Molar extraction

[Aparecium]

I'm going to have a molar extracted under sedation. Please tell me what I need to know. The dentist probably told me, but I'm always so stressed at the dentist that I either forget to ask or do not remember what she says.

Until what time can I eat before the procedure?
How do I avoid dry socket?
What's the pain going to be like afterwards?

And anything else that it might help me to know.

I was not sedated so not sure what time you can eat up to before your extraction. But after make sure you stock up on soup , I eat soup for 3 days and slim fast milk shakes. Don’t drink with a straw, no spitting, don’t poke extraction site . No hot drinks

How do you brush your teeth? Or don’t you?

I ate about an hour before but wasn’t sedated. You can clean your teeth with a baby toothbrush.

Like the PP said, dont use straws or mouthwash. Also stock up on soup, jelly, yoghurt and any other smooth food you can think of. Table salt is a good shout too as you’ll need salty water to swill your mouth out with.

I had a lower molar out a few years ago - but no sedation. I ate soft food that day but ate normally the following day, just on the other side. I also did not avoid hot drinks other than immediately after (I think it’s because the numbing means you can scald your mouth, not because they are bad to have but might be wrong). I cleaned my teeth as normal that night. Mine was “a difficult extraction” as I have big teeth with curved roots, and I found the next door tooth really hurt afterwards. I queried this when I went back for the follow up and that’s apparently totally normal as it can get bashed about in the pushing and pulling of the extraction. It settled in a couple of weeks but I wish I had known that might happen beforehand as I am quite an anxious person and was worried that tooth had become a problem too.

I had a root canal with sedation in my early 20s and needed someone to drive me there/take me home, and stay with me for something like six hours afterwards until it wore off. (I’m sure you know this, but just in case.) My dad did the necessary and said I was like an embarrassing drunk, especially when he tried to put me to bed once he got me home. I also came to in the surgery and apparently said to the dentist I liked the music he was playing - turns out it was my music because I had told him his was boring (he is long retired but always had Classic FM on) and made him put on a CD I had in my bag. 😬

Brush your teeth gently for the couple of days after, and salt water rinses but gently. No sucking or spitting. Can eat I believe as soon as anaesthetic wears off but I wasn’t sedated. Lots of soft food and no rice. If you do smoke/vape I would avoid it as long as you can. Definetly get some soups for the day or two after. Xx

Mine was a difficult extraction too. I did need someone to drive me home so do plan that if you haven’t already OP.

The pain for me was barely noticeable, and two paracetamol was all I needed (after the anaesthetic wore off). No sucking, spitting, straws, smoking or vaping, and avoid any soft foods/drinks with small bits like rice, seeds, etc. Use a baby toothbrush and a small amount of toothpaste, and brush your teeth very gently.

The day after, I was allowed to use warm salt water to rinse out every few hours, but it's really important you don't swish it around; instead, tilt your head slowly to the left and then the right and just let it dribble out of your mouth, don't spit. I was told not to use mouthwash at all because it is too acidic.

And I'm not sure if this helped or not, but I slept elevated for the first few days because I was terrified of getting dry socket.

I’ve had a couple of teeth out. I was very surprised how straightforward it is. I didn’t feel any pain and it was done quite quickly. The second tooth I had out was tricky to remove and the dentist warned me that it might break but all went well.

A couple of paracetamols after was all I needed. Soup later that day and back to normal. Yes you clean your teeth but obviously not the gap. I did salt water rinses to keep the wound clean.

If you are having sedation you will not be able to drive, possibly for 24hrs after extraction. Check with your dentist.

After the extraction try not to eat until the anaesthetic has worn off. The local anaesthetic used for lower molars will numb up almost half your mouth including half your tongue so you can do a lot of damage chewing if it’s all numb.

Nothing too hot or too cold for first 24hrs and don’t start using salt water mouth wash until the following day. Also DON’T SWISH AROUND. It can loosen the clot leading to early loss and a dry socket. Just take a mouth full and hold it around the socket. Spit out and repeat a few times. The water should be as hot as you can stand it.

Make sure you have painkillers, paracetamol is usually sufficient.

If it starts to bleed use clean rolled up wad of gauze/tissue, dampen it slightly the psh hard down onto the bleeding socket continuously for 15mins. Don’t dab it or keep checking it because you will pull out the fresh clot. Use salt water after meals and before you go to bed after brushing teeth.

The pain will gradually improve but if it starts to get worse ( severe pain that doesn’t respond to painkillers) get in touch with your dentist. It may need a dressing placed.

It will look pretty grim after two days but as long as it is not painful this is normal. The clot, as it starts to organise goes a whity/yellowy colour and a bit moth eaten in appearance.

Brush normally but carefully around the socket. Don’t rinse after brushing just spit out the excess.

Finally find an old towel to protect your pillow. And prop yourself up to sleep b cause your blood pressure increases in your head when you lie down and can cause the socket to start bleeding again.

