Is it a Bad Idea to Have an Extraction Done Before Thanksgiving?
Taking care of your teeth is extremely beneficial for your oral health. By properly taking care of your teeth, they usually will be able to have a longer lifespan. However, natural teeth may not always be able to last as long as we’d like them to. In certain cases, a tooth may be injured, infected or badly decayed enough where it would have to be removed completely. When a tooth is removed from the mouth it is often referred to as a tooth extraction.
If you have visited with a dentist and they have recommended you receive an extraction, you may be wondering when to schedule this treatment procedure, especially with Thanksgiving and the holidays quickly approaching. To fully answer this, it’s important to weigh in on a couple factors related to extractions.
Why you may need an extraction?
Although the ultimate goal is to keep your natural teeth, it isn’t always an option in certain cases. As previously stated, for teeth that are infected, injured or badly decayed they would need to be extracted. Depending on how badly of shape a tooth is in would help to determine the severity of the treatment. An evaluation by a dentist can help to determine the severity of tooth’s issue and provide an accurate timeline for treatment.
What is involved with an extraction?
During an extraction, a dentist will make sure that as the patient, you are completely comfortable and relaxed in the dental chair. He or she will give you a local anesthetic to ensure that you won’t feel any pain during the process either. After this, special tools will be used to gently loosen the tooth, eventually causing it to be removed from the mouth completely. In some cases, where the issue at hand may be more complex, a surgical extraction method may be used to remove your tooth.
What does recovery look like?
Recovering from an extraction is completely important. Following the extraction procedure, the dentist will provide you with a certain set of instructions on how to best care for your mouth to ensure healthy healing. Some of these instructions may include regular brushing and flossing as normal, eating soft foods (mashed potatoes, pudding or yogurt) and refraining from smoking for at least a week. You will also need to keep gauze in your mouth for a few hours to control any bleeding that may occur. As for any swelling, ice can be applied to the cheeks.
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With the holidays approaching, it is understandable to feel the need to hold off on dental treatment until afterwards. However, if you are in a position where treatment shouldn’t be held off, it would be in your best interest to address the issues sooner rather than later.
For any questions or scheduling, please contact Wells Family Dental Group immediately!