Just Had An Extraction? Take It Easy!

“Two years ago, I saw that I had a cyst above a tooth root. The doctor wanted to extract my tooth but I did not let her. They did an x-ray last year, and the cyst is still present. I have read somewhere that a tooth of this kind can cause a lot of problems, but mine did not hurt at all....then my jawbone also became inflamed, and I ran to the dentist, who extracted the tooth for me. I thought he would clean the affected area, or give me medication to take, but nothing of the sort happened. He said my body will take care of the problem. He said if it becomes inflamed, I should go back. But I heard from a different source that these types of cysts can easily turn cancerous. How can I tell if I have cancer? Is it normal that my face is still swollen, two days after the extraction? I have not taken any medication, I did not eat on that side and have not sucked on it or anything like that, and I only rinse the area after brushing my teeth. Am I doing everything right?”

The most important rule after an extraction is to leave the place alone; do not suck on the extraction site, do not put things in it; do not eat on that side. A blood clot needs to form on top of the extraction site, which will cover it and help it to heal. If you remove this, you will get a condition known as dry socket, which is incredibly painful and carries the risk of infection. You only need to take antibiotics if you are doing really bad, as antibiotics are not good for you, and they also create antibiotic resistant bacteria. Antibiotics should only be prescribed in extreme cases of infection.  

Cysts are not cancerous! An inflammation of this sort show that your body is healing and that your immune system works. It is completely normal that your face is still swollen. Just compare it to when you bump your shin or ankle, and how long that stays swollen. It may take up to a week for your face to return to normal. During an extraction, the bone itself endures trauma, the original inflammation also needs to recede, so swelling is normal. Be careful when rinsing, though, as that may remove the blood clot! You did not mention pain, but it is normal to feel pain for up to 72 hours. If it hurts for longer, or if the swelling increases, you should go to the dentists, and they will clean the area, and that means a new blood clot will start to form, and that will heal over time.  

The most important factor in healing is to keep safe. If you do not feel safe and comfortable with your dentist, tell them about it, because if they are treating you, then it is important that you feel safe with them. If you feel stressed or distraught, you will not heal as well, either.