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Post extraction instructions: your hour-by-hour care sheet

A simple sheet to follow after a tooth is taken out, from the first hour to the end of the first week.

By Dr. Apoorva Sharma, BDS Published 5 min read

For clinics: you can order a branded, printed version of this sheet, with your clinic name and phone number, through DocPrints. You can also read the post extraction instructions in Hindi.

After a tooth is taken out, your main job is to protect the blood clot in the socket. Bite on the gauze, rest, and do not rinse or spit for 24 hours. From the next day, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals. Most people feel much better within 3 to 5 days.

The clot is the first stage of healing. NHS guidance calls it "necessary for good healing" and says it "should not be disturbed" (Kent Community Health NHS). Almost every step below exists to keep it in place.

I am Dr. Apoorva Sharma, a dentist (BDS). I wrote this sheet so you have one clear page to follow at home. Your own dentist's advice comes first if it is different.

The first hour

  • Keep biting firmly on the gauze for 30 to 45 minutes. Do not chew it. Do not keep checking it.
  • Sit or lie with your head raised. Rest quietly.
  • Swallow your saliva normally. A little blood mixed with saliva looks like a lot. It is usually a small amount (Kent Community Health NHS).
  • Be careful while you are numb. You can bite your lip, cheek or tongue without feeling it.

What to do after tooth extraction: the first 24 hours

  • Rest for the rest of the day. Skip the gym, heavy lifting and bending (Kent Community Health NHS).
  • Hold a cold pack on your cheek for 15 minutes, then take it off for 15 minutes. Wrap ice in a thin cloth. This helps with swelling (East Sussex Healthcare NHS).
  • Eat only once the numbness wears off. This is usually 2 to 3 hours. Start with cool or lukewarm soft food.
  • Chew on the other side.
  • Brush your other teeth gently before bed. Keep the brush away from the socket (Oxford Health NHS).
  • Sleep with an extra pillow and a towel on it. This catches any blood-stained saliva (Oxford Health NHS).
  • For pain, ask a pharmacist or your dentist about paracetamol or ibuprofen. Ask a pharmacist or dentist before taking any medicine.

Precautions after tooth extraction: what to avoid

  • Do not rinse, gargle or spit for 24 hours (Oxford Health NHS).
  • Do not drink through a straw (ADA MouthHealthy). I ask my patients to avoid straws for 3 days.
  • Do not touch the socket with your tongue or finger.
  • Do not smoke, or chew gutkha, khaini or paan. Smokers have more than three times the odds of dry socket (Kuśnierek et al., 2022).
  • Do not drink alcohol for at least 24 to 48 hours (Kent Community Health NHS).
  • Do not take aspirin for pain. It can restart bleeding. If a doctor has prescribed aspirin for your heart, keep taking it and tell your dentist (Kent Community Health NHS).
  • Do not have very hot tea, coffee or food. Heat can restart bleeding (NHS).

If it starts bleeding again

  1. Sit up. Stay calm.
  2. Fold a clean, slightly damp gauze or cotton handkerchief.
  3. Place it over the socket and bite down firmly.
  4. Hold it for 15 to 30 minutes without checking (Oxford Health NHS; Kent Community Health NHS).
  5. If heavy bleeding does not stop after this, call your dentist. Out of hours, go to the nearest hospital emergency.

Days 2 and 3

  • Start warm salt water rinses. Mix half to one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Let it wash gently over the area, then let it fall out of your mouth. Do this 3 to 4 times a day, mainly after meals (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS).
  • Swelling may be at its peak. It often appears in the first 48 hours and settles over 5 to 7 days (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS).
  • Pain is usually worst now and then starts to ease (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS).
  • Keep to soft food. Still no smoking, gutkha or alcohol.
  • Brush all your teeth, gently near the socket.

Days 4 to 7

  • Keep up the salt water rinses after meals for about a week (Oxford Health NHS).
  • Move back to normal food as comfort allows. Chew on the other side for now.
  • Dissolvable stitches can take up to 2 weeks to go (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS).
  • Pain should keep getting less. If it suddenly gets worse instead, read the warning signs below.

