Perhaps that little cavity has developed into a larger, more damaging one. Maybe your child’s baby teeth haven’t come out before the permanent ones have started erupting. In some cases, teens can have impacted wisdom teeth, pushing on the rest. Regardless of the reason, sometimes tooth extraction in kids becomes necessary.
Seeing your precious child experience difficulty and potential discomfort can be hard, but as a parent, you need to be strong to help your child heal properly after a tooth extraction. Here are some ways to guide them through to a smoother recovery.
Explain the Situation and Expectations to Them
Most children who are old enough to require a tooth extraction are old enough to understand at least the basics of what’s going on in their mouth if you explain it to them. Without shaming them, talk to your child about the procedure and why it’s needed, steps that will keep them comfortable, and what you expect them to do afterward. Giving them information, responsibility, and ownership of their oral health can teach them the importance of dental care for the rest of their life.
Make Them Rest
It can be hard for active, energetic kids to take it easy, especially if they love and participate in sports. However, after an extraction, their body needs to recuperate and use its natural processes to heal itself. For at least a day or two, have your child rest. They can nap, binge watch movies, or read books—anything to allow their mouth to recover without strenuous activity. When they lie down, make sure their head is slightly elevated to prevent excessive blood flow, which can exacerbate discomfort.
Give Them Soft Foods
Following an extraction, your child’s soft tissues will be tender and vulnerable, meaning it is not the time to have chips, nuts, raw carrots, and other hard foods that could make discomfort worse. Softer options like bananas, eggs, yogurt, oatmeal, and mashed potatoes for at least a couple of days won’t harm their healing tissues. After that point, you can reintroduce a more normal diet as tolerated.
Keep Straws Away from Them
Although smoothies are a great soft food your child can enjoy in the aftermath of a tooth extraction, you need to make sure they don’t use a straw. The sucking action can complicate healing and cause a painful infection called dry socket.
Continue Good Oral Hygiene
When your child is sick or experiencing a difficult time, you may be tempted to relax some expectations or rules. However, even after an extraction, it’s important to maintain healthy daily dental habits. Your child’s teeth should still be brushed and flossed every day to stop oral bacteria from thriving, but extra caution is necessary around the extraction site.
Being a parent and allowing your child to go through tough times are challenging, but if you follow these tips, their recovery after a tooth extraction can go as smoothly as possible.
About the Practice
For patients in and around Lincoln, NE, Pioneer Greens Dentistry offers comprehensive services for everyone in the family, including more complex treatments like tooth extraction. Dr. Justin Shirk and Dr. Stephanie McAndrew have years of advanced training and experience and strive to make the experience pleasant and stress free. If you have questions about helping your child recover from tooth extraction, you may contact our team online or call or our office at 402-483-7502.