SEVERAL CAUTIONS:

Do not drink any carbonated beverage for the rest of the day after treatment.
Do not rinse your mouth vigorously or spit.
Do not drink through a straw.
Do not smoke.
Do not drink alcoholic beverages or use mouthwash that contains alcohol for 24 hours.
Do not eat or chew while numb.
Do rest quietly for the remainder of the day.

The above precautions will help to prevent dislodging the blood clot that forms to protect the extraction site, resulting in a very painful condition called "dry socket."

ORAL HYGIENE AND HOME CARE

When you leave the office, your mouth will be numb, and you will have gauze in your mouth. Bite on the gauze gently to apply pressure to the surgical area. You can replace the gauze with another wet gauze periodically. Remove the gauze packing one hour after leaving the office, or sooner, if bleeding has stopped. If bleeding continues beyond an hour after surgery, moisten a teabag and bite firmly on it. A small seepage of blood may continue for 24 hours after surgery. Gently rinse with warm salt-water (a teaspoon of salt in 8-10 oz. of water) to clean your mouth. Avoid spitting, but allow the water to gently flow into the sink.

Avoid commercial mouthwashes for one week. Begin brushing your teeth the day after surgery, being careful to avoid the surgical area. DO NOT drink through a straw, or spit and rinse excessively for the next 24 hours. This can loosen the protective blood clot and cause a painful dry socket.

EATING

It is important that you maintain your food and fluid intake. While your mouth is numb avoid chewing. Later, you may eat soft foods, but stay away from hot, hard or sharp foods.

SWELLING

Swelling and bruising are normal body reactions to surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice pack over the swelling for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for the rest of the day. Infection can occur with any surgical procedure. Any swelling that is increasing in size after 72 hours or swelling that is hard, with the skin in the area red and warm to the touch, might be an indication of a developing infection. Contact our office for an evaluation and instructions.

PAIN

Some discomfort is normal after surgery. The pain should be adequately managed with the prescription we have provided for you. Dry socket is the most frequent cause of severe pain after oral surgery. This is caused by the loss of the blood clot, which forms to protect the surgery site. You can avoid dry socket by following the instructions at the top of this page. A dry socket is most likely to occur 3 to 5 days after the extraction. If you are unable to manage your pain with the medications prescribed, you should contact our office. Dr. Martin will place a medicated dressing in the extraction site and will monitor your progress closely to be sure proper healing takes place.

POST ANESTHESIA

You will probably experience soreness at the site of the injection and possibly some mild swelling. Warm salt-water rinses may be soothing. In rare cases, you might notice some bruising or muscle tightness. This will soon clear up without further treatment. DO NOT eat or chew while you are still numb. Children sometimes tend to slap or pinch their cheek when it is numb, because it is such an unusual experience. This should be avoided because the trauma to the area just causes unnecessary pain when the numbness wears off.

Chew on the opposite side of a silver filling for the first 24 hours.

SENSITIVITY

You may notice sensitivity to cold or hot beverages with a silver filling. The sensitivity could last up to several weeks. Try to avoid foods and beverages that aggravate this sensitivity.

If your bite feels uncomfortable after the numbness wears off, please call our office for a possible bite adjustment.

REPAIRS TO FRONT TEETH

The following precautions should be observed anytime, but are especially important for maintaining fillings, bonding, or veneers on front teeth:

Do not bite on anything hard such as ice, hard candy or nuts with your front teeth.
Do not bite on pens, pencils, fingernails, etc.
Do not open bobby pins or bottle lids with your front teeth.

A good rule to remember is: NEVER USE YOUR TEETH AS TOOLS.