Post Op Instructions

Click the links below to download our Pre Operative and Post Operative brochures.

Pre Operative Instructions for Patients undergoing Intravenous (I.V.) Anesthesia Sedation

You may not have anything to eat or drink (including no water) after midnight the night before surgery, or for six (6) hours prior to the appointment. An empty stomach is very important for your safety while under anesthesia.
No smoking at least 12 hours before surgery. Ideally, cut down or stop smoking as soon as possible prior to the day of surgery.
Please have a responsible adult accompany you on the day of surgery, remain in the office during the procedure, drive you home and remain with you throughout the day. We require your escort to remain in our reception area until you are ready to leave the office. Most surgeries last approximately 1 hour. You will be notified if your procedure will be longer.
You should not drive a vehicle or operate any machinery for 24 hours following anesthesia.
Please wear loose fitting clothing with short sleeves which can easily be rolled up past the elbow, and low-heeled shoes.
Brush teeth and use a mouthwash prior to surgery.
Contact lenses and jewelry should be removed prior to surgery and left at home.
Do not wear lipstick, excessive makeup, or nail polish on the day of surgery.
If you develop an illness such as a cold, sore throat, stomach or bowel upset prior to surgery, please call our office for further instruction.
Take all regularly prescribed medications according to directions with just a small sip of water. Antibiotic premedication (if prescribed) is to be taken one hour before your appointment with a small sip of water.
If you take more than 2 regular aspirin or aspirin products such as Motrin Advil or ibuprofen per day, please notify our office for instruction.

Post Operative Care

Following these post operative directions is the most important thing that you as a patient can do to aid your healing process. Please read and follow them careful.

The removal of impacted teeth is a surgical procedure. Unnecessary pain and the complications of infection and swelling can be minimized if the instructions are followed carefully.

Immediately Following Surgery to Control Bleeding:

After your procedure, you will be biting into a gauze pad that has been placed over the surgical area. Maintain constant pressure over the gauze pad for at east 1 hour. If after removal of the gauze pad, active bleeding continues, replace this pad with a fresh, slightly moistened pad, and maintain pressure for an additional hour.

If active bleeding persists, a moistened tea bag (non-herbal) may be substituted for the gauze pad. Do not place anything into the mouth after the first day. Some blood in the saliva for 1-2 days following surgery is to be expected.

DO NOT spit excessively, rinse your mouth, or use straws on the day of surgery. DO NOT smoke for at least 5 days following surgery. This may initiate bleeding by causing the blood clot that has formed to become dislodged, resulting in a dry socket.

For Discomfort and Pain Control:

Medications have been prescribed to control pain. It is best to take your pain medications before your local anesthetic completely wears off. Take all pain medication with food. While taking pain medications do not drink alcohol, drive or operate machinery.

Restrict your activities the day of surgery and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.

Place ice packs to the sides of your face where surgery was performed. Refer to the section on swelling for explanation.

Antibiotics:

Antibiotics are not always necessary after surgery. If antibiotics have been prescribed, take the medication according to the directions on the label. It is important to finish antibiotics no matter how well you may feel. If you develop hives, a rash, or itching, stop all medications and call our office immediately for further instructions.

Antibiotics and pain medication can stop absorption of birth control pills. Use another method of contraception for the remainder of that menstrual cycle.

Swelling and Discoloration:

Swelling normally increases for 2-3 days after surgery and resolves gradually. Keep your head elevated (resting on 2 pillows) for 1-2 days after surgery. Ice packs used for the first 1-2 days after surgery will also help reduce swelling and relieve discomfort. DO NOT apply heat to the face unless instructed by our office. Some bruising on your face and/or neck may occur. Discoloration will range from blue to yellowish green and may last for one week.

Diet

Good nutrition and fluid intake are important after surgery. The day of surgery, a liquid or soft diet is suggested. DO NOT USE A STRAW FOR 5 DAYS AFTER SURGERY. (Milk shakes, instant breakfast, soups, yogurts, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, etc). Drink plenty of liquids (juice, tea, Gatorade, etc). Avoid hard or crunchy foods, or any that are very hot or spicy. Avoid alcoholic beverages for 24 hours, especially when taking pain medication. Resume a normal diet as soon as you can tolerate.

