After tooth extraction: lifestyle, nutrition and hygiene rules

If it happens that your furry pet has changed its habits, behavior and it has become noticeable that the hamster is drinking a lot of water, you should conduct an investigation and, possibly, contact a veterinarian.

Easily removable causes of thirst in a hamster

The most harmless reason for the disappearance of water is a defect in the drinking bowl, due to which water flows out on its own or during the animal’s consumption. In the second case, the hamster's face will be wet after drinking.

Uncomfortable conditions

Increased dryness in the room or temperatures above 22 C will cause increased thirst. In this case, the cage must be placed in a place where the temperature is 18-22 C o.

Hamster nutrition

When you are sure that the animal is healthy, the question of why the hamster drinks a lot may lie in a change in diet. It is recommended to introduce any new diet gradually so that the animal’s body has time to smoothly readjust and get used to it.

Unsuitable food, possibly containing salt or sugar, will also make the pet experience increased thirst, here the body needs to quickly remove unnatural trace elements. Therefore, it is necessary to check whether anyone is treating the hamster with treats, for example, chips or sweet cookies.

General recommendations after surgery

On the first or second day after tooth extraction, you want to lie down and sleep - this is the body’s natural reaction to the stress experienced. After the release of stress hormones - adrenaline and cortisol - stabilization and rest are needed. Don't deny yourself this.

However, there are recommendations regarding sleep: you should raise the pillow higher and sleep reclining so that your head is elevated. This will prevent unnecessary pressure on the jaw and cause bleeding. To increase the inclination of the bed, place a pillow under the mattress or use two pillows.

Otherwise, maintain a calm regime without physical overload, pressure surges and overheating. That is, for the first time it is better to refuse air travel, hard work, playing sports and lifting weights, visiting the pool, bathhouse or sauna. You should not take a hot bath (a short warm shower would be preferable) and stay in the sun for a long time or sunbathe in a solarium. All this increases blood pressure, which is fraught with new bleeding. It is ideal if you have a couple of days off to recover after your teeth are removed.

Diseases: immune, inflammatory, enzyme disorder

A hamster that drinks a lot of water and also produces a lot of urine may be suffering from one of the following diseases: diabetes, kidney inflammation, or ketoacidosis.

Diabetes

The predisposition to this disease is genetic and is inherited. Signs indicating a metabolic disorder are as follows:

• the animal’s urine will acquire a specific smell, which contains acetone, and therefore may resemble the smell of glue or nail polish;
• Homa's behavior will also undergo a change, the animal will be either lethargic or overly active;
• Appetite and appearance may not match each other.

Eating more food and losing weight at the same time clearly indicates the development of the disease.

How to exclude or confirm hamster diabetes at home

For this procedure, you need to purchase special strips from the pharmacy that detect sugar in the urine.

Attention! These are not strips for a glucometer, but specifically for urine. They are sold in cylindrical cases about 10 cm in length. The cost of these indicators is about 200 rubles per package. Most of these strips are also marked to detect ketone bodies, that is, the presence of acetone in the body.

The strip should be immersed in the hamster’s urine for a few seconds and evaluate how the indicator has changed. Typically, the scale for ketones ranges from beige to dark pink, while for sugar there is a green scale. A normal value corresponds to a sugar value from 4 to 5.5 mmol/l; after eating, this value can be higher - up to 10-12. In this case, if there is no acetone, you need to check for sugar again after 2-3 hours, keeping the hamster without food.

Refining the analysis

For the purity of measurements, it is best to take an analysis from the animal after it has slept for a long time. Having noticed such a moment, the sleepy ham needs to be placed in a clean tray. When the animal wakes up, it immediately pees. In this case, the accuracy of the test strip readings is quite high, because the hamster had a “fasting” period, because he did not eat during sleep and the concentration of substances in the urine itself increased for the same reason.

Analysis results

1. If sugar is detected without acetone, then your hamster has type 2 diabetes. This disease is controlled by a low-carbohydrate diet and sugar-burning medications. In this type of diabetes, insulin is retained in the body, and therefore ketone bodies are not detected.
2. If sugar and acetone are detected, your hamster has type 1 diabetes. Here, a diet is also used and the issue of insulin compensation is resolved, since in type 1 diabetes, insulin production completely stops.

Despite the general word diabetes, the mechanisms of disease development are different, as is the therapeutic approach.

How does socket healing occur?

