Extraction Post-Operative Instructions

Mouth Care: Avoid excessive eating, drinking and talking for the first two hours. Following the surgery, after the bleeding stops, be sure to drink plenty of liquids (lukewarm or cold). Do not rinse your mouth or brush your teeth with toothpaste for a period of approximately twelve hours. The first day use a wet toothbrush (no toothpaste) to clean your mouth, especially brushing your tongue.  When rinsing, use salt water prepared by diluting 1 teaspoon of table salt in a glass of tepid water. Be careful to avoid the surgical area when brushing. No straws, smoking, or excessive spitting on the day of surgery; or as long as there is bleeding.

Diet: Maintain your diet, eating your meals at the usual times. Start with the clear liquids for the first hour, then continue with liquids and soft foods the first day. Eat a soft diet; soup, eggs, yogurt, jello, cooked cereals, etc.  Drink plenty of water. Return to your normal diet as soon as you feel you are able to do so.

Bleeding: Some slight bleeding for the surgical area is to be expected for several hours. If excessive, use a gauze pad we’ve provided and apply pressure by biting down or placing your finger over the gauze for 30 minutes. Do not keep removing the gauze to check bleeding. If you run out of gauze sponges, fold a 5 or 6 inch cloth into a small packet and apply pressure. Repeat procedure if necessary. Do not use tissues or cotton. You may also try a warm, moist tea bag. Place tea bag over the bleeding area and apply pressure. If excessive bleeding continues, the office should be called.

Complications: It is natural to have some discomfort, swelling or discoloration (bruising). Sometimes the muscles that open and close the lower jaw may become tight and you may experience ear discomfort. An icepack or a plastic bag filled with ice and wrapped in a towel may be applied to the face intermittently for 20 minutes (20 minutes on/20 minutes off for as much as can be tolerated up to 48 hours). Do not use ice after 48 hours. Warm, moist compresses may be applied to reduce swelling after 48 hours. Pain pills, if provided or prescribed, should control your discomfort. The surgical area may appear white or yellow after a few days. This does not necessarily indicate infection.  If any unexpected developments cause you concern other than the above, please call the office for further instructions or a possible examination.

Other Instructions:

If your tooth was infected, or you had swelling prior to surgery, you may be asked to use warm, moist compresses following the surgery rather than ice. You may be asked not to drive or operate machinery if a strong narcotic pain medication has been prescribed.

 

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS REGARDING YOUR

POST-OPERATIVE CARE, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.