Just had a tooth pulled? The next 24-48 hours matter — both for comfort and for proper healing. Here’s a clear, practical aftercare guide from our team in Dansville.
The first 24 hours: critical
What to do
- Bite firmly on the gauze we sent home with you for 30-45 minutes
- If bleeding continues, replace gauze and bite for another 30 minutes
- Take prescribed or recommended pain medication on schedule (don’t wait until pain is bad)
- Apply cold compress to the outside of your cheek, 20 minutes on / 20 minutes off
- Sleep with your head elevated
- Rest. Take it easy for the day.
What to avoid
- NO straws for 7 days — the suction can pull out the blood clot and cause dry socket
- NO spitting — let saliva flow into a sink or tissue if needed
- NO smoking for at least 72 hours (longer is better)
- NO carbonated drinks for 48 hours
- NO alcohol for 48 hours (especially if on pain medication)
- NO rinsing for the first 24 hours
- NO touching the area with your tongue or fingers
- NO physical exertion for at least 24 hours
What to eat (Days 1-2)
- Greek yogurt
- Smoothies (with a spoon, not a straw)
- Apple sauce
- Cottage cheese
- Mashed potatoes
- Pudding, ice cream, gelatin
- Lukewarm broth or soup (not hot)
What to eat (Days 3-7)
Add gradually as comfort allows:
- Scrambled eggs
- Soft pasta
- Soft fish
- Well-cooked vegetables
- Oatmeal
- Soft sandwiches (no hard crusts)
- Bananas, ripe peaches
What to avoid eating (Days 1-7)
- Hard foods (chips, nuts, hard candy, pretzels)
- Crunchy foods (raw vegetables, crusty bread)
- Sticky foods (caramel, gum)
- Spicy foods (irritate the area)
- Foods with small seeds or grains (can lodge in the socket)
- Anything you have to chew on the extraction side
Brushing and rinsing
- First 24 hours: No rinsing. You can brush, but avoid the extraction site.
- Day 2 onward: Gentle salt water rinses 4-5 times a day (½ tsp salt in 8 oz warm water). Don’t swish vigorously — let it sit and tip your head.
- Day 3-4 onward: Brush gently around the extraction site. By day 7, normal brushing of the area.
The healing timeline
- 24-48 hours: Blood clot forms; pain peaks
- Days 3-7: Soft tissue starts closing over the socket; pain decreases significantly
- Week 2: Soft tissue mostly closed; back to normal eating with care
- 1-3 months: Bone fills in the socket (you won’t notice this happening)
- 3-6 months: Full bone healing complete
What’s normal vs. what’s a problem
Normal
- Mild swelling that peaks at days 2-3
- Pink-tinged saliva for 24-48 hours
- A clot that looks dark red or grayish in the socket
- Bruising on cheek (some patients)
- Slight bad taste while healing
- Tenderness when chewing nearby for the first week
Call us
- Severe pain that returns days 3-5 — likely dry socket
- Bleeding that won’t stop after gauze pressure for 60+ minutes
- Increasing (not decreasing) swelling after day 3
- Fever over 101°F
- Pus or foul-tasting drainage
- Swelling that spreads to your eye, throat, or chest
- Numbness that lasts beyond what we discussed
Call (585) 335-2120. Don’t tough it out.
Dry socket prevention (the big one)
Dry socket — when the protective blood clot dislodges and exposes bone — is the most common complication of extraction. The pain can be severe and starts 2-4 days after extraction. Prevent it by:
- NO straws for a full week
- NO smoking for at least 72 hours
- NO vigorous rinsing or spitting
- NO chewing on that side
If you do get dry socket, we can treat it quickly — call right away and we’ll get you in.
What about replacing the tooth?
If the extraction wasn’t a wisdom tooth, you’ll likely want to discuss a replacement option — implant, bridge, or partial denture. The longer a gap stays open, the more shifting and bone loss occurs. We typically discuss replacement at your follow-up visit.
Questions about your aftercare? Call our office at (585) 335-2120.