Just had tooth extracted, how do i tell if its infected?

Pain: If pain, you may have an infection and need antibiotics. However you could have pain and not have an infection - this would be a tmj/muscle spasm. Let you dentist see the area and then ask your question again with that information.

Symptoms: If swelling gets larger instead of smaller. I f you are feeling worse instead of better. These are a couple of examples. Best answer if any concern is to return to your dentist to evaluate for you.

Several ways....: In most all cases the source of the problem is gone following the extraction. You can tell if infection is still there if there is swelling that increases over time starting a few days after the surgery or if perhaps pain increases starting a few days after surgery. Certainly immediately following the extraction, if there was an infection, your body will in most cases remove the infection....