If you’re a smoker, you’re much more likely to experience tooth loss. And if you need one or more of your teeth to be pulled at Palmetto Dental Associates, you may be wondering how long you’ll have to wait before you start smoking again. When can you smoke after you've had your teeth extracted? Find out now.
You Should Never Smoke After A Tooth Extraction – And Here’s Why!
First, it’s really important to understand why you shouldn’t smoke after a tooth extraction. Even though it may be hard for smokers to avoid smoking after their oral surgery, there are good reasons why smoking after treatment is ill-advised.
Smoking can cause “dry socket” – After your tooth is pulled, a blood clot starts to form in the extraction site. This clot protects your extraction site, helps prevent infections, and provides a “scaffold” that new gum tissue can grow around. If you smoke a cigarette, the sucking action of inhaling and exhaling repeatedly can knock this blood clot out of place.
Dry socket can cause extreme pain and discomfort and impairs healing, and may require follow-up care from your dentist. Because of this, it’s important to avoid things that may cause suction in your mouth. That includes smoking, as well as using straws and spitting forcefully after surgery.
Tobacco smoke impairs the immune system – One reason that smoking is bad after a tooth extraction is that the toxic chemicals in smoke negatively affect the immune system. This makes you more vulnerable to infections after you’ve had one or more teeth extracted. Avoiding smoking after your surgery can help reduce your risk of developing an infection.
Smoking results in poor blood oxygenation and slower healing – Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood. Oxygen is deeply involved in the wound healing process, and is an essential component of most of the processes that help you heal after your surgery. So if you smoke after your surgery, it may take much longer for your extraction site to heal.
How Long Do I Have To Wait Before I Start Smoking Again?
Ideally, you should wait at least 5-7 days before you start smoking after your tooth extraction. This gives your mouth plenty of time to begin the healing process before you start smoking again, and reduces your risk of dry socket. At a minimum, you must wait 72 hours (three days) before you smoke after surgery.
Ideally, though, you should stop smoking altogether. The first few days of quitting smoking are usually the hardest, and a tooth extraction gives you the perfect opportunity to abstain for three, five, or even seven days, and take the first steps toward smoking cessation. For more information and strategies about how to quit smoking, we recommend that you consult with your physician.
Need An Extraction In Lexington, SC? Come To Palmetto Dental Associates
At Palmetto Dental Associates, our goal is to provide top-notch dental care in a comfortable, judgment-free environment. If you think you may need one or more tooth extractions and you want to take control of your dental health, we’re here to help.
Contact us online or give us a call at 803-808-0888 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Caroline Thomas or Dr. Franklin Shull. As conservative dentists, Dr. Shull and Dr. Thomas will only recommend extractions if they truly believe that pulling your teeth is the best option for your dental health and overall health.