Whether it’s tooth decay or a bad infection, unattended oral concerns could be detrimental to your overall health. In these circumstances, saving a severely damaged tooth can only do so much for your well-being. No matter how much your dentist would want to preserve your natural teeth, there can be no other choice but to have them removed. The tooth extraction procedure is an invasive process that gets rid of the problematic teeth, particularly from their roots. Hence, side effects of tooth extraction are inevitable. While these concerns are quite temporary and should resolve by themselves in a few days, some issues might stay behind. Therefore, it is essential to avoid these issues by following proper aftercare instructions.
Post-Surgical Risks of Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction can cause risks, dangers, and complications that may impact your day-to-day life. For most patients, tooth extraction cause weakness or fatigue that is often accompanied by bruising and swelling around the area. When this happens, your dentist will prescribe some analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications to control the symptoms. Signs of infection and continued bleeding are uncommon, but additional treatment and medication should be necessary if they do occur.
There are several other reasons for discomfort after your surgery, and these include the following:
Anesthesia Effects
Depending on your oral health status and preferences, your dentist might suggest using local or general anesthesia. This medication assists in reducing the discomfort associated with tooth extraction.
Most of the time, minor side effects of anesthetics will appear a few hours following application. It can leave you feeling nauseous, dizzy, and disoriented. Some studies also associate dental anesthesia with trismus. More popularly known as lockjaw, this condition can happen when the surgery causes trauma. This manifests as a temporary reduction in the patient’s ability to move his or her jaw. Nonetheless, anesthesia effects will eventually fade within the day.
Dry Socket
Usually, a blood clot should develop at the site of extraction. This clot formation should serve as a protective coating over the tooth socket. It provides a foundation for bone growth and helps develop soft tissue over the nerve endings.
A dry socket can happen throughout the healing period. It can occur when there is not enough blood clot forming at the site of extraction. When you have a dry socket, the blood either dissolves or dislodges before the incision completely heals. Therefore, it exposes bones and nerves, which cause severe pain and discomfort. This condition is further exacerbated as food debris can potentially clog and irritate the open wound.
Delayed Healing
Other drugs might interact and slow down your body’s healing capacity. One typical example is bisphosphonates. These are drugs often used to treat osteoporosis and other conditions. They work by slowing down the bone resorption process, which can impair bone remodeling. This interaction will delay bone reformation, which causes the healing period to take longer than usual.
In this instance, it would be best to take a break from the medicine before the extraction surgery. According to experts, a pause in the medication should be done two weeks prior to treatment. Doing so can help lower the risk of problems associated with poor healing.
Other Side Effects of Tooth Extraction
Misaligned Dental Structure
Perhaps one of the most common side effects of tooth extraction is when the remaining teeth shift their position. The gap from a tooth extraction can influence the adjacent teeth to move, resulting from biting abnormalities and misalignment.
This concern may be avoided by using ways to compensate for the lost tooth. You can choose whether to move the remaining teeth using orthodontics or replacing the missing tooth with a dental implant, denture, or bridge.
Bite Collapse
A sudden collapse in the occlusion may occur in some individuals, particularly those who have had their wisdom teeth removed. This condition is often referred to as a loss of vertical bite alignment. It involves the lower jaw being rotated closer to the upper jaw. Consequently, it changes the muscular contractions required to chew might occur. Therefore, it can lead to symptoms such as cracked, chapped, or dry lips.
Nerve Injuries
Since the tooth extraction process involves a complete tooth removal, the nerves connected to it can also be affected. As a result, the extraction area may feel a little tingly, or in worse scenarios, can be permanently numb. Although this is an uncommon concern, it can still cause some discomfort at a certain level.
Exposure of Maxillary Sinus
The extraction of the upper molars is often linked to the possibility of a hole opening into the maxillary sinus, which would require follow-up surgery. Suppose tooth extraction is necessary for these teeth. In that case, your dentist will prepare a treatment plan covering the possibilities of the surgery. You should also expect to have a dental X-ray, which is necessary to evaluate the likelihood of sinus exposure. Since the associated risks can lead to further complications, it is essential to consider other related factors.
