Do this right now
Bite on gauze, hard, for 30 minutes
Fold clean gauze (or a damp black tea bag — the tannin helps) over the socket and bite with steady pressure. Do not check every few minutes; leave it 30 minutes.
Sit up, stay calm
Head above the heart, no exertion. Talking and spitting dislodge the clot.
Repeat once
If it is still oozing after 30 minutes, fresh gauze for another 30. Pink saliva is normal; a mouth filling with blood is not.
For pain from day 3 onward
Throbbing pain that spreads to the ear, a bad taste, and an empty-looking socket is dry socket. Call (530) 406-1730; a medicated dressing gives relief within the hour.
Do not
- Rinsing, spitting or drinking through a straw in the first 24 hours
- Smoking for at least 72 hours
- Hot food and drink, alcohol, hard or seedy food for the first day
- Aspirin — it thins the blood; use what we prescribed or acetaminophen
Go to the ER instead of us if
- Bleeding that soaks through gauze after two rounds of 30 minutes of firm pressure.
- Feeling faint, or blood you are swallowing steadily.
- Swelling that spreads to the neck or makes swallowing or breathing hard.
- There was a blow to the head with confusion, vomiting or loss of consciousness.
We are open Monday to Thursday 8 AM to 5 PM and Friday 9 AM to 2 PM and are not a 24-hour clinic. The nearest ER is Woodland Memorial Hospital, 2000 Sutter Place — or call 911.
What we do at the visit
Stop the bleeding
A dissolvable dressing or a stitch. Ten minutes.
Dry socket dressing
The socket is cleaned and packed with a soothing medicated paste, changed every few days until it heals.
Check for infection
Antibiotics if needed, and written aftercare so you know what to expect day by day.
What it costs
The emergency exam and X-ray fee is quoted when you call. Any treatment is priced in writing before it starts, and nothing is done without your OK. Most PPO plans cover emergency exams; monthly plans through CareCredit and Cherry. We do not accept HMO plans or Medi-Cal.
Request a same-day call
Three details and we call you. If it hurts badly, calling is faster: (530) 406-1730
Questions people ask
How long should bleeding last after a tooth extraction?
Steady oozing for a few hours and pink saliva for up to a day is normal. Bleeding that soaks gauze after an hour of firm pressure needs a call to us, or the ER if we are closed.
What does dry socket feel like?
Pain that starts or gets worse three to five days after the extraction, throbs, spreads toward the ear, and comes with a bad taste. The socket looks empty instead of dark red. It is treated with a medicated dressing.
I had the tooth out somewhere else. Can you still see me?
Yes. Call (530) 406-1730; post-extraction problems are seen the same day Monday to Friday whoever did the extraction.
When can I eat normally?
Soft, cool food the first day; chew on the other side for a few days; back to normal within a week for a simple extraction, two weeks for wisdom teeth.
Other dental emergencies
Emergency dentist near: Davis · West Sacramento · Dixon · Winters · Esparto · Knights Landing