Is My Tooth Extraction Healing Normally?

[sama1515]

I had a tooth extracted a couple of days ago and I'm not sure if my recovery is normal. The area is still sore, there's a little swelling, and I can see what looks like a blood clot in the socket.
How long does tooth extraction recovery usually take? When should the pain and swelling start to improve? Also, are there any foods or activities I should avoid to prevent dry socket or other complications?
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through it or from a dentist. Thanks!

Are you rinsing your mouth out with salt water several times a day? I seem to remember that that, and paracetamol when required, was the main post extraction medication I needed.

On the (several 😬) occasions I’ve had a tooth pulled, it’s taken a couple of days to settle down. Day 1 (day of extraction) - soft, cool/cold food. Lots of scrambled eggs. Day 2 bit chewier. Seemed ok by Day 3.

I’m not sure about you being able to see a blood clot, or if my experience was normal (it was certainly uneventful).

If you’re worried, since it’s Friday, why don’t you ring your dentist to check everything is progressing as it should?

I was given these instructions last week after having a tooth out in hospital. It will take a few days to settle, just be careful with it and lots of salt water rinsing.

I had my wisdom tooth out a few weeks ago, no pain, swelling and tiny bit of bleeding, ate normally straight away and didn’t use salt water. Healed fully within a week. Husband had 2 teeth out, wisdom and second molar just before that and had pain for 2 weeks and struggled to eat more than soup for over a week. I think it can be different for everyone and depending which teeth and if they are upper or lower

I have had all my wisdom teeth out at various times and this sounds all very normal to me. The blood clot is good- it means everything is healing very well. I am pretty sure dry socket is when the clot falls away too quickly leaving the area exposed. Think of it as a bad bruise- it takes at least a week to properly heal so a tooth must have a similar timescale. The force to remove a tooth is quite brutul! (This is my experience- I am not a dentist!)

Your dentist should have given you a leaflet about tooth extraction, saying what to eat, how to brush and to gargle with salt water. I’d go back to them and ask.

But it’s perfectly normal for the area to be tender for a couple of weeks after an extraction.

I had a tough upper molar extraction a week ago; use ibuprofen for pain relief as it's anti-inflammatory. From now to about a week after you should be doing the very gentle salt swills after meals. The really important thing seems to be not to gargle/suck/spit/use straws as the change in pressure could dislodge the clot. (I can't see my clot so I'm a bit paranoid about it!)
I understand your uncertainty as I've felt the same, but Google AI searches led me to lots of NHS sources saying what to do and I found them re-assuring.

I had an upper molar 2 weeks ago tomorrow. It was quite painful for a few days and then on and off painful after that. Today is the first day I’ve not needed painkillers. I had ibuprofen and paracetamol but not many times through the day. The salt water helped with soothing as well as cleaning.

I ate a lot of Greek yogurt and softish foods but even they aggravated a bit if the temperature wasn’t tepid. The yogurt also sadly slightly aggravated with the sour element. Today was the first time I ate granola - my yoghurt topping breakfast of choice.

Fortunately I had my dentist remove my stitch 3 days after so I knew my wound was doing well.