What is Tooth Pulling

Tooth Pulling (removing) a tooth is also called a tooth extraction. You may need to have a tooth pulled if your tooth is diseased or damaged and cannot be saved, or if you have a tooth that is crowding other teeth.

During this procedure, your dentist will use a special tool to remove your tooth from its socket in your jawbone.

Tell a health care provider about:

• Any allergies you have.
• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
• Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
• Any blood disorders you have.
• Any surgeries you have had.
• Any medical conditions you have.
• Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.

What are the risks?

Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems may occur, including:

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Dry socket. In this condition, the blood clot that would normally form in the socket of a pulled tooth does not form or it gets lost. This causes the bone and nerves in the socket to be exposed to air, food, and liquid, which can be painful.
• Allergic reactions to medicines.
• Damage to nearby teeth, lips, sinuses, or gums.
• Numbness in your jaw.
• A cracked (fractured) jawbone.

What happens before the procedure?

Medicines

• Ask your health care provider about:
  • Changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
  • Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood. Do not take these medicines unless your health care provider tells you to take them.
  • Taking over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbs, and supplements.
• You may be given antibiotic medicine to help prevent infection.

General instructions

• You may have mouth X-rays done.
• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
• Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco on the day of your procedure, or as long as possible before the procedure. These include cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Plan to have someone take you home from the hospital or clinic.
• Plan to have a responsible adult care for you for at least 24 hours after you leave the hospital or clinic. This is important.

What happens during the procedure?

• To lower your risk of infection, your health care team will wash or sanitize their hands and wear gloves.
• You will be positioned in a dental chair.
• You will be given one or more of the following:
  • A medicine to help you relax (sedative). This may be given through a nose mask (nitrous oxide) or through an IV inserted into one of your veins.
  • A numbing medicine that is injected near your tooth to numb the area (local anesthetic).
• Gauze pads will be placed in your mouth.
• Your dentist will use surgical tools to loosen the tooth from its socket.
• A grabbing instrument (forceps) will be used to pull the tooth from the socket.
• Fluid and blood will be suctioned from your mouth as needed during the procedure.
• You will be asked to bite down on a rolled gauze pad to stop bleeding.

The procedure may vary among dental care providers and clinics.

What happens after the procedure?

• You will be monitored until the medicines you were given have worn off.
• You will continue to have gauze pads in your mouth to absorb bleeding.
• Do not drive for 24 hours if you were given a sedative or as directed by your health care provider.

Summary

• During this procedure, your dentist will use a special tool to remove (extract) your tooth from its socket in your jawbone.
• Ask your health care provider about changing or stopping your regular medicines before the procedure.
• You may be given a medicine to help you relax (sedative), a numbing medicine that is injected near your tooth to numb the area (local anesthetic), or both.
• After the procedure, you will be monitored until the medicines you were given have worn off.

Tooth Pulling, Care After

This sheet gives you information about how to care for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. If you have problems or questions, contact your health care provider.

What can I expect after the procedure?

After the procedure, it is common to have:

• Pain.
• Some swelling.
• Bleeding for up to 24 hours.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.

Driving

• Do not drive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.
• Do not drive for 24 hours if you were given a medicine to help you relax (sedative) during the procedure.

Managing pain, bleeding, and swelling

• To control bleeding, gently bite down on gauze pads.
• If directed, put ice on your jaw:
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.

Eating and drinking

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions. You may need to eat only cool, soft foods for a few days.
• Do not drink from a straw for the first 24 hours after your procedure.

General instructions

• Rinse your mouth gently with a cool salt-water mixture 3–4 times a day or as needed. To make a salt-water mixture, completely dissolve ½–1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of cool water.
• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have chills or a fever.
• You have more pain or swelling.
• You have pain that:
  • Does not get better with medicine.
  • Gets worse after 3 days.
• You have trouble swallowing.
• You have bleeding that is not controlled with gauze pads.
• You have numbness in your jaw that does not go away.

Summary

• After the procedure, it is common to have pain and some swelling, and to have bleeding for up to 24 hours.
• Rinse your mouth gently with a cool salt-water mixture 3-4 times a day or as needed.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.