After-Care Instructions
The mouth is an extremely sensitive part of the body, and dental treatment of any kind requires taking extra care of the area of operation. Whether you have had a routine procedure or something more complex like a tooth extraction or periodontal surgery, there are several important steps you can take to maximize the results of your procedure, prevent infection, and ease any discomfort you might experience.
Below are post-operative instructions from the dentists at Madison Family Dental. If you have any additional questions about your procedure, or if you are experiencing abnormal bleeding, swelling, severe pain, or any reaction to medications, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Post Operative Care > Crowns
Upon leaving after the first visit, you will have a temporary dental crown on your tooth. A few precautions should be taken:
Avoid sticky or chewy foods (e.g. chewing gum and caramels), which have the potential of grabbing and pulling at the crown.
Shift the bulk of your chewing to the opposite side of your mouth.
Avoid chewing hard foods (e.g. raw vegetables), which can dislodge or break the crown.
When cleaning your teeth, slide flossing material out, rather that lifting it out. Lifting the floss out could pull off the temporary crown.
Post Operative Care > Root Canal
Until your root canal procedure is completely finished and the permanent filling or crown is in place, it’s wise to minimize chewing on the tooth under repair.
Upon completion of treatment, the tooth may feel sensitive for a few days due to natural tissue inflammation. This can usually be controlled with over-the-counter analgesics such as ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (e.g. Aleve)
Most patients can return to their normal activities the next day.
Pediatric PostOperative Care > Extraction
You can expect that your child will leave the office biting on gauze. They should remain biting on it for 30-45 minutes, or as directed by the dentist.
You can expect your child to be numb and you should watch them closely. Kids can do a lot of damage by chewing on a numb lip, cheek, or tongue and not realize it until the anesthetic wears off.
Keep activities low-key for the first 24 hours. No running or jumping, and they should sit out of gym class as well. Reading, computer, homework, and television are some ideas for quiet activities.
It is often best to give them Ibuprofen or Tylenol, whatever you would normally give them for a fever or headache, before the anesthetic wears off. This may be all the pain medicine that they need.
No spitting or using a straw for the first 24 hours.
Try to eat soft foods for the first couple of days. Avoid hard, crunchy things and very hot things, like soups. Yogurt, eggs, ice cream, mashed potatoes and applesauce are some good examples of things to eat during the first 24 hours.
Brushing is ok, just be gentle in that area.
You can expect the extraction site to ooze for the first few days and the saliva will likely be pink. This is normal.
Pediatric Post Operative Care > Filling
You can expect your child to be numb and you should watch them closely. Kids can do a lot of damage by chewing on a numb lip, cheek or tongue and not realize it until the anesthetic wears off.
They should avoid eating anything sticky or hard during the first 24 hours, and you may notice some temperature sensitivity for a little while. That should gradually improve.
Post Operative Care > Tooth Removal
Following post-op instructions is an important part of a successful recovery. The following things can help your recovery go as smoothly as possible:
Bite firmly on the gauze packs your dentist placed over the extraction site for one hour. If bleeding persists following this time period, place a new piece of gauze (folded into a tight roll) over the surgical site and bite firmly. Small amounts of bleeding may be present for 24 hours after an extraction.
After a blood clot forms it is important not to disturb it during healing. To prevent dislodging the clot, avoid aggressive rinsing, drinking through straws, smoking, drinking alcohol, or brushing the area. It is also important to limit vigorous exercise for 24 hours following tooth removal.
Pain and swelling are possible following tooth removal. Over-the-counter pain medications are generally adequate for simple, single tooth extractions. For multiple extractions or surgical removal of teeth, take any medication prescribed by your dentist as directed. Some swelling may also occur - ice bags can be applied to the side of the face for the first 12 to 24 hours (20 minutes on and 10 minutes off). Swelling will typically subside in 48 to 72 hours.
After an extraction your diet should consist of plenty of fluids and soft, cool foods. It is important to avoid foods with seeds or nuts that can become lodged in the extraction site.
Keeping your mouth clean after having a tooth removed is an important part of healing. Twenty-four hours after the surgery, continue your normal dental routine (brushing and flossing), but avoid brushing the extraction site directly.
Contact Your Dentist
If any of the following things develop contact your dentist:
-A fever
-Severe swelling after the third post-op day
-Prolonged, severe pain or increased pain after the third post-op day
-Bright red bleeding you cannot control
-Prolonged numbness the day after the extraction
Follow-up Care > Dentures
Cleaning your dentures every day is one of the most important things you can do to help your smile keep its attractive appearance. If you don’t, plaque can form on dentures, making them less bright. Failing to clean your dentures regularly can result in staining and denture odor as well.
To clean your denture, apply a denture cleansing paste to a denture brush or soft bristled toothbrush. Brush all surfaces thoroughly. While you sleep at night, soak your dentures in a cleanser (e.g. Fixodent). Brush your gums, tongue and palate with a toothbrush to remove plaque and stimulate circulation.
