The idea that you can protect your smile with a tooth extraction may sound counterintuitive. But even though your teeth may belong in your mouth, they can become damaged and decayed. While there are different therapies that can sometimes treat the tooth, there may come a time when the damage is too great. To protect your dental, and overall, health the tooth may need to be extracted.

But before anything may be decided, our dentists can go over your medical and dental history with you, and they might take a few x-rays of the area. These x-rays can give our team a greater understanding of what might be occurring beneath your gums so that they can determine what needs to be done.

A local anesthetic may be used to numb the area, and then the tooth can gently be loosened and removed. At your appointment, we can provide you with detailed instructions on how to care for yourself after an extraction, but we can you with provide a brief overview. For at least the first 24 hours, it could be critical that you don’t smoke, brush your teeth by the extraction site or rinse your mouth out vigorously. You can, however, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water.

For the first few days, you should limit your diet to soft and cool and soft things. However, you shouldn’t use a straw because it can increase your risk of developing a dry socket, which may not be pleasant. Ice cream and smoothies could be a great food to eat, with a spoon, because its cold qualities can help bring down any swelling and ease the discomfort you may have.

If you want to have more information about tooth extractions in Waco, Temple, or Gatesville, Texas, please contact Acre Wood Dental and set up your visit today! We want to help you achieve your healthiest smile.