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 Surgery After
Care
After-hours Telephone Care: 242-5777
POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS & HOME CARE FOLLOWING
SURGERY
Bleeding
It is normal for the saliva to be streaked with blood for a day
or more following oral surgery, if frank bleeding is present, fold
gauze into a firm wad and place it directly on the bleeding area.
Maintain firm pressure by biting for 20 minutes. Some bleeding or
oozing up to 24 hrs after oral surgery is common. However, you can
minimize this by:
(1) Keeping your head elevated, using several pillows when
asleep.
(2) Firmly biting on moist gauze for at least one hour after
surgery or until mast oozing stops.
(3) Limiting physical activity for the first day after surgery.
(4) For persistent minor bleeding (over 6hours) biting on a tea bag
will help. Gauze may be substituted by a tea bag and the tannic
acid in tea has a clotting effect.
Swelling
Some swelling occurs after most oral surgery and especially
after wisdom teeth surgery. The amount of swelling is variable and
reaches its maximum in about 48 hours and diminishes. A small
amount of residual swelling may persist a week or more after
surgery. However, if swelling increases after that or is
accompanied by drainage, please contact us for examination.
You can minimize swelling by:
(1) Keeping your head elevated, especially when sleeping.
(2) Using ice or cold packs on the face adjacent to the surgery
site during the first 12 hours after surgery (alternating 20
minutes on-20 minutes off). After that cold will not be
helpful.
Pain
Post-operative soreness or pain is normal after oral surgery. In
most instances it reaches a peak within the first 24 hours after
surgery, then diminishes. Normally you will be given either a
prescription for pain medication or specific recommendations for
non-prescription drug use.
Please follow those instructions and if the discomfort is not
adequately controlled, then please contact us immediately.
Diet
After initial bleeding stops, it is important to maintain good
nutrition following surgery. Eat a lukewarm soft diet on the day of
surgery. For example, it is best to ingest clear fluids such as
apple juice, or broth the first day after surgery. Thereafter, a
regular diet is satisfactory, provided you do not chew food on the
surgical site until healing is complete.
Drink plenty of fluids for 3 days after the surgery. If you find
eat difficult to eat food during the first day after surgery, then
a meal replacement shake can be substituted from your local
pharmacy.
Oral hygiene/ Mouth
Care
No rinsing, smoking or alcohol for 24 hours following surgery.
Your surgical site must be kept clean in order to promote rapid
healing and avoid infection. Starting 24 hours after surgery, rinse
your mouth after every meal with lukewarm water containing 1
teaspoon of salt per 8 ounces water. Do not brush your teeth for
the first 8 hours after surgery. After 8 hours, you may brush your
teeth gently, but avoid the area of surgery.
Infection
If swelling and discomfort worsen after 48 hours along with a
foul taste, fever and difficulty in swallowing the possibility of
infection (dry socket) exists and it would be appropriate to
contact our office for examination.
Avoid Smoking, spitting, or drinking through a straw for at
least 24 hours after surgery as these habits interfere with
healing.
The following conditions may
occur after removal of wisdom teeth:
Pain with swelling and earaches, difficulty opening your mouth
widely,numbness of your lip or tongue, minor realignment of
adjacent teeth, soreness of the corners of the mouth,bruising of
your face, neck and chin. Please contact us should you have any
concerns not already addressed herein. | 