The tissues are restored within approximately 10-15 days. At least by this point, the pain will go away, and external changes will no longer cause you concern. Of course, this is a conditional framework - the healing process for each patient occurs individually. Not only the injured gum is restored, but also the bone tissue inside the hole from which the root was extracted. Below we list approximate deadlines for all stages. If your symptoms are shorter/longer, there is no need to panic - you need to evaluate the remaining symptoms: when there are no additional manifestations of pathology, it means that rehabilitation is going according to plan.

• first 3 hours: after tooth extraction, bleeding occurs - this is a common situation, since the tissues have been injured. The hole is completely filled with blood, which normally immediately coagulates - this is how a blood clot or blood clot is formed. It is extremely important for normal rehabilitation! In fact, it is a natural barrier against the penetration of bacteria into the wound. The color of the hole is dark red,
• the first 2-3 days: the dark blood clot persists and thickens, its size decreases. Granulation tissue begins to form inside the hole - young connective tissue, which will become the basis for the restoration of the mucous membrane,
• 3-7 days: the clot brightens and acquires a whitish color. Granulation tissue covers almost the entire socket. Swelling and pain should decrease or even go away completely,
• 7-10 days: the blood clot dissolves, the remains can be seen only in the center of the hole, which has decreased in size. New bone tissue begins to form under the healing gum, which in 4-6 months will fill the defect from the edges to the center,
• after 15 days: young pink mucous membrane covers the entire socket, superficial healing is complete.

Other possible diseases - kidney or pancreas

Symptoms very similar to diabetes occur with completely different ailments. Since these signs are quite similar to the diabetic profile, the disease can be excluded or confirmed by using the same test strips for determining sugar and acetone in the urine.

Sick kidneys

• the pet’s urine has changed its smell to a stronger one than before, there may be traces of blood in the urine;
• the animal’s mood has deviated from the norm - unreasonable activity or incomprehensible apathy has appeared;
• increased appetite, which is accompanied by weight loss.

If the measurement did not show any changes in either the sugar indicator or the acetone indicator, there is a possibility of inflammatory or other nature of kidney disease. The development of a tumor process cannot be ruled out.

Ketoacidosis

There is one more option for test measurements left. When only an increased level of acetone is detected in the urine, it is logical to assume non-diabetic ketoacidosis.

This condition is caused by a disorder in the production of pancreatic enzymes (not hormones as in diabetes), which results in an increase in the concentration of acetone in the body.

The disease is corrected by a balanced diet; as a rule, you need to increase the amount of carbohydrates.

Consequences of tooth loss: what happens to the bone and how to preserve it?

Even if only one tooth is removed, the situation with the jaw in this place immediately begins to deteriorate - the bone no longer receives the chewing load, metabolism stops in it, and the area of ​​bone tissue under the tooth begins to sag, that is, atrophy.

This is a rapid process - bone loss can reach 30% in the first year alone. Subsequently, it will be problematic to place an artificial tooth supported on an implant in this place, both due to the constant subsidence of the bone and gums, and due to the displacement of neighboring teeth. They lose support, so they shift and tilt into the resulting “emptiness” - this is how problems with bite develop.

To prevent bone atrophy, especially during complex extractions of multi-rooted teeth, it is recommended to install a bioframework or replant a biocompatible artificial bone material with the application of a membrane. Thus, the bone volume and height of the alveolar ridge are maintained sufficient for future unhindered dental implantation.

Veterinarian: why clarify the diagnosis?

Why is a veterinarian necessary when a hamster drinks too much water?

A diagnostic test does not mean that you should prescribe treatment for your hamster. This is just a way to save time by visiting a doctor with a ready-made test. Because without treatment, as well as with an erroneous prescription, the chance of recovery for homa is very small.

1. Without intervention, possible conditions such as type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis can destroy a pet in the shortest possible time - from a few days to 2-3 weeks. As a result of the development of disorders, the hamster will first fall into a coma and then die.
2. Simple carbohydrates (vegetables and grains) that will help eliminate ketoacidosis will hasten the death of a diabetic hamster and vice versa.
3. Once you put someone with ketoacidosis on a low-carb diet, you can soon say goodbye to them.
4. Type 2 diabetes develops much more slowly, but ultimately leads to a critical condition - hypersmolar coma with subsequent death of the animal.
5. Kidney diseases can be inflammatory in nature, and they can be cured fairly quickly.

Only a veterinarian can determine how to change the diet correctly, what medications to give, how to calculate the dose and method.