What to eat

Good choices for the first 2 to 3 days

  • Khichdi or dal rice, cooled to lukewarm
  • Curd, plain lassi or chaas
  • Smooth dal or soup, not too hot
  • Suji upma, dalia or soft poha
  • Idli, or soft dosa without the crisp edge
  • Mashed potato, mashed banana or papaya
  • Scrambled egg or soft paneer bhurji

Avoid for the first few days

  • Very hot tea, coffee or soup
  • Spicy food, pickles and chutneys
  • Crunchy snacks: namkeen, chips, chikki, nuts, seeds
  • Hard foods: rotis with crisp edges, toast, raw carrots
  • Small grains that can lodge in the socket, like til and rai
  • Fizzy drinks and alcohol

For more ideas, see the full tooth extraction aftercare guide.

Warning signs

Call your dentist soon if you have:

  • Bleeding that does not stop after 30 minutes of firm pressure
  • Pain that gets worse after day 2 or 3, or a bad taste and bad smell from the socket. This can be dry socket. It usually shows up 3 to 5 days after the extraction (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS).
  • Pain and swelling that get worse around day 4 to 6. This can mean infection (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS).
  • Fever, or feeling unwell with pain (NHS)
  • Numbness in your lip, chin or tongue that has not gone by the next day

See a dentist in person, or go to a hospital, if...

  • Swelling makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak. Go to the nearest hospital emergency or call 112. Do not drive yourself (NHS).
  • Swelling spreads to your eye or neck (NHS).
  • Bleeding is heavy and does not stop with pressure.
  • You have a high fever with facial swelling.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I keep the gauze in after an extraction?

Keep biting firmly on the gauze your dentist placed for 30 to 45 minutes. Then remove it gently. If the socket oozes again, use a fresh, slightly damp gauze and bite for another 15 to 30 minutes. Some pink saliva for a day or two is normal.

When can I eat after a tooth extraction?

Wait until the numbness wears off, usually 2 to 3 hours. Eating while numb can make you bite your cheek or burn your mouth. Start with soft, lukewarm food like khichdi or curd. Chew on the other side.

When can I brush my teeth after an extraction?

You can brush your other teeth the same night. Be gentle and keep the brush away from the socket. Do not rinse or spit hard for the first 24 hours (Oxford Health NHS).

When can I start salt water rinses?

Start the day after your extraction. Use half to one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Rinse gently 3 to 4 times a day, mainly after meals, for about a week.

Can I smoke after a tooth extraction?

Please do not. Smoking raises the risk of dry socket. Smokers have more than three times the odds of it (Kuśnierek et al., 2022). Stay away from cigarettes, bidis, gutkha and khaini for at least 3 days. Longer is better.

Is some bleeding normal the next day?

Yes. A little oozing and pink saliva are common for a day or two (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS). Heavy bleeding that does not stop with 30 minutes of firm pressure is not normal. Call your dentist.

Not sure if what you feel is normal? I offer a ₹200 video consultation. You can show me the area and I will tell you what I see, and whether you need to see a dentist in person. Book a video consultation.

This sheet is general information. It does not replace advice from the dentist who treated you.

References

  1. Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. Tooth extraction after care. https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/leaflet/tooth-extraction-after-care/
  2. Oxford Health, Berkshire Healthcare and CNWL NHS Foundation Trusts. Looking after your mouth after a dental extraction (2023). https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2023/04/SERV_DENT_2819_ThamesValley_MouthCareAfterSurgery_Leaflet_A5_WEB.pdf
  3. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Dental surgery and recovery (reviewed January 2025). https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/dental-surgery-and-recovery
  4. East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. Instructions following removal of teeth. https://www.esht.nhs.uk/leaflet/instructions-following-removal-of-teeth/
  5. NHS. Wisdom tooth removal (reviewed June 2024). https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/wisdom-tooth-removal/
  6. NHS. Toothache (reviewed July 2024). https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/toothache/
  7. American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Extractions. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/extractions
  8. Kuśnierek W, Brzezińska K, Nijakowski K, Surdacka A. Smoking as a risk factor for dry socket: a systematic review. Dentistry Journal. 2022;10(7):121. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9317683/