How Often Should I Change the Gauze?

Question

I had another question about how to stopped the bleeding on an extracted tooth, but now I ask: How often should I change the gauze?

Some have said wait 30min, check to see if it's still bleeding, if so, place a new gauze on it and re-do. Others have said an hour, some have said 4. One dentist even said you don't need to change it unless it becomes soaked in blood. (which I thought would be a leading cause of infections...)

I ask, what time limit to check and change is the best to promote clotting? When is it time to remove the gauze and just not wear it anymore?

My other tooth healed right away, such as when I removed the gauze there was some dried blood, but nothing fresh, so I left it uncovered and it's been fine since. But -this- tooth socket is just so... ARGH frustrating.

The tea bag trick worked. Thank you so much!

5 days, and finally after that simple trick, it stopped!
I can't believe something so simple worked. @@

Answer 1

I tell my patients change it out every 30 minutes. You dont have to, but most people will gag tasting the blood in there... so changing it out often stops this from happening.

Majority of people will bleed for about 2 hours. Just depends on what your doing when you leave the office. If you go home and work.. you'll bleed longer. If you go home and relax and kick back, you'll see the bleeding process slows down alot. You clot faster by relaxing and not stressing your body out by working.

As far as, when it doesnt stop bleeding and how to make it stop... Applying a small single tea bad over the extract site, helps. The acid, inside the tea, stops the bleeding. Believe it or not .... its true! Once it stops bleeding, remove the gauze and you'll be fine. The clotting process is in full swing. Just be careful not to do anything to pull that clot out. If you do... and open air reaches the bone, PAIN comes quick!!

*Hope this helps! Good luck...

Answer 2

It is both firm pressure and maintaining this pressure over a prolonged period of time (45 minutes or so) that are important factors when this technique is used. Don't keep changing the gauze, just put some in and then clamp down on it for 45 minutes to an hour.

If the bleeding seems to be persistent, a slightly moistened tea bag can be a very effective substitute for gauze. One of the components of tea (black tea, the regular stuff you would make iced tea from) is tannic acid. Tannic acid can aid in the formation of blood clots and this technique can be very effective. (Same instructions as above, just substitute the tea bag for the gauze.)

If a small amount of bleeding persists after 45 minutes then repeat these instructions. If heavy bleeding is still present then contact your dentist.

Answer 3

If you change it to often you remove the clot and you are going to get what is called dry socket and it is painful!!!You should change it when the gauze is soaked with blood and it starts to get gross.If the bleeding is still going on after a few hours call you orthodontist.
~Good Luck~

Answer 4

Doctor told me to not change the gauge too often. Let it get soaked before changing it. Changing too often can actually be bad for you. Leaving it as long as possible is good for clotting the blood.

Answer 5

ok, just do the same thing that u did with the other tooth. like if today it was the extraction, just wait until you dont have any more blood in there, and it should be fine.