There are many convenient designs on sale that allow you to provide your rodent with fresh water. But if the pet previously drank from a bowl, or did not drink at all (this also happens), the question arises - how to accustom a hamster to a drinking bowl. The animal may be wary of a new object in the cage, or simply ignore it.

It is better if the sippy cup is already waiting for the hamster in the new home. Once in the cage for the first time, a curious rodent will examine all the objects very carefully, and accidentally stumble upon water, deciding to try the spout of the automatic drinker.

If the accessory was purchased later than the pet, and previously the rodent drank from a regular bowl, information on how to teach a hamster to drink from a drinking bowl will be useful. A large and friendly Syrian hamster can be brought to the device and poked with its nose into the tube from which water comes. When the first drop appears, the animal can be released. One “lesson” is enough, or two at most.

It is problematic to train a Djungarian hamster this way - the animal may not understand your intentions and may break free and bite. With dzhungarik it is better to act with cunning: smear the spout of the sippy cup with something tasty. Do not use prohibited products under any circumstances, although online you can find recommendations to coat the drinking bowl with jam or processed cheese. It is enough to rub the nose with a cucumber or other juicy food, the animal will be attracted by the smell.

Difficulties with how to accustom a hamster to a drinking bowl are extremely rare. Many owners do not think about this at all, relying on the natural intelligence of the new pet. Others worry that the rodent will become dehydrated if the water level in the water bowl does not decrease at all. Before you figure out what to do if your hamster doesn’t drink water, you need to make sure that this is actually the case. Djungarik can drink only 2 ml of water per day; if the drinking bowl capacity is 50 ml, this will not be noticeable. The owner may simply not see how the hamsters drink, since this happens in the midst of nocturnal activity.

Possible reasons why a hamster does not drink water from the drinking bowl:

• abundance of succulent feed;
• stale water (should be changed every day);
• The water supply mechanism is broken.

If the ball of an automatic waterer is jammed, the water stops flowing and the pet will suffer from thirst while the container is full of water. The first thing to do if a rodent often runs up to the sippy cup and chews on its spout is to check the serviceability of the device.

It is easier to throw away a broken accessory than to repair it. The question arises, what can replace a drinking bowl for a hamster. The easiest way is to put a tiny bowl of water in the cage, preferably ceramic, as stable as possible. Many rodents live their whole lives without a drinking bowl, but then the water has to be changed at least twice a day: it becomes contaminated with bedding and food, and periodically the animal will knock over the bowl.

Many people are interested in how to give a hamster water if there is no drinking bowl, due to the long transportation of the animal. In this case, you can not give the hamsters water, but offer them pieces of juicy food: a cucumber is 95% water, an apple or pear is 85%. For several days, such food will help avoid dehydration, and the litter in the carrier will remain dry.

The most complete reminder for patients after tooth extraction

So, you left the doctor's office - the surgeon asked you to tightly squeeze a gauze pad with your teeth, which will help stop the bleeding. You need to hold it for about 20-30 minutes, that is, while you fill out the necessary documents at the clinic or go home. Remove the tampon carefully, moving it slightly to the side, without sudden movements, so as not to damage the fresh blood clot.

Very important! A thrombus (usually called a “blood clot”) protects the wound from microbes and prevents pieces of food and saliva from accumulating in the hole during the first week of rehabilitation. This is a natural sterile dressing that starts the process of new tissue formation. The most important rule that will protect you from complications and severe inflammation of the wound is to never remove the clot, do not touch it with your tongue or fingers, do not touch it with a toothbrush and protect it from other influences. Gradually it will resolve on its own.

Do not keep the tampon in place for more than 30 minutes - gauze soaked in blood and saliva will quickly become a breeding ground for infection. In addition, a blood clot is forming in the hole - the presence of a foreign body and additional injury are of no use to it. You need to give the wound the opportunity to heal naturally.

“If you have a complex tooth extraction, especially if you had surgery to remove wisdom teeth, or if you have an underlying condition, such as diabetes, you may need to observe a doctor for a few more hours. For this purpose, we have our own hospital, where you can sit comfortably and relax while we monitor your condition to see if there are any complications. This will give us confidence that the operation will be successful and will reassure you as the patient.”

Vasiliev Alexander Alexandrovich, implant surgeon, more than 10 years of experience make an appointment

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Swelling after tooth extraction (especially if it was complicated) can be prevented by applying a cold compress - to do this, wrap an ice pack from the freezer in a towel and apply it to the cheek (that is, from the outside) for no more than 20 minutes. After 15 minutes the procedure can be repeated. If you don't have ice on hand, frozen vegetables or meat will do, but be sure to wrap them in a bag and a towel to avoid cold burns. Cold constricts blood vessels, reduces pain and swelling, although it does not completely remove swelling. Compresses are effective immediately after surgery for approximately 3-4 hours.

