There’s no way around the fact that tooth extractions can hurt. Dentists work hard to keep their patients comfortable. Yet, there comes a point where you can expect to feel some discomfort. Tooth extractions might hurt, but they are important. You might need to get a tooth pulled to treat tooth decay or gum disease. Some teeth simply get too broken to repair. When you’re wondering is getting a tooth removed painful, you might be worried about an upcoming procedure. Learning how and why pain happens during a tooth extraction can calm your nerves. You’ll also feel more in control when you know what you can do for pain relief.
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Does Pulling Certain Teeth Hurt More Than Others?
Right now, one of your biggest questions might be does it hurt to get a molar pulled. Molars are one of the most common types of teeth to require an extraction. This is because their location makes it hard to brush them properly. These teeth also contain small crevices on the surface. These little fissures help you to chew your food. Unfortunately, they also trap food particles. Dentists often use sealants to reduce tooth decay on molars. However, this doesn’t always work. Back molars often hurt more than a front tooth during and after an extraction simply because there is a larger socket left in the gums.
Front tooth extraction pain might feel less severe compared to a molar. Yet, you should expect some discomfort. The amount of discomfort that you feel with a front tooth extraction typically depends upon your overall health and pain tolerance. You’ll need to practice the same types of self-care at home for any type of tooth that we extract. Taking care of the extraction site helps you to heal faster.
What Types of Pain Relief Can You Get for a Tooth Extraction?
No one has to suffer through extreme pain during an extraction. Dentists use several methods to ease discomfort and swelling. When you have a need for emergency dentistry near by, make sure to ask about the pain relief options that are available. You should hear that you’ll have a choice of these options to keep you comfortable.
Keep It Simple With Local Anesthesia
If you’ve ever had a filling, then you already know what local anesthesia is like. Numbing creams and injections put the pain medication exactly where you need it. If you are afraid of feeling the needle, then we can numb the gums where we’ll place the injections. Local anesthetic takes a little time to kick in. This is why we’ll do it first thing when you arrive for your appointment. Once you are numb, your dentist can get to work without you feeling a need to squirm.
Feel More Relaxed With Sedation Anesthesia
Your concerns about front tooth extraction pain may also involve significant mental stress. In some cases, this can heighten your discomfort. Sedation anesthesia allows you to be awake but more relaxed than usual. You have several options for sedation. Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is often used for its temporary effects on pain relief. Oral sedation involves taking special pills or tablets that deliver medication to your bloodstream that helps you relax. IV sedation offers a deeper level of relaxation while still allowing you to remain conscious during the procedure.
Sleep Through the Procedure With General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is typically something that we reserve for more serious types of dental extractions. For example, you might prefer to be fully asleep if you are removing multiple teeth. The medication is usually administered through an IV or face mask that allows you to breathe it in. The effects are so strong that you won’t have any memory of the procedure. Additionally, you won’t feel any pain or pressure at all while you are asleep.
When we are done, we’ll slowly bring you back to a wakeful state. You’ll still be groggy for several hours to a day after you go under general anesthesia. If this is your preferred pain method, then you’ll want to plan for someone to drive you home. Most people will also want to take the day off of work following this type of medication.
Are There Natural Options That Help With Extraction Pain?
Our professional team in emergency dentistry near by already knows that being stressed out makes discomfort worse. For this reason, our team at Smile Angels of Beverly Hills encourages you to do what you can to ease your distress. You might enjoy listening to music during the extraction. You can set up a playlist before your appointment to play throughout the procedure. Your headphones also work perfectly for helping to drown out the sound of our dental tools. Some patients enjoy using blankets, neck pillows and back cushions to ease the discomfort that comes from lengthy dental procedures.
How Can You Ease Tooth Extraction Pain at Home?
After your extraction, you’ll go home with any prescriptions you need for pain relievers and antibiotics. On top of that, you should have a set of after care instructions that you’ll want to follow closely. For instance, you can put an ice pack on the outside of your cheek to help minimize swelling and bruising. The cold from the ice also helps to relieve pressure on your nerves that causes discomfort.
Rest is important during your time at home. Resting gives your body more energy to begin the healing process. If possible, plan to skip working for the rest of the day. If you have kids, pets or an elderly loved one, then try to make arrangements for their care. Most people feel much better by the next morning when they get enough sleep.
You can start using salt water rinses about 24 hours after the extraction. Salt water naturally removes debris from around the extraction site that can lead to an infection. The salt water solution is also helpful for relieving painful inflammation.
When you are ready to eat, choose soft foods for the first day or two. Soups, smoothies and yogurt are a few nutritious options. They’ll give you body the vitamins it needs to recover. Yet, the soft texture protects your gums from further damage.
When Is Pain From an Extraction Serious?
Sometimes, pain is a sign that something is wrong. For the most part, extraction pain tends to get better as time goes by. You’ll want to worry about any pain that suddenly increases or feels different from what you had in the beginning. Severe throbbing and swelling could be a sign of an infection. Dry socket can also lead to intense pain. If your pain causes you to struggle with eating, sleeping or speaking, then you’ll need to contact your dentist immediately. There is a possibly that you could have an infection or dry socket.
How Do You Avoid Pain From a Dry Socket?
People often lament getting dry socket after a tooth extraction. Your body creates a blood clot after an extraction. This clot sits in the extraction site as it heals. As it does, it helps to create a barrier between your jaw bone and its nerves and the air. Sometimes, this clot can dissolve or get dislodged. When this happens, you’ll feel more pain because the nerves and tissues are exposed to the air and food that you eat.
Many of your after care instructions are designed to prevent dry socket. We’ll ask you to abstain from doing things that involve sucking air into your mouth. Drinking out of a straw and smoking generate changes in the air pressure of your mouth that can pull out the clot. Smoking also slows down healing, which can lead to lingering discomfort from an extraction.
Avoiding hot drinks and food is also important for keeping the extraction site healthy. Hot drinks can dissolve the blood clot and cause you to develop dry socket pain. As a final note, you’ll want to brush your teeth carefully. Usually, you can start brushing again after 24 hours, but you’ll want to use a gentle touch until the site is completely healed. If you are sent home with an irrigator, you’ll use this to flush debris out of the extraction site until the area is closed up. This might not be necessary if we placed stitches in your gums to close the wound.
After the initial procedure, most dental patients find that removing a diseased or broken tooth bring substantial pain relief. Are you tired of dealing with dental pain? Reach out to our team at Smile Angels of Beverly Hills. We’ll create a personalized treatment plan that puts you in charge of your comfort.