How long do your gums bleed after wisdom teeth removal

Bleeding gums after a tooth extraction procedure is fairly common amongst patients but it can be quite worrisome. It is very important to identify the cause and stop excessive or abnormal bleeding if it occurs. Icon Dental Center, Everett, and Seattle says it is important to get in touch with a dentist immediately if this happens.

Bleeding is usually excessive during the first 24 hours, so make sure that you wait at least a day before taking any of the steps mentioned below. 

• Keep The Head Elevated
• Apply a Wet Gauze on the Affected Area
• Rest Plenty
• Bite on Black Tea
• Choose What You Eat Wisely

Keep The Head Elevated

• Bleeding can easily be slowed down if the blood pressure is restricted by keeping your head elevated. Use bed pillows to achieve this and remain comfortably lying for at least an hour.

Keeping your head higher than your heart lowers the blood pressure which will restrict the bleeding from the affected area. You can even try and sleep with your head elevated if the pain has subsided but the bleeding doesn’t stop.

Apply a Wet Gauze on the Affected Area

• Dampen a piece of gauze with water and roll it up or fold it into a square and then place it on the empty tooth socket or the affected area. Now bite your teeth on the gauze and apply firm pressure and let it be there for at least 45 minutes or an hour. 

If gauze is not readily available in your home, you can also use a folded paper towel. By following this method, you should see a significant reduction in bleeding within 60 minutes.

Rest Plenty

• After any kind of dental surgery, implant, or tooth extraction, resting is very important. Rest plenty for a couple of days following the procedure and this should help clot the blood quicker. You’ll also feel a lot better by just resting.

If it is possible, let your work know that you will be unavailable for a few days before you head out for any kind of dental procedure.

Bite on Black Tea

• You can also use a black tea bag to subside the bleeding. However, it is important that the teabag is wet enough and the tea is made off black leaves that contain tannic acid. This will help stop the bleeding faster than using a gauze.

Apply pressure on the tea bag for at least 30 minutes before easing down. 

Choose What You Eat Wisely

• There is a lot of food and drinks that negatively impact the teeth and tooth extraction. One of the most common mistakes our patients make is that they decide to drink fluids using a straw. According to dentists at Icon Dental Center, Seattle, drinking fluid from a straw can dislodge the blood clot.

Apart from drinking from a straw when you’ve gone through tooth extraction, dental surgery, or implant, also make sure that you do not smoke because it will spread harmful chemicals in your mouth and may dislodge the blood cot as well.

• Avoid carbonated beverages such as soda, and chewy foods such as candy, or anything that is sticky in nature. It is best to keep yourself to soft foods only. Try to consume soups, yogurt, banana, and other food that are not hard and you’ll recover faster.

If you feel unusual pain after a day or two from the procedure, don’t forget to consult your dentist immediately. You can also call us at any time to get a consultation or book an appointment for a follow-up visit.

About the author: Dr David Chen, DDS

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Hello, I'm Dr Chen and I'm an actively practicing dentist in Long Island City, NY. I graduated from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in 2016 but prior to going to dental school I was already working in the dental field. It's been more than a decade since I first got to know dentistry and let me tell you, time flies by quickly. Since then I've developed a fondness for writing, which is how this all got started!

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Association Memberships:

• American Dental Association

• New York State Dental Association

• Queens Count Dental Society

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Medical Disclaimer:

This blog is purely meant for information purposes and should not be used as medical advice. Each situation in your mouth is unique and complex. It is not possible to give advice nor diagnose any oral conditions based on text nor virtual consultations. The best thing to do is to go in person to see your dentist for an examination and consultation so that you can receive the best care possible.

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The purpose of all of this oral health information is to encourage you to see your dentist and to inform you of what you may expect during your visit. Due to the unfortunate nature of dentistry, there isn't really any true home remedies that will get rid of dental problems. Roughly 99.99% of them require in-person intervention by a healthcare professional.

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Hint: That is the reason why you can't eliminate seeing dentists in your life!

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