Do not warm up the injury site under any circumstances! A hot compress will only make the swelling worse by increasing blood flow to the area of ​​inflammation. This will lead to serious complications after surgery.

Actions in case of an unnatural state of the animal

Drinks a lot

If, when changing the water in the drinking bowl, the owner notices that the tiny animal has drunk almost everything, this is an alarming signal. We need to find out why the hamster drinks a lot of water. This is a major sign of diabetes, which is common in dwarf hamsters. There are other diseases that provoke thirst. A doctor's examination will be useful.

It is worth analyzing your pet’s diet: in addition to dry food, you should also give succulent food.

Doesn't drink or eat

In case of severe illness, the rodent will first refuse food and then water. To prevent exhaustion and dehydration, and also to give oral medications if necessary, you need to know how to force-feed a hamster. An insulin syringe without a needle or a pipette is suitable for this. You cannot turn the animal over on its back. The liquid is poured into the mouth in small portions so that the hamster has time to swallow.

How to ensure that there are no complications after tooth extraction?

At the first stage, you need to choose a doctor who will carry out professional and careful removal without severe tissue injury. It is important that the operation is performed not by a dental therapist, but by a dental surgeon or even a maxillofacial surgeon - an implantologist. It is a highly specialized doctor who knows how important it is to preserve the volume of bone tissue so that after this operation there are as few restrictions as possible for implantation.

The most important thing after the operation itself is to strictly adhere to the instructions and recommendations given by the doctor. If medications are prescribed, they must be taken for a strictly prescribed time. See our short checklist of what you can and cannot do after surgery, as well as detailed recommendations that will help you shorten the rehabilitation period and go through it without pain and complications.

Chicory: benefits and harms for pregnant women

Pregnant women can and should not only consume chicory, but only in limited quantities - no more than one small cup per day. If you follow the rules, you can get the maximum benefit:

improving the functioning of the nervous system;

You can also drink the drink during lactation. It normalizes calcium metabolism, which improves the baby's absorption of milk by 3-4 times.

Regular abuse of chicory can activate the cough reflex. This is fraught with fetal hypoxia, increased uterine tone and even placental abruption.

The benefits of chicory for weight loss

Many experts note the benefits of chicory for gradual weight loss. This is due to several reasons - the components contained in the root contribute to:

improving the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates;

removal of harmful substances, including cholesterol;

Therefore, it is recommended to take chicory 40-60 minutes before the main meal. Thanks to this, the feeling of hunger on the eve of lunch or dinner is reduced by more than half - up to 64%. As a result, a person eats less, but does not feel much discomfort. If you combine chicory with a low-calorie diet, you can lose 1 kg per week. Moreover, the body receives only benefits, and there are practically no health risks.

Frequently asked questions after tooth extraction

In this section, we answered the most popular questions that arise in the first days after tooth extraction.

How long will the wound bleed after tooth extraction?

The appearance of blood after removing a tooth from the socket is a normal phenomenon, since the periodontal tissues are penetrated by many capillaries and vessels.
When they are injured, even minimally, the hole fills with blood necessary for the formation of a blood clot. Normally, this occurs within 20-30 minutes and depends on the individual characteristics of blood clotting. Minor, very light bleeding may occur for another 2-3 days after surgery. It is important to distinguish blood from ichor - a clear liquid, slightly yellowish in color. Due to the small amount of blood, it can sometimes be pinkish. Ichor can normally be released from the socket within 12-14 hours after tooth extraction.

But if, 3-5 hours after the operation, the bleeding not only does not decrease, but also intensifies, you need to consult a doctor.

I removed the tampon from the wound 20 minutes after the operation, but the wound is still healing. What to do?

If the wound is still bleeding a little after removing the compress, you can apply another swab of sterile gauze (available at the pharmacy). It is lightly moistened with boiled water or chlorhexidine, applied to the wound and the jaws are squeezed tightly. Also, do not keep the new tampon in place for more than 20 minutes, so as not to provoke the development of infection.

Blood flows for more than 3 hours. This is fine?

You should immediately consult a doctor in the following situations:

• bleeding does not subside in the first 30 minutes and continues for several hours or even days,
• secondary bleeding: in the dentist’s office the hole stabilized, and when you returned home, the bleeding started again, and quite profusely and for a long time.