Post Operative Care > Dental Veneers
Following the preparation for veneers, it will take two to three weeks for the dentist to receive the veneers back from the lab. Occasionally temporary dental veneers can be placed until the permanent veneers are back. Dental veneers do not require any special care once placed. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices including brushing and flossing.
Post Operative Care > Dental Bonding
Following the bonding procedure, avoid excessive biting pressure on the teeth. Avoid chewing on ice, pencils, and hard objects. Continue to brush and floss regularly.
Periodontal Pre Operative Care > Periodontal Surgery
Prior to surgery day:
-If the procedure was to be preauthorized and you haven’t received any information after four to six weeks from us or the insurance company, please call our business office at (608) 274-5970.
-If there is partial insurance coverage or no coverage, please be prepared to make payment the day of the surgery.
-If you need to cancel, please do so seven days in advance.
-We have a CD headset, so feel free to bring a CD to listen to during surgery.
Day of surgery:
-Please eat as you normally would. You will not be put to sleep. We use a local anesthetic. If you will be using nitrous, a gas to help you relax, in conjunction with the anesthetic, eat at least one to two hours before the procedure. Do not over-eat.
-Wear comfortable clothing. We will be taking your blood pressure, so please wear a shirt that gives easy access to your arm.
-Be prepared to update us of any medication or medical changes that have occurred. Herbal remedies should even be considered. If you are pregnant, please contact us so we can plan accordingly.
-If a bone graft was mentioned as a possibility, be prepared to decide which type you wish to use. There is a freeze dried human donated material or a synthetic man-made material. We have information on both. You may have already received pamphlets. The differences between the two types can be discussed on the day of the procedure.
-Be prepared to take the rest of the day off after the procedure. We recommend light or no physical activities for the day of the surgery. You should be able to return to work the next day, and use your best judgment on physical activities.
After Surgery:
-We will see you about one week after the procedure to remove any remaining sutures and check on how well the tissue is healing.
-There will be no charge for follow-up visits for up to three months, so we may continue checking on the healing process. After the three months there will be a re-check fee.
Periodontal Post Operative Care > Periodontal Surgery
The operation which has been performed on your gums will help you keep your teeth. Please read these instructions carefully; our patients find them helpful.
-When the anesthetic wears off, you may have slight discomfort. Before the anesthetic wears off, it is advisable for you to take a mild analgesic, like Tylenol or ibuprofen, for discomfort.
-Follow a soft dietary regimen for the first week post-surgery. Sticky, harsh, hard, brittle, crumbly, spicy, or highly-seasoned foods should be avoided. The diet should be nutritive and bland. It is advisable to do most of your chewing in an area of the mouth that did not have surgery. The surgical area may be covered with a pink dressing. If it falls out, just throw it away. We will remove whatever is left when you come back in a week.
-Oral hygiene measures should be maintained in the non-operated areas of your mouth. Do not try to use a toothbrush or floss in the area where the surgery was performed.
-Starting the night of your surgery, you may rinse. Slight bleeding or oozing is not unusual and will correct itself. If bleeding is persistent, please call the office. Do not try to stop the bleeding by rinsing. Bleeding may be controlled by taking a piece of damp gauze, holding it in the thumb and index finger, and applying firm pressure to both sides of the area. Hold it in place with pressure for twenty minutes.
-Immediately following the procedure, apply ice wrapped in a towel on the outside of the face over the affected area. Use fifteen minutes on and fifteen minutes off to help prevent development of excessive swelling and discomfort. This should be continued for a minimum of two hours.
-No smoking or drinking through a straw, please. Smoking both delays healing and, like drinking through a straw, creates suction which promotes bleeding. The longer you refrain from smoking post-surgery, the better for the healing response.
-Relax - healing after periodontal surgery is usually uneventful.
-Please call the office with any questions or concerns. We are here to help you.
Periodontal Post Operative Care > Soft Tissue Grafts
-The donor site, or palate where the graft was taken, may be uncomfortable, but will heal over time. We have placed a perio packing over the wound to help protect it. This packing may fall off later on the day of the surgery or several days after. Do not be concerned about this. If the donor site is sore after the packing has come off, use the topical we gave you to help with any discomfort you may have.
-The graft site will also have a packing to help protect the graft and remind you to stay away from the area. We would like this packing to stay in place until you come in for the post-op. If it falls out before Friday, call our office in case we want to replace it.
-Try to be gentle in the graft area when washing your face or shaving. Please check with us first before playing sports or wind instruments.
-If the graft was placed in the front area of your mouth, do not bite into foods. Use a fork and knife and cut your food up into reasonably-sized pieces. Smaller bites will make it easier to chew.
-Unless a prescription rinse is advised, you may use a warm salt water rinse - one teaspoon table salt added to eight ounces of warm water. Rinsing should be done gently so as not to dislodge the packing.
-Most importantly, leave the graft area alone. Do not pull at the lip or cheek to check the graft, this may disrupt the blood supply and interfere with the graft taking.
Some of the sutures (stitches) we used are dissolvable and you may notice some coming undone. Do not worry about this.
