Slightly pink saliva is common after tooth extraction, particularly on the first day. A small amount of blood can colour a lot of saliva. It is different if bright red blood continually collects in your mouth or the wound repeatedly soaks the gauze.
What should you do for active bleeding?
- Sit down, stay calm and keep your head raised.
- With clean hands, fold a sterile gauze pad, dampen it slightly and place it directly over the bleeding wound.
- Bite down firmly and continuously for 30 minutes. Do not chew the gauze or remove it every few minutes to check.
- If bleeding continues, repeat once with fresh gauze. If it has not stopped after a total of 60 minutes of pressure, seek urgent dental or oral surgery care.
Do not wait an hour if bleeding is heavy, your mouth is quickly filling with blood, or you feel weak or dizzy. Call 112 for severe, uncontrollable bleeding or fainting.
What should you avoid?
Do not rinse vigorously, spit or suck at the wound. Do not pack it with paper tissues or loose cotton wool. Do not sleep with gauze in your mouth. Hot drinks, alcohol and physical exertion can restart bleeding. Once bleeding stops, take extra care to protect the wound again.
What about medicines that affect blood clotting?
Do not stop an anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicine, such as prescribed low-dose aspirin, on your own. Missing a dose can have serious consequences. Follow your agreed medication plan and tell the clinician what you take if bleeding persists. Do not choose aspirin as a new painkiller without professional advice.
Who should you contact?
If your extraction was performed here, call Potidental Clinic about your symptoms. Outside opening hours, seek emergency care for persistent bleeding. Slight blood-stained saliva alone does not usually require continuous biting on gauze.
If the extraction involves a wisdom tooth, read more about wisdom tooth surgery .
For related advice on recovery and symptoms, see essential tooth extraction aftercare and swelling and healing after tooth extraction .
Clinical sources: Bristol Dental School – bleeding after extraction ; ADA – medicines that affect blood clotting .