How to stop bleeding from tooth extraction

Patients need tooth extractions due to various reasons. For example, they may need them because of dental trauma or impacted wisdom teeth. It’s essential to care for your mouth after a tooth removal to ensure a fast and healthy recovery. The first 24 hours post-surgery are the most important, and you must be extra careful during this time. In case you have persistent bleeding after a tooth extraction that won’t stop, head to your nearest dentist so we can take immediate actions to minimize the bleeding and discomfort.

Table of Contents Show

Stop a tooth extraction from bleeding
Protect Your Blood Clot
Minimize activities that make it difficult to control bleeding
Be ready for swelling.
Smoking is a NO!
Revise your eating habits
Contact us for more tooth extraction aftercare tips!
How to care for tooth extraction?
How long after tooth extraction should bleeding stop?
Can I go to sleep if my tooth extraction is still bleeding?

This article explores some useful tips to help minimize the bleeding after a tooth extraction. However, everyone’s situation can be different and may require special attention. This makes it important to discuss your recovery plans with Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics so we can provide you the best care according to your unique needs.

Here are some aftercare guidelines that will bring you to ease after an extraction:

Stop a tooth extraction from bleeding

Using gauze is the best way to stop severe bleeding. If the tooth extraction is still bleeding, you can control the flow by placing gauze on the tooth socket. Take a clean gauze and make it slightly wet, and place it on the top of the extraction site. Make sure you fold the gauze into a square shape. This is important because the square shape helps with reducing the bleeding.
How long do you need to keep the gauze in after your tooth extraction? Firmly bite on the damp gauze for about an hour, ensuring the gauze is placed in the correct position and pressure is exerted on the tooth extraction site.
Stop bleeding from the tooth extraction with a teabag. Placing a teabag on the tooth extraction site is an effective way to stop bleeding. This is because tea contains tannic acid that helps develop a blood clot that is essential for healing. Place the teabag in a similar way to the gauze and wait for its magic.

Protect Your Blood Clot

Blood clot formation. For a healthy recovery, make sure the blood clot develops after your tooth removal and stays within the extraction site. Don’t do anything that might dislodge the blood clot. Otherwise, it can lead to a dry socket, which is an extremely painful condition and prolongs the healing process.
Protecting a blood clot development. Stay away from alcohol and hot liquids after your tooth extraction. Also, avoid spitting or rinsing vigorously. The pressure difference in the mouth can disturb the blood clot; thus, avoid any movement that may lead to painful results. Sucking with a straw and smoking can turn things worse for you. Also, refrain from sneezing with an open mouth or blowing your nose. Furthermore, don’t play any wind instruments for the first few days.

Minimize activities that make it difficult to control bleeding

Avoid physical activities. For the first 48-72 hours after a tooth extraction, avoid strenuous work and bending. Also, avoid picking up heavy items. This is an important part of tooth extraction aftercare.
Elevate the head. When sleeping, use an extra pillow to elevate your head. Keeping the head above the heart will help minimize increased blood pressure and bleeding.

Be ready for swelling.

The gum tissues undergo dental trauma after a tooth extraction. Unfortunately, this can result in swelling and sensitivity. The intensity of swelling will vary from person to person and can be minor or severe.

Smoking is a NO!

What happens if you smoke after getting a tooth pulled? Smoking after a wisdom teeth removal can lead to further complications such as excessive bleeding. For the first 24-48 hours after your tooth removal, avoid smoking.

Revise your eating habits

For the first day one to two days after your wisdom teeth removal, avoid any hard to chew or crunchy foods as they can damage the tooth removal site and result in more bleeding. Instead, eat only soft and easy to chew foods or liquids such as fresh juices or milkshakes. Be gentle while chewing and be easy on your mouth and teeth. Moreover, don’t drink hot liquids such as tea and coffee; avoid alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine as they may disrupt the blood clot.

Contact us for more tooth extraction aftercare tips!

