Your denture was placed on the same day your teeth were removed. It protects the sockets like a bandage while they heal.
First 24 hours
- Leave the denture in place for the first 24 hours, or until your follow-up visit, unless told otherwise. Removing it early can make swelling hard to fit back over.
- Light pink saliva for a day or two is normal.
- For swelling, hold a cold pack wrapped in a cloth on your cheek, 15–20 minutes on and 15–20 minutes off, during the first 24–48 hours.
- Do not use a straw, spit forcefully or rinse hard for the first 24 hours. Suction can dislodge the healing blood clot.
Eating
- Drink liquids and eat very soft foods at first. Avoid hot, spicy, hard and sticky foods while the sockets heal.
Cleaning
- After your first check, remove the denture to rinse it and clean it after meals, then put it back as instructed.
- Starting the day after, gently rinse with warm salt water (about ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) after meals and at bedtime, unless told otherwise.
Medicine
- Take pain relievers or any prescribed medicine exactly as your dentist or pharmacist directed. Do not take more than the label or prescription allows, and tell us about any allergies or other medicines you take.
- If you were prescribed antibiotics, take every dose until they are finished unless your dentist tells you otherwise.
Follow-up
- Your gums shrink as they heal, so the denture will loosen. Adjustments and a reline or new denture are a normal part of treatment.
Avoid
- Avoid smoking, vaping and alcohol for at least 72 hours, or longer if your dentist advises. They slow healing and raise the risk of complications.
Call our office right away if
- Bleeding that soaks through gauze and does not slow after an hour of firm pressure
- Swelling that is getting worse after the third day, or spreads toward your eye, jaw or neck
- Fever, chills, or pus or a bad taste that keeps coming back
- Sore spots that make it hard to wear the denture
- Rash, itching, or any other reaction to a medicine (stop it and call; for trouble breathing call 911)
This handout is general information. Always follow the specific instructions your dentist gives you, which may differ from this sheet. For a medical emergency, such as trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward the eye or neck, or bleeding that will not stop, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Content last reviewed: 2026-10.