Oral Surgery INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF A TOOTH
ACTIVITY
After leaving the office, relax as much as possible, and avoid excessive exertion of ANY KIND for the next two days.
DISCOMFORT
Some discomfort may be present when the anesthesia wears off. You can minimize this by taking the pain relievers as prescribed before the anesthetic wears off.
SWELLING
Mild TO Moderate swelling is to be expected. To minimize swelling following surgery, apply an ice bag wrapped in a towel to the outside of the face in the operated area 10 minutes on and then 10 minutes off for a minimum of 2 hours.
BLEEDING
Occasional blood stains in the saliva for the first few days after the operation are not unusual. If there is considerable bleeding beyond this, please apply pressure to the area by using gauze or wet tea bags with your thumb and index fingers for 15-20 minutes . If bleeding does not stop apply the pressure for a second time. If excessive bleeding continues please call the office. Remember most of the blood you may see in your mouth is actually a little bit of blood mixed with a lot of saliva.
EATING AND DRINKING
Attempt to eat nutritious soft foods for 3-4 days following your surgery. Solid foods may be eaten as long as this may be done so comfortably. AVOID spicy, salty, and excessively hot foods and liquids. Please refrain from drinking hard alcoholic beverages during the first 2-4 days following surgery.
ORAL HYGIENE
Brushing and oral hygiene should be carried out regularly in the non-operated areas. For the operated area use the Chlorhexidine antiseptic if it is prescribed for you twice a day.
SMOKING
Smoking should be STOPPED following surgery since the chemicals in cigarette smoke delay wound healing.
ANTIBIOTICS
If antibiotics are prescribed, take them as directed. If you experience any reactions (such as a rash, itching, vomiting etc.) discontinue the medication and contact our office.
If you follow all the above instructions you will have a comfortable and easy time following the extraction of your tooth
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth can cause significant damage to surrounding healthy teeth and gums. The flap of gum tissue that covers a partially submerged wisdom tooth also provides a great breeding ground for bacteria that can cause long-term gum problems around adjacent teeth. This type of gum infection can sometimes flare-up quickly and painfully without much advance warning.
A partially submerged wisdom tooth also frequently presses against the adjacent molar in front of it; this can cause a cavity in the healthy tooth. This can occur without symptoms!
These are some reasons why patients inevitably remove their wisdom teeth. Don't wait for the damage to occur or for emergency pain before you seek treatment.
We perform these surgeries in our office and can remove one, two, three or all four of your wisdom teeth in one visit.
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