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Extractions Post Op InstructionsFor Emergencies -- Call (541) 779-6170
What you should do following extractions and other oral surgery
procedures.
A certain amount of bleeding, pain, and swelling is normal.
Reduce your activity as much as possible for several hours.
Avoid spitting, rinsing and drinking through a straw for 24
hours. Do not rinse your mouth or brush your teeth for 24 hours.
These activities may hinder formation of a blood clot, which is
necessary for proper healing.
Do not be alarmed if your vision is blurred for a time following
anesthesia or if a "black and blue" bruise should appear at the
site of an injection. The arm also may be bruised, swollen and
tender to touch due to the IV.
Please follow the simple instructions below to minimize
complications and help ensure prompt recovery.
Our doctors and staff will make sure that all active bleeding is
controlled before you are discharged. If bleeding should develop
soon after you leave our office keep a steady pressure on the
bleeding area by biting firmly on a gauze roll placed directly
over the bleeding site for at least 30 minutes. Pressure helps
reduce bleeding and permits formation of a clot in the tooth
socket
Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not
uncommon. Excessive bleeding may be controlled by first rinsing
or wiping any old clots from your mouth, then placing a gauze
pad over the area and biting firmly for thirty minutes. Repeat
if necessary. If bleeding continues, bite on a moistened tea bag
for thirty minutes. The tannic acid in the tea bag helps to form
a clot by contracting bleeding vessels. To minimize further
bleeding, do not become excited, sit upright, and avoid
exercise. If bleeding does not subside, call for further
instructions.
For moderate pain, one or two tablets of Tylenol or Extra
Strength Tylenol may be taken every three to four hours or
Ibuprofen, (Motrin or Advil) 200 mg tablets may be taken every
3-4 hours. Be sure to take pain medication on a full stomach to
avoid an upset stomach.
For severe pain take the tablets prescribed for pain as
directed. The prescribed pain medicine will make you groggy and
will slow down your reflexes. Do not drive an automobile or work
around machinery. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Pain or discomfort
following surgery should subside more and more every day. If
pain persists, it may require attention and you should call the
office.
The swelling that is normally expected is usually proportional
to the surgery involved. Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes
and sides of the face is not uncommon. This is the body's normal
reaction to surgery and eventual repair. The swelling will not
become apparent until the day following surgery and will not
reach its maximum until 2-3 days post-operatively. However, the
swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs. Two
baggies filled with ice, or ice packs should be applied to the
sides of the face where surgery was performed. The ice packs
should be left on continuously while you are awake. After 48
hours of ice, moist heat should be applied to area until all
swelling is gone.. If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted
for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal
reaction to surgery. Thirty-six hours following surgery the
application of moist heat to the sides of the face is beneficial
in reducing the size of the swelling.
Twenty-four hours after surgery, rinse mouth gently with a
solution of one-half teaspoonful of salt dissolved in a glass of
water. Repeat after every meal or snack for seven days. Rinsing
is important because it removes food particles and debris from
the socket area and thus helps prevent infection and promote
healing. Also 24 hours after your surgery you can resume your
regular tooth brushing, but avoid disturbing the surgical site
so as not to loosen or remove the blood clot. Keep your mouth
very clean.
In some cases, discoloration of the skin follows swelling. The
development of black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration is
due to blood spreading beneath the tissues. This is a normal
post-operative occurrence, which may occur 2-3 days
post-operatively. Moist heat applied to the area may speed up
the removal of the discoloration.
If you have been placed on antibiotics take the tablets or
liquid as directed. Antibiotics will be given to help prevent
infection. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash or
other unfavorable reaction. Call the office if you have any
questions. Women please note: Some antibiotics may interfere
with the effectiveness of your birth control pills. Please check
with your pharmacist.
In the event of nausea and/or vomiting following surgery, do not
take anything by mouth for at least an hour including the
prescribed medicine. You should then sip on coke, tea or ginger
ale. You should sip slowly over a fifteen-minute period. When
the nausea subsides you can begin taking solid foods and the
prescribed medicine. If you still continue to experience the
nausea and vomiting call our office at once.
After general anesthetic or I.V. sedation, soft to liqid diet
should be taken at first (Avoid milk and ice cream for the first
12-18 hours). Do not use straws. Drink from a glass. The sucking
motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot. You
may eat anything soft by chewing away form the surgical sites.
High calorie, high protein intake is very important. Nourishment
should be taken regularly. You should prevent dehydration by
taking fluids regularly. Your food intake will be limited for
the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing
your fluid intake. At least 5-6 glasses of liquid should be
taken daily. Try not to miss a single meal. You will feel
better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if
you continue to eat. Add solid foods to your diet as soon as
they are comfortable to chew.
Caution: If you suddenly sit up or stand from a lying position
you may become dizzy. Therefore, immediately following surgery,
if you are lying down, make sure you sit for one minute before
standing.
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.
Slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is
not uncommon. If the temperature persists, notify the office.
Tylenol or ibuprofen should be taken to reduce the fever.
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 projections in the mouth
with their tongue. They are not roots; they are the bony walls,
which supported the tooth. These projections usually smooth out
spontaneously. If not, they can be removed.
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.
Stiffness of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening
your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is normal
post-operative event, which will resolve in time.
Sutures are placed the area of surgery to minimize
post-operative bleeding and to help healing. Sometimes they
become dislodged, this is no cause for alarm. Just remove the
suture form your mouth and discard it. The sutures will be
removed approximately one week after surgery.
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.
There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed. The cavity
will gradually over the next month fill in with the new tissue.
In the mean time, the area should be kept clean especially after
meals with salt-water rinses.
Brushing your teeth is okay just being gentle at the surgical
sites.
A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely
from the tooth socket. Symptoms of pain at the surgical site and
even pain to the ear may occur 2-3 days following surgery. Call
the office if this occurs.
If you are involved in regular exercise be aware that your
normal nourishment intake is reduced, exercise may weaken you.
If you get light headed stop exercising.
It is often advisable to return for a postoperative visit to
make certain healing is progressing satisfactorily. A follow-up
visit will be scheduled. In the meantime, maintain a healthful
diet, observe rules for proper oral hygiene and call our office
if you feel something is not going right.
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Extractions
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