Help! Dental surgery 3.5 hours ago and it’s not stopping bleeding

[UnfortunateTypo]

Hello,

Sorry posting for traffic as I’m starting to panic a bit.

I had a tooth removed about 3pm and it’s still bleeding quite a lot and doesn’t appear to be stopping. I’ve had various gauzes pressed into it and biting down hard on it since and it’s not working.

What do I do? A&E? Any advice welcome!

Thanks so much!

Ring your dentist and ask for someone to check it. This happened to me and I went back and the dentist put something additionally into the tooth site - something that helps it clot and naturally dissolves over time, I forget what it was called.

It took a while to stop bleeding completely.

Soak gauze pads in really strong black tea and then bite down on that. That's what stopped the bleeding after ds1's wisdom teeth removal.

@AtrociousCircumstance I think they did that and I have a few stitches as well. I’m hoping the numbing lasts until it clots 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Apparently "Black tea is full of tannins, which are hemostatic (i.e. they cause blood to coagulate, which in turn makes the bleeding stop)."

My last one took quite a few hours, don't panic it looks more than it is as mixed with saliva. I read to put a teabag on it, I know it sounds weird but think it's the tannin that constricts the blood vessels, so make a cup of tea then put the cooled used teabag on it.
I'd had one out he year before and had stopped bleeding by the time I drove home but my last one was harder to get out and did make me concerned.😏

@CobraChicken thanks!!

This happened to me recently and I didn't do anything. The bleeding slowed down after a day or two but I went on to have dry socket. Not 100% sure the two are definitely related but dry socket sucks big time so I'd really recommend getting checked out just in case!

@UnfortunateTypo are you red headed? (They tend to bleed more)

honestly, I always think if something is worrying you then you should do what you can to put your mind at rest.

id have thought 3 hours would be enough to start to clot.

It can take a while for the bleeding to stop. I've had two teeth removed - one never really bled a huge amount but the other bled on/off for 24 hours or so. Just keep biting down on the gauze.

I’m not a redhead :)

I had one out a few years ago and it clotted in no time, I really don’t want dry socket later. Hoping this stops soon!!

Interesting......I was redhead...before I went grey🤔

I’m going against the grain here and advising A&E as this is what I was told to do.

Call 111 or the dentist office for advice

DS1 is a redhead. He was bleeding excessively after having 4 wisdom teeth removed. His oral and maxillofacial surgeon was the one that recommended biting down on black tea soaked gauze pads after we contacted his secretary because we were so concerned. The bleeding stopped really quickly once we did that.

That was poorly written - I wish we could edit!!

Go to A&E.

If reluctant to go, then at least ask 111 or the dentist for advice.

@CheekyHusky Thankyou! I had read that but didn’t know if that was right. We’re A&E ok with you? I don’t want to drive an hour and be turned away.

Call 111

@declutteringmymind will get DH to as I can’t talk :)

If it’s an hours drive away then definitely go.

Call 111 while you’re on the way, take advice from whichever you reach first.

I'd phone 111

I wouldn’t say 111 was your best bet, if there aren’t any dentists on you will just be advised to attend a&e so if it’s still bleeding I would consider that

I’m auburn (well I was auburn 😂) but my kids are really red headed and it’s been mentioned to me a few times. Once by a nurse when I had blood taken in my teens and it was a relative blood bath for such a routine procedure 😂 and when my son had his tonsils out it was mentioned by the anaesthetist that red heads tend to bleed more easily and need more anaesthetic

It’s finally slowed down! Thanks all for your help!