When your child has a tooth extracted, it can be a little overwhelming—for both of you! However, there’s no need to be stressed. As your child’s personal tooth fairy, there are steps you can take to make the experience much more comfortable. Whether it’s a stubborn baby tooth or a necessary dental procedure, these six tips will help your child recover smoothly after a tooth extraction.
1. Say “No” to Straws
For the first 24 hours after their extraction, remind your child to avoid using straws or making any sucking motions. This is because doing so can dislodge the blood clot at the extraction site. If this happens, it often leads to a painful condition called dry socket that exposes the site to bacteria. Instead, offer drinks in a regular cup and have them sip gently.
2. Keep the Gauze in Place
Right after your child’s extraction, their dentist will place gauze on the site to help control bleeding. It’s important for your child to bite down on the gauze for at least 30 minutes to allow a clot to form. If the bleeding continues, you can replace the gauze and encourage your child to keep applying gentle pressure.
3. Stick to Soft Foods
Eating may feel uncomfortable for your child right after the extraction. To make things easier, serve up soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and natural applesauce. These eats are gentle and have some necessary nutritional benefits like essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Just try to avoid anything crunchy, spicy, or hard to chew until the site has healed.
4. Manage Their Pain
It’s common for children to feel some discomfort or swelling after a tooth extraction. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help manage the pain in small doses.
For added relief between doses, applying a cold compress to the outside of their cheek for 10-15 minutes at a time can help. These methods, combined with comfort and distraction can help your child weather the roughest times.
5. Rest Is Best
Your child’s body needs time to heal, so encourage them to take it easy after the procedure. Plenty of rest and relaxation will help speed up the recovery process. Just make sure they’re actually resting! They shouldn’t be playing rough, participating in sports, or doing other strenuous activities for a few days to prevent complications.
By following these six tips, you’ll help your child enjoy a smooth and comfortable recovery after their tooth extraction. With a little patience, plenty of rest, and lots of love, your child will be back to feeling like themselves in no time!
About the Practice
At Capron Park Dental, we’re committed to making dental care easy, no matter how old our patients are! We believe that dental care should be as easy and stress-free as possible, especially for children. With this in mind, our team is ready to guide you through every procedure from routine checkups to extractions. If your child needs dental care, in Attleboro, call (508) 222-5950 to schedule a consultation for your child with our team or visit our website to learn more about the services we provide.