In case your tooth extraction doesn’t stop bleeding, and you’re experiencing severe pain, immediately visit an emergency dentist near you. Our experts can provide instant care to help you find relief!

Bleeding will only stop if pressure is applied for long

enough.

How to care for tooth extraction?

Bite firmly on the cotton roll that has been placed where the tooth was removed. Keep biting firmly on the cotton roll or gauze for at least 20 minutes to help stop the bleeding.

If you still notice bleeding, do not rinse your mouth, but place a new clean, damp gauze and bite down firmly for another 20 min.
Do not chew on the cotton roll.
Do not suck on the extraction site.
If bleeding won’t stop, moisten a tea bag with tap water bite down on it for 30 minutes. Tea contains Tannic Acid which can help to reduce the bleeding.
Keep your head elevated with pillows to control bleeding.
Use a towel on the pillow the first night.
Applying pressure is the only way to stop bleeding.
Avoid excessive exercise for several hours.

There may be some slight bleeding for the first day or so. Don’t be concerned about the amount of bleeding. A small amount of blood mix with a larger amount of saliva, which looks more dramatic than it is.

What pain relief can I take after a tooth extraction?

To reduce pain and aid your recovery, it can be helpful to:

Take your first dose of painkillers before the numbness wears off. You can use paracetamol or ibuprofen (always read and follow the manufacturer's dosage instructions) Do not take aspirin for pain relief after wisdom tooth removal, as it may make your wound bleed. You can take painkillers on a regular basis over the next few days. Painkillers may be taken with any prescribed antibiotics.

How long does it take to heal after tooth extraction?

The Blood clot that forms in the empty socket is important for the healing process.

Try not to disrupt the formation of the blood clot by

Avoiding vigorous rinsing or spitting for 24 hours
Don’t drink hot liquids for 24 hours as it may dissolve the blood clot.
Avoid smoking for 48 hours because smoking will slow the healing down and increase your change of developing an infection.
Do not use a straw as these cause suction for 24 hours
Eat soft foods, such as soup or yogurt for 24 hours after the
Do not vigorously chew anything.

The initial healing period typically takes from one to two weeks, gum tissue takes about 3-4 weeks to heal and complete healing of the bone can take about 6-8 months depending on your care of this area.

Hot salt-water mouth bath to prevent a dry socket.

After 24 hours dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a cupful of warm water. Take a mouthful of the water and hold the liquid over the extraction site until it begins to cool. Spit this out and repeat the process until all the water is used up. It should take a few minutes to do this.

It is not a quick rinse and spit. Your mouth should feel warm and glowing.

Repeat this process every few hours for 5 to 7 days. Salt mouth baths will help to keep the area clean and make it less likely for the tooth socket to become infected.

Brushing

For several days after the extraction, it is important to keep the area as clean as possible to prevent infection and promote healing. Do not directly brush the extraction site for the first 3-4 days after surgery to prevent dislodging of the blood clot from the socket.

I am starting to have pain where my tooth was extracted after 3 days?

When the blood clot doesn't form in the hole or the blood clot breaks off or breaks down too early the underlying bone is exposed to air and food. This can be very painful and needs to be treated by your dentist to stop the pain and encourage the area to heal.

Smokers and women who take birth control pills are more likely to have a dry socket. Smoking on the day of surgery further increases the risk.

A dry socket develops in about 3% to 4% of all extractions.

How long after tooth extraction should bleeding stop?

Bleeding should continue for up to 24 hours It is normal for bleeding to exist for up to 24 hours after the tooth extraction. However, the bleeding should be minimal and tolerable, and excessive bleeding that causes a major distraction or that causes major discomfort that is not tolerable is a concern.

Can I go to sleep if my tooth extraction is still bleeding?

Sleeping on the back is necessary for ensuring any materials used to control the bleeding in the extraction site will not shift out of place. Keeping the head to the side while sleeping could cause the protective materials to shift a small bit, making it harder for the teeth to stay healthy.