Once a tooth is extracted, bacteria will still survive in the mouth, even more so in people who have poor hygiene. Infections after extraction are very common. Depending on how bad the tooth was, the dentist may prescribe certain antibiotics for you to take, which will greatly reduce your risk of getting an infection. Although in some cases, even antibiotics cannot stop the infection.
If you go to the dentist before the extraction if you have a swollen face, swollen gums, pain in your teeth under light pressure, or bleeding around the extraction site, you may already have an infection. If you actually had an infection before the tooth was treated, your dentist will prescribe you antibiotics to use for the following treatment. If you have a really bad abscess, you will need to use antibiotics to treat the infection before the dentist can remove the tooth.
In some cases, people develop an infection after extraction, even though they may not have been infected before. The reason for this is bacteria. After an extraction, the bacteria will live longer in the mouth than ever before. With the extraction site exposed, bacteria will be able to enter the site. This can lead to infection due to the site being exposed and the fact that you are unable to use mouthwash or brushes during the first 24-48 hours. Not being able to sterilize your mouth means you are unable to kill the germs responsible for bacteria.
After extraction, the first sign of infection is renewed bleeding. This usually happens about 48 hours after the extraction. Although it is not normally serious, you should still call your dentist and make an appointment to be seen. Your dentist will be able to stop the bleeding and give you some antibiotics and other prescriptions that will fix the problem.
Some dentists prefer to give antibiotics to patients before performing any type of extraction. Although you may not get an abscess, most dentists prefer to get rid of the infection before they begin their work. They do this because they know that local anesthesia won't work so well with an infection, and it may take a lot of work and a lot of medicine to numb the area where you have the infection.
In the event that the tooth has to be removed and, the dentist simply cannot wait a few days, it is possible for you to become numb. Although considerable medication will be needed to numb the area, it can be done. Sometimes, dentists choose to use IV sedation or laughing gas, in the event that local numbness does not help. An IV sedation will usually put you to sleep or take you out so that the dentist can remove the tooth that's causing you a lot of trouble.
Even though the infection can cause a lot of pain and needs to be dealt with right away, you may not need to take antibiotics once a tooth is extracted by a dentist. If your mouth is clean and, you don't have a lot of germs, you can heal at will by caring for it normally. Washing your mouth with salt water for the first few days will keep the extraction site clean. As long as you care for the extraction site and do what your dentist tells you, you shouldn't have any further problems with the extraction site or infection.
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