There are many reasons why you might need to have a tooth removed. For example, if you have:

• Severe tooth decay
• Gum disease (periodontal disease)
• A broken tooth that can’t be repaired
• An abscess (a collection of pus) on your gums or around your teeth
• Crowded teeth – when your teeth don’t have enough space in your jaw

The dentist will inject a local anaesthetic into the area around your tooth or teeth. They’ll wait a few minutes to allow the injection to work and ask you a few questions to see if it’s taking effect.

The roots of your tooth sit in a socket (hole) in your gum. Your dentist will widen your tooth socket and gently loosen your tooth before they remove it. Sometimes your dentist may need to put a stitch in the empty socket to help it heal.

You’ll feel some pressure in your mouth when you have a tooth removed but it shouldn’t be painful. If you do feel any pain, let your dentist know straightaway.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss again.

Most people can go back to their normal routine the same day. Only if you have a more difficult surgical extraction, will it take a few days to recover. See how you feel and follow our advice.

If you had a local anaesthetic, it may take a few hours before the feeling comes back into your mouth. Don’t have any hot food or drinks until it comes back otherwise you might burn or scald your mouth. Also take care not to bite your tongue, particularly when you speak, drink or eat. Rest as much as possible and keep your head up to reduce the bleeding.

Your mouth may feel sore once the anaesthetic wears off. If you need pain relief, you can take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. We may suggest that you take paracetamol and ibuprofen together. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicines. If you have any questions, ask a pharmacist for advice.

It is normal for some discomfort in the early days but this should settle down within a week to 10 days. If you’re in severe pain and it gets worse, contact us. We can check that nothing else is causing it, such as an infection.

Complications of having a tooth removed can include:

• Damage to other teeth. This might happen when your dentist removes your tooth, particularly if the teeth next to the one being removed have a large filling or crown. The teeth next to the one that’s removed may feel sensitive and this may last several weeks.
• Poor healing. If the blood doesn’t clot in your tooth socket, it won’t heal properly. This is called dry socket and can be very painful. You’re more likely to develop dry socket if you smoke or take oral contraceptives. See us straightaway if you are concerned.
• Fracture of the tooth. If the tooth has curved roots there is a high chance for the tooth to snap and break. If the broken root tip is small, usually this does not cause any problems and can be left but usually most are surgically removed due to the risk of infection.
• A nerve injury. You might experience tingling, pins and needles or a numb feeling in your gum near the socket, especially if you have had a surgical extraction. This may be caused if your nerves are bruised during the procedure, but it won’t usually last long.