How to Take Care of Baby Teeth Extractions
Having a tooth pulled hurts. You can’t get around that. Your dentist decided it was necessary to extract one or more of your child’s baby teeth, so you need to know what do do to handle the pain and swelling. Some dentists provide sedation dentistry, or anesthesia.
Having a tooth pulled hurts. You can't get around that. Your dentist decided it was necessary to extract one or more of your child's baby teeth, so you need to know what do do to handle the pain and swelling. Some dentists provide sedation dentistry, or anesthesia. Some sedation put patients to sleep while they stay awake with other forms of sedation. Because the dentist extracted your child's baby teeth, you need to know what to do to prevent infection, what you can do right after the surgery to ease her pain, what she can't do and what she can eat.
Step 1
Restrict your child from strenuous activity for the first two hours after baby teeth have been extracted, advises My New Smile. Don't allow him to exercise for at least 24 hours after his extraction, according to PubMed Central.
Step 2
Fold and place a sterile gauze pad on the site of the extraction and have your child bite down gently on the site. She'll bleed after the tooth was pulled, so keep a gauze pad on with some pressure for at least 45 minutes, says My New Smile. Replace the gauze pad when it becomes soaked.
Step 3
Give pain medication to your child as your dentist or dental surgeon prescribes. This includes acetaminophen or ibuprofen, says My New Smile. Place an ice pack on the side of his face where he had his tooth pulled. This should help reduce some of the swelling.
Step 4
Keep your child from rinsing her mouth or chewing hard foods for at least 24 hours after her tooth was extracted, advises PubMed Central.
Step 5
Prevent your child from drinking anything hot, writes PubMed Central.
Step 6
Help your child gently rinse his mouth using warm salt water, recommends My New Smile. Mix 1/2 tsp. salt in an 8 oz. glass of warm water, then have him swish it gently in his mouth. Resume brushing his teeth gently while keeping the toothbrush bristles away from his extraction site.
Step 7
Allow your child to eat soft foods, such as gelatin, yogurt and pudding, on the day her tooth is extracted. She can also eat ice cream. Starting on the second day, she can try eating other foods, including scrambled eggs, but don't push her to eat things she can't chew comfortably, says My New Smile.
Tip
Opening his mouth might be painful. This reaction is normal and he'll be able to open his mouth a little more each day. Keeping your child's mouth clean is important so you reduce the chance of infection.