How long does your mouth hurt after a tooth extraction

It can take up to 2 weeks to recover from the surgery for having your wisdom tooth or teeth removed.

Table of Contents Show

Self-care advice
Working and driving
Returning to normal
From Mayo Clinic to your inbox
Risk factors
Complications
Is it normal to have pain 4 days after tooth extraction?
Should my mouth still hurting 3 days after tooth extraction?
Should I still have pain 5 days after tooth extraction?

During this time, you may have:

a swollen mouth and cheeks – this will be worse for the first few days but will gradually improve; gently pressing a cold cloth to your face helps reduce the swelling
some mild visible bruising of your cheek – the skin may be bruised for up to 2 weeks
a stiff, sore jaw – this should wear off within 7 to 10 days
pain – this is worse if the extraction was difficult or complicated
an unpleasant taste in your mouth
tingling or numbness of your face, lips or tongue (although this is uncommon)

Report any excess bleeding, severe pain or any other unusual symptoms to your dentist or oral surgeon immediately.

Self-care advice

To reduce pain and aid your recovery, it can be helpful to:

use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (always read and follow the manufacturer's dosage instructions) – there's some evidence to suggest that ibuprofen is the best painkiller to take after having wisdom teeth removed
avoid strenuous activity and exercise for a few days
use an extra pillow to support your head at night
for 24 hours, avoid rinsing, spitting, hot drinks or anything else that may dislodge the blood clots that form in the empty tooth socket (they help the healing process)
avoid smoking and drinking alcohol for 24 hours
eat soft or liquid food for a few days and chew with your other teeth
gently rinse the extraction site with antiseptic mouthwash after 24 hours, and repeat this regularly over the next few days, particularly after eating – you can also use warm water with a teaspoon of salt as mouthwash to reduce gum soreness and inflammation

Working and driving

It's usually recommended that you take a day or two off work after having a wisdom tooth removed. You won't need a sick note from your doctor or dentist for this.

You can drive immediately after the procedure if local anaesthetic was used, but you should avoid driving for at least 24 hours if a sedative was used, or 48 hours if the procedure was carried out under general anaesthetic.

Returning to normal

After your wisdom teeth have been removed and any swelling and bruising has disappeared, your mouth and face should return to normal.

You'll usually be able to brush your teeth normally after a few days. Make sure you finish any course of antibiotics you've been given.

A check-up appointment may be arranged for about a week or so after the procedure. At this point, any remaining stitches may be removed.

Page last reviewed: 17 May 2021
Next review due: 17 May 2024

Overview

Dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is a painful dental condition that sometimes happens after you have a permanent adult tooth extracted. Dry socket is when the blood clot at the site of the tooth extraction fails to develop, or it dislodges or dissolves before the wound has healed.

Normally, a blood clot forms at the site of a tooth extraction. This blood clot serves as a protective layer over the underlying bone and nerve endings in the empty tooth socket. The clot also provides the foundation for the growth of new bone and for the development of soft tissue over the clot.

Exposure of the underlying bone and nerves results in intense pain, not only in the socket but also along the nerves radiating to the side of your face. The socket becomes inflamed and may fill with food debris, adding to the pain. If you develop dry socket, the pain usually begins one to three days after your tooth is removed.

Dry socket is the most common complication following tooth extractions, such as the removal of third molars (wisdom teeth). Over-the-counter medications alone won't be enough to treat dry socket pain. Your dentist or oral surgeon can offer treatments to relieve your pain.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of dry socket may include:

Severe pain within a few days after a tooth extraction
Partial or total loss of the blood clot at the tooth extraction site, which you may notice as an empty-looking (dry) socket
Visible bone in the socket
Pain that radiates from the socket to your ear, eye, temple or neck on the same side of your face as the extraction
Bad breath or a foul odor coming from your mouth
Unpleasant taste in your mouth

When to see a doctor

A certain degree of pain and discomfort is normal after a tooth extraction. However, you should be able to manage normal pain with the pain reliever prescribed by your dentist or oral surgeon, and the pain should lessen with time.

If you develop new or worsening pain in the days after your tooth extraction, contact your dentist or oral surgeon immediately.