Managing Side Effects of Tooth Extraction
Are you planning to have your tooth removed? In that case, it is crucial to keep in mind the following tips that will help you minimize the side effects of tooth extraction.
Medical History
Providing your complete medical records can come a long way towards a successful tooth extraction procedure. These documents contain all your medical-related history, which is necessary information before your treatment. It includes a list of medications you’re taking, dietary supplements and vitamins, and your current health status.
Your medical history is particularly helpful so that your dentist will know the exact treatment plan that will suit your condition. This information can significantly lower the risks and dangers throughout your treatment.
Smoking
For all surgical procedures, it is essential to skip or pause your smoking habits before and after the treatment. As we all know, cigarettes and tobacco contain nicotine, which can directly affect the body’s capacity to heal. If you want to hasten your recovery and prevent side effects of tooth extraction, it is advisable to avoid smoking before surgery and until the healing period finishes.
Food Intake
Patients are asked to fast at least eight hours before surgery. Consuming food and beverages can influence the effectiveness of the anesthesia, which can get in the way of easing discomfort. After treatment, several diet restrictions will also be applicable. Hard food and acidic beverages can hinder blood clot formation, which can prolong the wound healing period.
Ice Cream
After surgery, your dentist will recommend eating a good quality ice cream. The coldness of the ice cream helps numb your gums and the extraction area, which helps lessen inflammation. However, you must also take several considerations and precautions. After eating ice cream, it is essential to thoroughly rinse your mouth with water, but not too harsh to cause the blood clot to dissolve.
Dental Surgeon
Is this your first time visiting a dental clinic? If you don’t already have a trusted dentist, it is critical to learn about the surgeon’s qualifications and expertise. Before getting your tooth extracted, it is essential to make sure that you and your dentist are on the same page. You can start by asking relevant questions and take notes when he discusses the recommended treatment plans.
What to Expect After Extraction?
Side effects of tooth extraction may vary
The tooth extraction procedure can come in two kinds; one is a simple extraction, while the other is a surgical extraction. If surgery is not required, as in a less damaged tooth, the operation might be straightforward. On the other hand, wisdom teeth extraction is primarily a surgical operation that can be more painful.
Pain medications are necessary
The extraction of a tooth can cause you to feel unbearable pain, especially after the effects of anesthesia fade. While some may say wisdom teeth removal is the worst, taking over-the-counter pain medications can help you manage and subdue the pain.
Monitoring of your healing progress is essential
You will have to monitor how you heal after the surgery. While it is entirely normal to feel side effects after tooth extraction procedure, it should subside in a span of two to three days. It is also essential to be on the lookout for unexpected eruptions and movement, especially when the discomfort does not resolve in a few days.
Dental visits can boost your recovery
The surgical dentist who will do your tooth extraction should recognize the differences in your jaw structure and accurately determine whether concerns are happening. Depending on your extraction procedure, a routine inspection must be necessary to identify a significant improvement in the previously decayed or damaged tooth area.
Consider tooth restoration procedures
Following your tooth extraction, the patient would need about seven to ten days to recover completely. However, a surgical extraction might take longer, anywhere from three weeks up to three months. Your dentist will offer teeth restoration procedures while waiting for your complete recovery, depending on your healing progress. These can be an implant, a bridge, or a denture.
As many would know, dental implants are the best dental restoration procedure to replace a missing tooth and prevent side effects of tooth extraction. Other than closely resembling a natural tooth, a dental implant also takes the place of your lost tooth root. It is a permanent and long-term solution that does not only focus on the aesthetic appeal of your smile but also strengthens its functional capabilities.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-socket/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354382
https://www.healthline.com/health/malocclusion-of-teeth
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24481166/
https://www.dentistry.uiowa.edu/patient-care-replacement-teeth
