A tooth extraction can be a nerve-wracking procedure, no matter how even keeled a patient is. After you get home, you may want to take the edge off with a glass of alcohol. But before you pour that beer or wine, stop and ask yourself, “Is this the best thing for my recovery right now?” Here, you’ll find a discussion on how alcohol can negatively impact your bounce-back from a tooth extraction and when it’s OK to indulge in an adult beverage.
How Does Alcohol Affect Tooth Extraction Recovery?
When you have a tooth removed from its socket, it leaves a gaping hole. The way your body tends to this is to form a blood clot over the extraction site to prevent further bleeding and protect the exposed nerves and bone from pain and infection.
Alcohol is a blood thinner, which means your blood cells can’t thicken and form that clot over the extraction hole. The result? Potential excessive bleeding following extraction, and no protection for the exposed site. And that leads us to…
Dry Socket
If dry socket were a person walking down the sidewalk, you’d cross the street to avoid their path.
Dry socket is the most common complication that occurs after tooth extraction. When the blood clot over your removed tooth doesn’t form, dissolves, or dislodges, the underlying bone and raw nerve endings have no protection.
The outcome is intense pain that cannot be ignored. The ache will radiate from the extraction site to the side of your face and even up to your ear, and over-the-counter pain relievers are no match for your misery. You will likely find yourself right back at the dentist’s office.
Steps to Prevent Dry Socket
Obviously, you want no part of this condition. So, how can you avoid it?
- Steer clear of alcohol: Your dentist will provide you with specifics, but the general rule of thumb is that you want to avoid drinking alcohol for at least 72 hours after extraction. To err on the side of caution, don’t partake for 7 to 10 days.
- Do not use straws: The suction created from drinking through a straw can dislodge the blood clot. Avoid them for a minimum of 24 hours.
- Avoid smoking and other tobacco products: Like straws, the sucking action involved in smoking can also remove the clot. Furthermore, nicotine – the addictive alkaloid found in tobacco – can interfere with healing by reducing blood flow and oxygen levels to the extraction site.
Other Complications Alcohol Can Cause
It’s common for dentists to provide prescription-strength or over-the-counter medication to manage pain and discomfort following tooth extraction. No matter what the medicine, mixing it with alcohol is never advisable as it could result in impaired judgement and serious bodily harm, including liver failure.
Alcohol also dehydrates you, and your body needs plenty of water if you want to enjoy a smooth, speedy recovery. Instead of reaching for a cocktail, pour yourself a nice, tall glass of cool (not cold) H2O.
Whether alcohol is part of your unwinding routine at the end of every day, or you just need to decompress after the stress of having a tooth removed, it ultimately won’t aid you during the healing process. Be sure you follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions to avoid any bumps on your road to recovery!
About the Practice
Our kind and experienced dentists at Summerlin Center for Aesthetic Dentistry use powerful numbing agents and can administer sedation methods to ensure a more comfortable tooth extraction experience. If it’s an emergency, please reach out to our Las Vegas office as soon as possible at (702) 844-6224 or contact us online.