Stiffness of the Jaws (Trimus)

Stiffness of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event which will resolve in time. Minimize this by stretching your mouth open several times an hour for the first 24 hours after surgery. This will not interfere with healing or “pop” the stitches.

Keep the mouth clean

Food in the surgery sites will increase the possibility of infection. No rinsing of any kind should be done until the day following surgery. You can brush your teeth the night of surgery but rinse gently. The day after surgery you should begin rinsing with warm salt water, after meals and at bedtime (1/2 teaspoon of salt per 8 oz of warm water) for at least on week. Brush your teeth as usual being careful to cleanse around the wounds. DO NOT use a waterpik, mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide as they will delay the healing process.

Fever

A low grade fever may occur 24-48 hours after surgery. This is usually controllable by drinking cool liquids and Tylenol (acetominophen ) as directed. If you have a fever of 101º F or more, please call our office.

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea can occur after general anesthesia. This is usually due to not eating or taking too much pain medication. Small amounts of clear carbonated beverages such as 7-Up, Sprite or ginger ale, taken every hour for 2-3 hours usually help. Dramamine, Emetrol, or Pepcid AC are available without a prescription, and can also be helpful.

Sutures

Dissolvable stitches are often used. They generally fall out within 4-5 days. If they fall out earlier, do not be alarmed. Sutures requiring removal will be taken out at your post op visit.

Sore Arm

A small amount of bruising or discomfort may occur around the IV site. A warm moist washcloth placed over the area for 15 minutes, 3-4 times a day will make it feel better.

Immediate Dentures

If you have had extractions and new dentures or partials placed, do not remove them for 24 hours. Thereafter, they can be removed to rinse your mouth and the prosthesis 3-4 times per day. Dentures should b left in as much as possible the first week after extractions, unless otherwise instructed.

Extraction Site

You may notice a “hole” in your gum after an extraction. The cavity will gradually fill in over the next month with new tissue. Rinse your mouth after meals as directed to keep it clean and free from food particles.

Other Complications

If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs there is no cause for alarm. As stated before surgery, this is usually temporary in nature. You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb you could bite it and not feel it so be careful. Call our office if you have any questions about this.
You should be careful going from the lying down position to standing. As you were not able to eat or drink prior to surgery, and it is difficult to take fluids, and taking pain medications can make you dizzy. You could get light headed when you stand up suddenly. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute then get up.
Occasionally, patients may feel hard or sharp projections in the mouth with their tongue. They are not “roots,” or tooth fragments. They are the bony walls which supported the tooth. These projections usually smooth out spontaneously. If they are painful, they can be removed by one of our doctors.
If the corners of your mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment such as Vaseline.
Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon. The muscles get swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in 2-3 days.

Finally

The pain and swelling should subside more and more each day following surgery. If your post-operative pain or swelling worsens or unusual symptoms occur call our office for instructions.
Your case is individual, no two mouths are alike. Discuss any problem with the persons best able to effectively help you: our doctors or your family dentist.
A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket. Symptoms of a dry socket are pain at the surgical site and even pain into the ear which may occur 3-4 days following surgery and is not relieved by pain medication. Call the office if this occurs.
If you are involved in regular exercise be aware that your normal nourishment intake is reduced and exercise may weaken you. If you get light headed stop exercising.

After Placement of Dental Implants

It is important to the success of your implant to be cautious with the surgical site. There is often a metal healing cap present at the gum level. Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, chewing on or touching the wound on the day of surgery. Be gentle with tooth brushing of the surgical areas. If you have received a prescribed mouthwash (Peridex) from us, please follow the directions on the bottle.

If you have a prosthetic device (flipper, partial, or dentures) we will advise you on specific instructions for your particular case, on when and how often you should or should not be using these devices.