If bleeding is excessive, call the office immediately. DO NOT DISTURB THE BLOOD CLOT – Its grayish or yellowish appearance and slight odor do not indicate an infected condition. Keep fingers, toothpicks, or other matter that may cause infection out of the mouth.

Keep your tongue away from the surgical area. Do not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or drink through a straw for 48 hours. These activities create suction in the mouth which could dislodge the clot and delay healing.

Forceful spitting and excessive physical activity tend to increase and prolong bleeding as does bending over to pick up objects. A semi-reclining position and rest for the first few hours is recommended.

Limit strenuous activity for at least 24 hours after the extraction. This will reduce bleeding and help the blood clot to form. Avoid vigorous exercise for the first days. Contact sports should be avoided until healing is complete to avoid the possibility of jaw fracture.

MOUTH RINSING – Vigorous mouth rinsing may stimulate bleeding by breaking clots which have formed. Therefore, do not rinse the mouth for 24 hours following extractions. The exception to this would be the patient on anticoagulants who is prescribed tranexamic acid, as discussed below.

After 24 hours, you may gently rinse the mouth with a warm salt water solution ½ teaspoon salt in an 8 ounce glass of warm water times a day for several days. If bleeding continues, stop all mouth rinsing and follow instructions in paragraph 3 above regarding bleeding.

Do not rinse with commercial mouthwashes. After 24 hours you may gently brush the teeth. Discontinue the antibiotics immediately if a rash, hives, itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing occurs.

This may be the sign of a serious allergic reaction. The patient who experiences difficulty breathing or swelling and constriction of the throat, mouth and face area should call or their local emergency medical service, as serious allergic reactions can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Notify the office so that a different antibiotic can be prescribed. Any infection should be taken seriously and reported to the office. DIET – It is important to maintain a good diet.

A liquid to soft diet is advisable for the first few days. It is very important to drink plenty of fluids glasses per day. Avoid drinking very hot liquids as these may cause resorbable sutures to break down too quickly.

Nutritional intake is very important during the healing stages following surgery. Now is not a good time to go on a diet. You should supplement your vitamin and mineral intake with a supplement such as Centrum, which is available both in tablet form as well as liquid form.

Calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and manganese are important for proper bone healing and can be obtained in a single product form such as Caltrate Plus. A complete nutritional supplement such as Ensure can be taken to insure complete nutrition.

Be very careful with anesthetized areas so you do not bite your lip, cheek, or tongue. Do not chew anything until after the numbness wears off. However, you can begin liquids right away provided that they are not too hot.

Hard, crunchy foods should be avoided until healing is complete to avoid the possibility of jaw fracture. POST-OPERATIVE OFFICE CARE – Most patients are seen approximately one week after surgery for evaluation and suture removal.

If you have any doubts concerning your progress and recovery, please feel free to call the office. There may be a slight elevation in your temperature for hours. If this continues, or if any other unusual events such as persistent weakness, lethargy, or malaise occur, please notify the office immediately.

You may be seen sooner than one week if you so desire. If pain or swelling occurs after the surgical site has apparently healed, return for an examination. When this type of condition occurs, it usually happens on the third or fourth day after surgery. It may be indicative of a condition called “alveolar osteitis” dry socket and is generally treated by placing a medication into the tooth socket with almost immediate relief.

NAUSEA – If you experience any nausea with your pain medicine, try taking it with milk, yogurt, ice cream or a milkshake.

In rare cases, an anti-nausea drug may be prescribed. In very rare cases when nausea is so severe that the patient cannot keep oral medications down, anti-nausea medication can be administered in suppository form.

While significant post-operative nausea is uncommon, it is more common in women and in patients with a history of motion sickness and migraine headaches.

EXCESSIVE PAIN – If you still experience pain after taking your prescription pain medication, you may add ibuprofen such as Advil or Nuprin or acetaminophen such as Tylenol. The maximum adult daily dose of ibuprofen is mg three times a day for a total of mg per day.

The maximum adult daily dose of acetaminophen is mg four times a day for a total of mg per day. Keep in mind that many prescription pain medications for example, Vicodin and Percocet contain acetaminophen and some for example, Vicoprofen contain ibuprofen.

If your pharmacist fills your prescription with a generic drug, note that the letters “APAP” on the label means that this product contains acetaminophen. Maximum daily doses include all sources of a drug added together. Acetaminophen taken in excess can cause liver failure and death, especially if combined with alcohol.

Please be careful not to exceed the maximum daily dose. Although this has never been proven, alternative nonhormonal forms of birth control should be used after checking with your physician and should be continued for one full week after antibiotics are completed.

You should also continue to take your oral contraceptives according to their directions while you are using antibiotics. Keep your fingers and tongue away from the socket or surgical area. Use ice packs on the surgical area side of face for the first 48 hours; apply ice 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off.

Note: Bags of frozen peas work well. For mild discomfort, take Tylenol ® or ibuprofen every 3—4 hours. For severe pain, use the medication prescribed to you. Drink plenty of fluids. Do not use a straw—this creates suction in the mouth that could cause complications.

We suggest that you do not smoke for at least 5 days after surgery. Avoid strenuous activity and do not exercise for at least 3—4 days after surgery. Schedule an appointment today.

Avoid smoking, vaping, or using a straw for at least 24 hours following surgery. The suction created can cause your wound to reopen and lead to infection. Gently rinse your mouth with a solution of one cup of warm water mixed with a half teaspoon of salt every 12 hours.

Use extra pillows to keep your head elevated when you sleep. You should avoid lying flat for a few days to help speed up healing. Continue proper oral care by brushing and flossing your teeth.

However, you should avoid the area where you had oral surgery. Do not drink carbonated beverages or alcohol for at least three days following surgery. Carbonation can irritate the wound. The numbing effects of alcohol could cause you to rip open the wound accidentally.

You can use an ice pack to help with swelling. Apply an ice pack externally to your teeth and jaw where it is swollen. Use it in half-hour intervals the rest of the day after your oral surgery.

Make sure to remove the ice pack for at least 15 minutes between applications. Notify your dental office if you have any issues. For example, if the bleeding continues or you run a fever for more than 24 hours, call your dentist.

Do not miss any of your follow-up appointments. The purpose of these appointments is to ensure healing is progressing correctly. Even though you may be craving a cheeseburger or pizza, it is best to stick to soft foods for the first week.

Some of the best soft foods to eat after oral surgery include:.

The kit can be used for all dental surgical procedures such as bone and tissue grafting, extractions, dental implants and more. It is professional strength and Face Ice Pack for Wisdom Teeth, Jaw, and Chin – Hot & Cold Gel Pack for TMJ Pain Relief, Tooth Pain, Headaches, Oral and Facial Surgery, Dental Implants Effective Relief Pain: Ice pack for face is suitable for TMJ, wisdom teeth extraction, oral surgery, TMD, Headache,cosmetic injections, laser treatments

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