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Causes

The precise cause of dry socket remains the subject of study. Researchers suspect that certain issues may be involved, such as:

Bacterial contamination of the socket
Trauma at the surgical site from a difficult extraction, as with an impacted wisdom tooth

Risk factors

Factors that can increase your risk of developing dry socket include:

Smoking and tobacco use. Chemicals in cigarettes or other forms of tobacco may prevent or slow healing and contaminate the wound site. The act of sucking on a cigarette may physically dislodge the blood clot prematurely.
Oral contraceptives. High estrogen levels from oral contraceptives may disrupt normal healing processes and increase the risk of dry socket.
Improper at-home care. Failure to follow home-care guidelines and poor oral hygiene may increase the risk of dry socket.
Having dry socket in the past. If you've had dry socket in the past, you're more likely to develop it after another extraction.
Tooth or gum infection. Current or previous infections around the extracted tooth increase the risk of dry socket.

Complications

Painful, dry socket rarely results in infection or serious complications. However, potential complications may include delayed healing of or infection in the socket or progression to chronic bone infection (osteomyelitis).

Prevention

What you can do before surgery

You can take these steps to help prevent dry socket:

Seek a dentist or oral surgeon with experience in tooth extractions.
If applicable, try to stop smoking before your extraction because smoking and using other tobacco products increase your risk of dry socket. Consider talking to your doctor or dentist about a program to help you quit permanently.
Talk to your dentist or oral surgeon about any prescription or over-the-counter medications or supplements you're taking, as they may interfere with blood clotting.

What your dentist or oral surgeon may do

Your dentist or oral surgeon will take a number of steps to ensure proper healing of the socket and to prevent dry socket. These steps may include recommending one or more of these medications, which may help prevent dry socket:

Antibacterial mouthwashes or gels immediately before and after surgery
Oral antibiotics, particularly if you have a compromised immune system
Antiseptic solutions applied to the wound
Medicated dressings applied after surgery

What you can do after surgery

You'll receive instructions about what to expect during the healing process after a tooth extraction and how to care for the wound. Proper at-home care after a tooth extraction helps promote healing and prevent damage to the wound. These instructions will likely address the following issues, which can help prevent dry socket:

Activity. After your surgery, plan to rest for the remainder of the day. Follow your dentist's or oral surgeon's recommendations about when to resume normal activities and how long to avoid rigorous exercise and sports that might result in dislodging the blood clot in the socket.
Pain management. Put cold packs on the outside of your face on the first day after extraction and warm packs after that, to help decrease pain and swelling. Follow your dentist's or oral surgeon's instructions on applying cold or heat to your face. Take pain medications as prescribed.
Beverages. Drink lots of water after the surgery. Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated or hot beverages for as long as your dentist or oral surgeon recommends. Don't drink with a straw for at least a week because the sucking action may dislodge the blood clot in the socket.
Food. Eat only soft foods, such as yogurt or applesauce, for the first day. Be careful with hot and cold liquids or biting your cheek until the anesthesia wears off. Start eating semisoft foods when you can tolerate them. Avoid chewing on the surgery side of your mouth.
Cleaning your mouth. After surgery, you may gently rinse your mouth and brush your teeth, but avoid the extraction site for the first 24 hours. After the first 24 hours, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt several times a day for a week after your surgery. Mix 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of table salt in 8 ounces (237 milliliters) of water. Follow the instructions of your dentist or oral surgeon.
Tobacco use. If you smoke or use tobacco, don't do so for at least 48 hours after surgery and as long as you can after that. Any use of tobacco products after oral surgery can delay healing and increase the risk of complications.

Jan. 25, 2017

Is it normal to have pain 4 days after tooth extraction?

Most people find tooth extraction pain passes after three days, however this can vary from patient to patient. If you still feel pain after three to five days, consider booking back in with your dentist for a follow-up appointment.

Should my mouth still hurting 3 days after tooth extraction?

After about 3 days, the empty tooth socket will have mostly healed. There should be no more bleeding present, and swelling should be minimal at this point. You may still experience some tenderness or soreness, but you should no longer feel pain or discomfort.

Should I still have pain 5 days after tooth extraction?

Having pain after your surgery is expected and common. Pain may last up to two weeks after surgery. It is highly recommended to take two Advil or Motrin immediately when you get home. Keep the narcotic pain medications for bedtime.