The reasons are different: taking certain medications (for example, blood thinners or hormonal drugs), menstruation in women, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, abnormalities in blood clotting and other blood diseases, drinking alcohol on the eve of extraction, as well as violating the dentist’s recommendations. Therefore, it is important to inform your doctor in advance about your existing diseases and medications, so that the doctor can prevent an unfavorable outcome.

When will my stitches be removed after surgery?

The wound is stitched for a more reliable connection of the alveolar walls and faster healing. You usually do not need to have your stitches removed by a doctor. We use special surgical threads that dissolve after 7-10 days and eliminate the need to return to this issue. If nothing bothers you and the stitches look healthy, then you don’t need to see a doctor.

Why didn’t the surgeon stitch up my wound after the tooth extraction?

The doctor always evaluates how the situation is developing - how extensive the intervention was, whether the gum had to be cut, how many roots the tooth has, how quickly the blood clots. If the wound is small and the prerequisites for healing are normal, then stitches are not necessary.

Is it possible to drink alcoholic beverages after tooth extraction?

We understand that amid the stress experienced, for some, a natural impulse is to relax with the help of alcohol, especially if the tooth extraction was difficult. But the answer is clear - no. Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed 24-48 hours before removal and for at least 2-3 days after surgery. Due to the dilation of blood vessels under the influence of alcohol, bleeding will open again in the hole, and a hematoma may appear on the mucous membrane. And if you have been prescribed antibiotics, then combining alcohol with them is dangerous, and alcohol is contraindicated until you finish taking the medication.

Is it possible to smoke regular cigarettes? What about electronic cigarettes, hookah and vaping?

Smoking in the first 2-3 days after tooth extraction has an adverse effect on the condition of the wound. Nicotine causes a sharp contraction of blood vessels, and the tars and chemical compounds that make up cigarettes irritate the mucous membrane and slow down healing. If stitches were placed, we do not recommend smoking for 2-10 days after tooth extraction.

Hookah mixtures contain glycerin, which causes tissue dehydration. E-cigarette formulations use propylene glycol, which is converted into toxic compounds that inhibit nerve impulses. Many people believe that vaping is safer than regular cigarettes, but there is still an additional chemical load on the wound. So the restrictions on hookah, vaping and electronic cigarettes are exactly the same as on tobacco - try not to smoke for several days after tooth extraction.

It has been proven that the risk of alveolitis - an infectious inflammation of the tooth socket - increases by 40% if the patient smoked immediately before tooth extraction1.

After a tooth was removed, caries was discovered on the adjacent one. Can it be cured immediately?

It is better to postpone treatment of other teeth or professional hygiene after tooth extraction for two to three weeks, unless otherwise indicated by a doctor. The fact is that when drilling a carious cavity or cleaning deposits, pathogenic microflora can enter the wound and cause its inflammation. But in some cases, when treatment is absolutely necessary, an experienced doctor will take measures to protect the socket using special membranes and protective devices.

I have problems with blood pressure. Is it possible to have surgery?

If you have problems with blood pressure, you need to monitor it regularly. Before tooth extraction and during the recovery period, you will need to take additional medications prescribed by your doctor in order to normalize your condition and indicators.

I have diabetes, but they recommended that I have a tooth removed. Is it dangerous?

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you probably have a blood sugar monitor. It is important to maintain normal indicators and take into account additional rules:

• Tooth extraction is possible at the stage of disease compensation, when sugar levels are stable for several months. In the decompensated stage, elective operations are not performed due to the risk of bleeding and the body’s reaction to anesthesia,
• you should go for an operation to remove teeth in the morning,
• Immediately before tooth extraction, it is better to administer an increased dose of insulin to prevent a spike in sugar.

Due to stress before surgery, sugar levels may increase, so it is better to consult with an endocrinologist in advance about which drug to take to avoid a sharp jump in blood sugar. You also need to know that rehabilitation after tooth extraction in patients with diabetes mellitus is slower.

How long should I use a soft brush after surgery?

After the wound has healed, that is, after 2-3 weeks, you need to return to a regular brush of medium hardness - a soft toothbrush copes worse with plaque, and if there are no open wounds in the mouth, there is no need for it.

After the operation, the skin on my lips became dry and cracked, and herpes developed. What's the matter?

Dry lips occur due to a long stay in the dentist's chair (if many teeth were removed or the procedure was complex). Herpes can worsen due to decreased immunity (usually due to an acute stressful situation).

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