Your oral surgeon will provide you with specific post-surgical instructions to follow at home. By following your post-operative instructions carefully, you can minimize unnecessary pain, the complications of infection, and excessive swelling.
What to Expect After Surgery:
- Bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva
- Swelling
- Discoloration of skin
- Slight elevation of temperature for 24-48 hours
- Numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue
- Earache, tongue/teeth/jaw pain, sore throat
- Increase in discomfort for the first two to three days before gradual steady improvement
- Bad taste or smell
- Tightness of the muscles may cause difficulty in opening of the mouth
- Surgical area will look white or even yellowish during the healing process
- Dissolvable sutures will fall out on their own anywhere from three to 10 days
Bleeding
A nominal amount of bleeding from the surgical site or oozing is to be expected over the first 24 hours. Bite down firmly on a piece of gauze for 30 minutes to help a clot form. If active bleeding persists after one hour, place new gauze to obtain pressure over the surgical site for another 30-45 minutes. Repeat as necessary until bleeding stops. If bleeding continues, wrap a moistened black tea bag with gauze and bite on it for 30 minutes. Remove gauze while eating or sleeping.
Numbness
We administer a local anesthetic for all procedures, even if you’ve chosen to have general anesthesia. The numbness will wear off eventually, usually between six and 12 hours after your surgery. While your mouth is numb, be careful not to bite down on your tongue or cheek.
Swelling
Swelling is common in the first few days following surgery. Place an ice pack on the swollen area for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. After 24 hours, you may apply warm compresses to the skin over the swollen area for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off to help soothe tender areas and to help decrease swelling and stiffness. While resting, keep our head elevated on two or three pillows or sit in a recliner.
Pain
Pain management is crucial after your oral surgery. You should begin to take pain medication as directed—whether over-the-counter or prescribed—as soon as you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. If you wait until you are in a lot of pain, it will take longer for the pain reliever to work. After the first day of surgery, you will feel most uncomfortable and there is some degree of swelling and stiffness. From the third day on, you will have gradual and steady improvement.
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea can sometimes be caused by stronger pain medication, and it may be reduced by taking each pill with a small amount of soft food and then drinking a large amount of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids and minimize the pain medication, but call us if your nausea does not get better or if repeated vomiting is a concern.
Sharp Edges
If you feel something hard or sharp in the surgical areas, you are likely feeling the bony walls that once supported the extracted teeth. Occasionally, small slivers of bone may work themselves out during the following week or so. They are not pieces of teeth that have been left in. If they cause concern or discomfort, please call the office.
Diet
Depending on the type of oral surgery you’ve undergone, your diet may be affected. You may need to limit your diet to liquids and soft foods, and avoid hot, spicy, salty, citric, hard, or crunchy foods. Some suggestions include Jell-O, pudding, pasta, eggs, yogurt, soups, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, milkshakes and applesauce. DO NOT use a straw or spit for the first 24 hours. The oral surgeon will give you specific dietary restrictions prior to your surgery.
Brushing
On the first day after your surgery, do not brush or disturb the surgical area or the teeth surrounding the area, but use a warm saltwater rinse (one teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water) before bedtime. NO vigorous rinsing or spitting. Resume your normal oral hygiene routine the next day and start gently rinsing with warm saltwater or Peridex (if prescribed) for the next five days. Please make every effort to clean your teeth within the bounds of comfort.
Care
24 hours after surgery, avoid staying home alone, driving, operating machinery, consuming alcohol, or making important decisions.
NO physical activities or playing instruments for a week following the surgery.
NO smoking for at least one week; this is very detrimental to healing and may cause a dry socket.
Contact our office immediately if you experience any excessive bleeding, drainage from the surgical site, unusual redness, or pain.
In case of emergency, when our offices are closed, call 911 or go to the closest emergency room.
