Cold or heat therapy after tooth extraction

It is recommended to apply warm compresses after tooth extraction. Warm compresses can help reduce pain, promote blood circulation, alleviate gum inflammation, decrease gum swelling, and facilitate healing of the extraction site. There are various methods for applying heat, such as rinsing the mouth with warm water, placing a warm wet towel or cloth soaked in hot water over the gums, wrapping ice cubes in a moist heated towel and applying it to the gums, or rinsing the teeth with warm or lukewarm water. Cold compresses can also be used after tooth extraction; however, compared to warm compresses, cold compresses only provide temporary pain relief and do not promote healing or improve gum inflammation.