When can i start using a straw after tooth extraction

Using a Straw After Tooth Extraction

Many dentists advise their patients not to suck through a straw after a tooth extraction so as to prevent dislodging the blood clot. Such dislodgment could cause a painful condition known as dry socket, which occurs mostly with lower molar extractions. Now there is some evidence that sucking through a straw doesn’t affect the incidence of dry socket after oral surgery here. So if you have a tooth or teeth removed — go ahead and drink through a straw afterward. It probably doesn’t matter if you do.

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Using a Straw After Tooth Extraction
Call Our Pasadena Office Today
Can I use a straw 1 week after tooth extraction?
When can I stop worrying about dry socket?

To prevent a dry socket after a dental extraction, it is important to keep pressure on the extraction site (biting on gauze) to stimulate clot formation and avoid vigorous rinsing, which could dislodge the clot.

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About the author: Dr David Chen, DDS

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!

Association Memberships:

American Dental Association
New York State Dental Association
Queens Count Dental Society

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.

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.

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

After you visit our doctors in Pasadena for your wisdom teeth extraction, your body will naturally develop a blood clot over the surgical site. This is your body’s way of protecting and healing your jaw bone and nerve endings. However, in some circumstances, this blood clot can become dislodged and if it does you will end up with a painful condition known as dry socket. Dry socket leaves Pasadena patients with intense pain in the open socket where the tooth used to sit, and along the nerve endings that go across the sides of the face. Our doctors want to help you avoid this painful condition, so keep reading to learn some important tips to keep the pain away.

As you will see, the occurrence of dry socket is mostly attributed to a sucking motion or eating hard foods before you’re cleared to do so by our doctors. When you leave Lytle, Tate & Stamper after your wisdom teeth extraction, be sure to follow their instructions to a “T” so you will heal well and avoid dry socket. Here are some specific tips to avoid this painful complication after wisdom teeth extraction:

1. Do Not Use Straws
Avoid using straws for at least one week after your wisdom teeth extraction to avoid causing dry socket. The sucking motion required to use a straw can dislodge the much- needed blood clot covering your surgery site.

2. Do Not Smoke
Pasadena men and women know that smoking is bad for your health – in every way. And your oral health is no exception. When it comes to smoking after wisdom teeth extraction, you should go ahead and decide that you won’t do it. Smokers have a very high risk of developing dry socket after the procedure because the fast inhalation and smoking motion can dislodge the blood clot from the surgical site. And don’t think that cigarettes are the only culprit. Smoking anything can dislodge the blood clot, and trust us, the pain that comes from dry socket isn’t worth the risk.

3. Eat Soft Food
After you visit our doctors in Pasadena for your wisdom teeth extraction, you should maintain a liquid diet for the first day. After that, it’s important that you ease yourself back into your normal diet. Only eat soft foods for the first few days such as applesauce, mashed potatoes, and bananas. Do not eat anything crunchy or hard until our doctors have given you the okay.

4. Practice Proper Oral Hygiene
Our doctors will send you home with specific instructions on how to properly care for your mouth after your wisdom teeth extraction. These instructions will include proper oral hygiene guidelines. You won’t want to brush your teeth with a toothbrush the first day after your surgery, but instead, you should gently rinse your mouth. Remember, you don’t want to do anything to dislodge the blood clot from your surgery site. However, keeping your mouth clean with good oral hygiene will help prevent infection.

Call Our Pasadena Office Today

If you’ve been experiencing pain from your wisdom teeth and think you may need to have them extracted, or you’re already on the books for a removal, knowing how to avoid dry socket is one of the most important things when it comes to tooth removal. Trust us; you don’t want to experience this painful complication.

If you have any questions, or you think you may have an infection at your surgery site, call our doctors at their Pasadena office today at (626) 792-3161.

Can I use a straw 1 week after tooth extraction?

Do not use straws for the first 2 weeks. Drink from a glass. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot.

When can I stop worrying about dry socket?

When Can I Stop Worrying About Dry Socket? Until the full recovery of your extraction site, a dry socket can form if you fail to follow the care tips. Usually, a week (7-8 days) after wisdom tooth extraction, you can stop worrying about a dry socket as gums take this much time to close fully.