Surgical Preparation and Aftercare

Before Your Procedure

NOTHING to eat or drink for 8 hours before your appointment.
You must be accompanied by an adult who can drive you home. This person must remain in the office during your procedure.
Wear a short-sleeved, open-neck shirt.
Do not wear eye makeup.
Do not wear contact lenses.
Notify the office of any new medications you are taking or any change in your health.
If you are unable to keep your appointment, contact us 24 hours prior to your procedure.

The Day of Surgery

Often, the after-effects of oral surgery are quite minimal, so not all of the instructions may apply. Common sense will often dictate what you should do. However, when in doubt follow these guidelines or call our office at 770-297-7888 for clarification.

Use gauze packs.

Bite down gently but firmly on the gauze packs that have been placed over the surgical areas, making sure they remain in place. The packs may be gently removed after 30-45 minutes. The gauze may then be changed as necessary, typically every 30 to 45 minutes. It is best to moisten the gauze with tap water and loosely fluff for more comfortable positioning.

Do not disturb the surgical area.

Do NOT rinse vigorously or probe the area with any objects. You may brush your teeth gently, however, do not brush directly over the surgical sites. PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE for at least 48 hours, preferably 3-4 days, since this is very detrimental to healing and may cause delayed healing and prolonged pain.

Adjust your diet accordingly.

Eat any nourishing food that can be taken with comfort. Avoid extremely hot foods. Do not use a straw for the first few days after surgery. It is sometimes advisable, but not required, to confine the first day’s intake to liquids or pureed foods (soups, puddings, yogurt, milkshakes, etc.) It is best to avoid foods like nuts, sunflower seeds, popcorn, etc., which may get lodged in the surgical sites. Over the next several days you may gradually progress to solid foods. It is important not to skip meals! If you take nourishment regularly, you will feel better, gain strength, have less discomfort and heal faster. If you are a diabetic, maintain your normal eating habits or follow instructions given by your doctor.

Potential After-Effects

OOZING

Intermittent bleeding or oozing overnight is normal. Bleeding may be controlled by placing fresh gauze over the areas and biting on the gauze for 30-45 minutes at a time. Sutures (stitches) may have been placed at the surgical site(s) to help reduce bleeding. If your sutures come out earlier than expected, this should not cause a problem provided there is not severe bleeding.

PERSISTENT BLEEDING

Bleeding should never be severe. If so, it usually means that the packs are being clenched between the teeth only and are not exerting pressure on the surgical areas. Try repositioning the packs. If bleeding persists or becomes heavy you may bite on a tea bag (soaked in very hot water, squeezed damp-dry and wrapped in a moist gauze) for 20 or 30 minutes. If bleeding remains uncontrolled, please call our office.

SWELLING

Swelling is often associated with oral surgery. It can be minimized by using a cold pack, ice bag or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel and applied firmly to the cheek adjacent to the surgical area. This should be applied twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off during the first 24 hours after surgery. If you have been prescribed medicine for the control of swelling, be sure to take it as directed. The swelling usually peaks between 24 and 48 hours after surgery.

PAIN

Unfortunately most oral surgery is accompanied by some degree of discomfort. You will usually have a prescription for pain medication. If you take the first pill before the anesthetic has worn off, you should be able to manage any discomfort better. The effects of pain medications vary widely among individuals. If you do not achieve adequate relief at first, you may supplement each pain pill with an analgesic such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Remember that the most severe pain is usually within six hours after the local anesthetic wears off; after that your need for medicine should lessen.

NAUSEA

Nausea is not uncommon after surgery. Often, pain medications are the cause. Nausea can be reduced by preceding each pain pill with a small amount of soft food, and taking the pill with a large volume of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids and minimize dosing of pain medications, but call us if you do not feel better. Classic Coca Cola may help with nausea.

2-3 Days After Surgery

We hope your recovery is as smooth and pleasant as possible. Following these instructions will assist you, but if you have questions about your progress, please call our office. A 24-hour answering service is available to contact Dr. Moore if necessary.

Mouth Rinses

Keeping your mouth clean after surgery is essential. Use 1/4 teaspoon of salt dissolved in an 8-ounce glass of warm water and gently rinse with portions of the solution, taking five minutes to use the entire glassful. Repeat as often as you like, but at least two or three times daily. Do not begin rinsing until the day after your procedure.

Brushing

Begin your normal oral hygiene routine as soon as possible after surgery. Soreness and swelling may not permit vigorous brushing, but please make every effort to clean your teeth within the bounds of comfort. Again, avoid direct brushing of the surgical sites.

Hot Applications

You may apply warm compresses to the skin over the areas of swelling (hot water bottle, hot moist towels, heating pad) for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off to help soothe tender areas. This will also help decrease swelling and stiffness. Begin this the day after surgery.

Healing

Normal healing should be as follows: The first two days after surgery are generally the most uncomfortable and there is usually some swelling. On the third day you should be more comfortable and, although still swollen, can usually begin a more substantial diet. The remainder of the post-operative course should be a gradual, steady improvement.