When can you exercise after a tooth extraction? Showers, saunas, swimming and flying

The blood clot that forms in the socket is the foundation of healing. Intense exercise raises blood pressure, which in the first days can restart bleeding or dislodge the clot. If the clot is lost early, a painful condition called dry socket can develop. See dry socket (alveolar osteitis).

Holding your breath and clenching your teeth while lifting also put pressure on the extraction site. If you’re taking painkillers in the first days, tiredness and dizziness can make exercise harder too.

These times are a general guide; your dentist may give you a different time depending on how difficult the extraction was and whether you have stitches.

A short shower at a normal temperature is fine on the day of the extraction. Very hot, long baths, Turkish baths and saunas widen the blood vessels and can increase bleeding; avoid them for the first few days, or about a week after surgical extractions. Don’t apply heat to the outside of your face on the first day; for swelling, cold can be applied to the outside of the cheek at intervals in the first 24 hours.

Swimming takes physical effort, so it’s treated like strenuous exercise. As the socket is an open wound in the first days, it’s usual to wait a few days before the pool or sea. Try not to swallow water or swish it around the extraction site.

Flying usually causes no problems after a simple extraction. If an upper molar was removed with roots close to the sinus and your dentist has said there is an opening between the sinus and the mouth, follow the time your dentist gives you for flying and blowing your nose hard. You may be asked to sneeze with your mouth open. If you have a trip planned, mention it before the extraction.

• Drink plenty of water, but don’t use a straw in the first days; the sucking can disturb the clot.
• Drink protein shakes and sports drinks from a glass; after acidic or sugary drinks, rinse gently with water.
• Try not to clench your teeth when lifting.
• Stop if the extraction site starts to throb or bleed during training.
• Wear a mouthguard for contact sports. See mouthguards for sport.

1. Stay calm and sit down, keeping your head slightly raised.
2. Fold a clean piece of gauze, place it on the extraction site and bite firmly for 30 minutes.
3. Don’t rinse or spit.
4. If the bleeding doesn’t ease in that time, or pain gets worse a few days later, call the clinic.

We cover all of the aftercare in after a tooth extraction and when stitches come out in stitches after a tooth extraction.

After an extraction we give you a written aftercare list covering exercise, eating and medicines. If you have an important match, race or trip planned, we can choose the extraction date with you around it. For wisdom tooth removal, see when wisdom teeth should be removed.

Dent32 is at Barış Mah., Ginza Lavinya, E-5 Yanyolu No:30 D:179, 34520 Beylikdüzü, Istanbul and is open seven days a week. To book, call or WhatsApp +90 555 011 33 68, or use our contact page. At the examination we share the findings, the options and the approximate cost in writing; you are under no obligation to start treatment afterwards.