blood clot is essential to your healing. For the first 24 hours, here’s how to support that process:

• Do NOT rinse, spit, or use a straw—suction can dislodge the clot.

• Avoid alcohol and mouthwash with alcohol—these can dissolve the clot.

• Do NOT smoke for 5 days—nicotine prevents healing and may cause dry socket, a painful condition.

• Skip the gym—no exercise or heavy lifting during the first day.

• Expect mild swelling; ice packs can help. Apply in 15-minute intervals for the first 6 hours.

• To slow or stop bleeding, gently bite down on the gauze we placed over the site. Change it every 15 minutes (or as needed) for up to 90 minutes. Always wet the gauze slightly before placing it—dry gauze can stick to the clot and pull it out.

• Place a folded towel over your pillow in case of bleeding while you sleep.

• If you’re still experiencing heavy bleeding, severe pain, or swelling 3–4 days after surgery, let us know. We’ll bring you in for a quick check.

• If you received sutures (stitches), don’t worry—they’ll dissolve on their own within a few days.

What to Eat and When

Nourishing your body with the right foods helps speed up recovery.

Days 1–2: Stick with soft and soothing options: Milkshakes, eggnog, yogurt, warm cereals, cottage cheese, smooth soups, mashed potatoes, refried beans, pudding, ice cream, protein shakes, and smoothies.

Day 3 onward: You can start introducing soft foods that require minimal chewing: Mac & cheese, cooked noodles, scrambled or soft-boiled eggs, soft sandwiches.

Avoid anything crunchy, spicy, acidic, or tough—like popcorn, rice, pizza, and burgers—for the first 7 days.

Managing Pain Comfortably

We’ll prescribe medications to ease your pain and prevent infection. Please take them exactly as directed. We recommend starting your pain medicine before the numbness wears off, and continuing it as prescribed to stay ahead of discomfort.

If you have any questions or concerns at any point during your healing, reach out to us. You’re not just recovering—you’re on your way to a more confident, healthy smile. And we’re right here with you.