The dentist gave me a little pack of sterile gauze and an aftercare leaflet which contains all the advice from pp.
To avoid dry socket it's about doing everything you can to avoid dislodging the blood clot. I've had dry socket before so when I had another tooth out last month I was overly careful - no smoking, vaping, or nicotine for at least 48 hours; no hot drinks or using straws; no prodding with your tongue; regular salt water rinses after 24 hours; avoid strong toothpastes for 2-3 days; soft foods for 2-3 days; no mouthwash for 3-4 days; no spicy food or alcohol; lukewarm foods. I brushed my teeth with the salt water for the first two days. Took some painkillers. No dry socket!

Get a microwaveable heat pack ready. It was really soothing on my jaw.

Dry socket happens when the clot that forms in the extraction site dislodges, so just be really careful not to suck, drink or basically do anything forceful with your mouth. Gentle salt water rinses will be ok for a few days if you don’t want to brush. Liquid food for the first few days then very soft food.

You’re far less likely to get dry socket if they stitch it but I don’t know if that’s done routinely.

Pain wise you will be fine. A bit sore and swollen for a few days perhaps but totally manageable in my experience.

Last week I had an upper molar extracted.

Had to go to back 3/4 days later to dentist, pain not improving/ getting a bit worse

Id eaten soup for 2 days, then eaten chicken and rice on 3rd day. Thought I'd stuck to other side but as it turns out a rogue grain of rice had embedded itself in the half healed hole and prevented further healing.

Dentist plucked it out and plugged hold with medicated gauze (or something similar). Apparently not my fault as granular tissue (the healing process) is very sticky (which is why my gentle swooshing with salt water didnt clear it).

Anyhoo, my advice is soup, icecream, soft foods for 4 days after...

Ive got to have an impacted wisdom tooth removed next month, and wont be eating at all for a good week after this last experience 😝

AVOID RICE!

Thank you. Some of what you’re saying is completely new to me.

How soon did you go back to work afterwards? I do remember the dentist telling me to take 24h. But, practically, did you feel up to it? Did you look presentable? I remember looking like a hamster from the swelling after my wisdom teeth were extracted, but that was a much bigger op. Also the bruising was spectacular!

I'm the same with teeth, I have a massive phobia about extractions. I'll need sedation too for an upcoming one.

And had a molar out a few years ago. I had no bruising or swelling even though the site got infected. But before the infection kicked in I was managing the pain with paracetamol. Best of luck with it, you'll be fine. Sedation is fantastic!

Just to warn you an impacted wisdom tooth gave me the worst pain ever plus bruising. I stupidly ignored all advice had antibiotics you can drink with as it was my birthday didn’t clean it properly and ended up on proper antibiotics when it got infected. Never again!

I had dental sedation yesterday morning.

You can't eat anything for at least 4 hours before the appointment. From then you can drink water only until 2 hours before and then nothing for the last 2 hours.

Try and make sure you are not dehydrated by drinking plenty while you can as this makes it easier to place the IV they will put the sedatives medicine through.

You won't be able to talk properly for at least a few hours afterwards and will feel quite groggy. You are not supposed to go back to work for at least 24 hours. You also can't drive and are meant to have someone with you at all times. The sedatives cause you to not form memories so even if you think you feel fine you may still be quite out of it and just not remember.

Some extractions are simple and easy and you are pain free within a day, some end up more complicated and you end up with pain for a couple of weeks or even longer (but this is rare). Take it easy afterwards.

Do not smoke or use a straw or eat/drink anything that causes you to "suck" as this can dislodge the clot in the socket and exposed the raw nerves below. This is extremely painful and you'll need to go back and get it packed.

Hope you’re ok this morning DoA

I don’t remember much detail about having a molar extracted because it was honestly such a non-event. I wasn’t sedated, just local anaesthetic. The actual extraction took 10 seconds and then a couple of minutes to stitch up - the longest part of the appointment was waiting for the anaesthetic to take effect. There wasn’t any pain, I was fine when the anaesthetic wore off. I was working from home that day and just drove home (dentist is about a 10 minute drive away) and got straight back to work. You will find that the sedation takes longer to recover from than the extraction itself.

You're like my husband, he had an extraction recently and was absolutely fine before and afterwards. Had a proper dinner around 5 hours later too although I tried to dissuade him. I wish I could be like that. Although reading your post I'm wondering if I could manage with a few Valium rather than £200 for sedation. I know it's very quick but it's the anticipation. 😬

It's not always that quick - Mine took over 45 mins as I had extra roots and they were curved.

😱Sedation it is !!!

I’ve had teeth extracted under sedation about 30 years ago, no problems at all, but was told about 10 (?) years ago that sedation is no longer available on the NHS. I couldn’t afford private treatment, and still can’t, the pain stopped and I’ve never been back. Does anyone know if it’s still a postcode lottery, and if so, is it MY address or the dentist’s address that determines which health authorities offer NHS sedation?

Three roots, one curved. Dentist knows me. She saw me gibbering and trembling on her couch and agreed to refer me for NHS, but no guarantee of acceptance, and long, LONG waiting time. In too much pain to wait. In too much terror to be aware of what’s happening. I’m going private.