Post-operative surgical instructions

Post-Operative Surgical Instructions
We are committed to providing the same quality of care following procedures that began during your initial visit. To that end, please refer to some general postoperative guidelines below, and by all means, CALL at any hour of any day to report any continuing problem. THE DAY OF SURGERY
1. Some degree of discomfort and pain arises as numbness subsides. At the first
sign of pain or discomfort, take the Motrin 800 mg as prescribed or take 2-4
Advil. If you cannot take aspirin products, then take two Tylenol. Repeat every 6-
8 hours as necessary. If the Advil isn’t strong enough for the pain you are having,
you may take the prescribed severe pain medicine, but only in small doses and
only after eating some food. Any pain medications can cause nausea and
vomiting. It is very important that you have some food in your stomach before
you take them.
TO REPEAT, take Motrin 800 mg as prescribed or 2-4 Advil as the numbness
wears off. Do not take the prescribed severe pain medicine unless absolutely
necessary.
2. DO NOT DISTURB THE AREA OF SURGERY. The first stages of healing are
aided by placing tissues at rest. Avoid vigorous chewing, excessive spitting, or
rinsing as initial healing may be delayed, active bleeding restarted, or infection
introduced.
3. Expect minor bleeding or OOZING from the operative site. This bleeding may
continue throughout the first day. For the first hour, keep firm pressure on the
area of surgery by biting on the gauze sponge placed in your mouth at the office.
If bleeding persists, continue pressure on a fresh sponge for an additional 30
minutes to an hour. Biting on a moist tea bag wrapped in gauze may help control
persistent oozing from the surgical site. Tea has an ingredient that promotes
blood clotting.
If active bleeding should recur at any time, carefully rinse your mouth with cold
water and apply a fresh gauze sponge to the bleeding site. Firm pressure for 15-
30 minutes usually controls the problem. Should active bleeding persist, please
call the office.
4. LIMIT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY during the first 24-48 hours after surgery. Over
exertion may lead to postoperative bleeding and discomfort. When you lie down,
keep your head elevated on a pillow.
5. PAIN FOLLOWING ORAL SURGERY will be most severe within the first 6-8
hours after the operation. To limit the amount of pain, you should take Motrin 800
mg or Advil before the numbness wears off. If you have to take the prescribed
severe pain medication, remember to have some food intake prior to that and to
start slowly. Please do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking prescription
pain medication. Do not wait for the pain to become unbearable before using
some form of pain medication, as then it will be more difficult to control. Moderate
to severe pain usually does not last longer than 24-48 hours, and there should be
no more than the slight pain or discomfort after the third day. Persistent or
increasing pain 3-4 days following oral surgery may be caused by early loss of
the blood clot (dry socket) or infection. If you feel that this may be happening to
you, please contact us so that we can help make you more comfortable.
6. SWELLING RELATED TO THE SURGICAL PROCEDURE usually develops
during the first 12-24 hours following surgery, often increasing on the second
day. It should begin to subside by the third day. Swelling can be minimized a
great deal by wearing an ice pack on the side of your face for 30-45 minutes
every hour while you are awake during the first 24 hours following the surgery,
unless you receive special instructions. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as
Motrin or Advil, also help decrease swelling.
7. FLUID INTAKE IS IMPORTANT. I suggest you start with clear carbonated
beverages, such as ginger ale, Seven-Up, or Sprite. Once your stomach has
settled, you can advance to other fluids such as water, teas, soda, broth, soups,
or juices. I suggest avoiding dairy products initially, such as milk, milk shakes,
and egg nogs. Also avoid hot liquids until the numbness has worn off, and the
bleeding has stopped. It is important to drink all the fluids you desire and to drink
plenty of fluids.
8. AVOID USING A STRAW FOR SEVERAL DAYS as it may cause the blood
clot to dislodge and delay healing.
9. FOOD SELECTION is largely a matter of your choice. Soft, cool foods that
require little or no chewing are most easily tolerated at this time. A nutritious diet
throughout your healing process is most important to your comfort and
temperament. Hungry people become irritable and less able to deal with
discomfort which can follow surgery. Since you will be taking medication, it is
important to remember that eating can prevent nausea sometimes associated
with certain medications. Once your stomach is settled, soups, broiled fish,
stewed chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and cooked
vegetables can be added to your diet as your comfort indicates. Ensure,
Carnation Instant Breakfast and/or yogurt supply excellent added nutrition.
10. Take any special medication such as ANTIBIOTICS we have prescribed on
the specified dosing schedule. Yogurt with active cultures or acidophilus should
be taken while on antibiotics to prevent diarrhea. It is important to take the
antibiotics to completion. If you are given antibiotics and take birth control pills,
you should be aware that the birth control pill may become ineffective, therefore
take appropriate precautions.
11. Take any regularly scheduled medication (for diabetes, high blood pressure,
etc.) on your regular schedule unless advised to do otherwise.
12. TRY TO AVOID SMOKING COMPLETELY, as it tends to slow the healing
process and may also contribute to development of a dry socket.
13. IF YOU WERE INFORMED THAT A SINUS COMMUNICATION
OCCURRED DURING SURGERY, as a result of the close relationship between
the roots of your upper teeth and your sinuses, or if you have had some surgery
that involved work near your sinuses or in your sinuses, please follow these
instructions:
 DO NOT blow your nose.  DO NOT sneeze through your nose. If the urge to sneeze arises, sneeze  DO NOT smoke or use a straw.  AVOID swimming and strenuous exercise for at least one week.  It is not uncommon to have a slight amount of bleeding from the nose for  Please remember that occasionally a second procedure may be required if there is a persistent sinus communication.
THE DAY FOLLOWING SURGERY AND THEREAFTER
1. On the morning of the day following surgery, rinse your mouth carefully with
the solution made by adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a large glass of warm water.
Repeat three times a day until remaining soreness subsides. Resume brushing
any remaining teeth and your regular oral hygiene as soon as possible. Do not
avoid brushing the area as this will cause more inflammation in the area. Please
do not use a syringe or Water Pik® to aggressively rinse during the first week.
This can dislodge the blood clot.
2. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT STITCHES. Stitches (also known as sutures) are
usually placed to control bleeding, aid healing and help prevent food from
collecting in the surgical site - - especially for lower teeth. The sutures we use
dissolve in 3 to 5 days and DO NOT HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
3. ANY SWELLING, SORENESS, OR STIFFNESS IN THE JAW MUSCLES can
be relieved by applying a warm moist towel to the affected side of the face
several times a day. Moist heat should be used after the first 24 hours. If
swelling, tenderness, or pain should increase after the first few days, call the
office.
4. Sometimes a soft diet may be necessary for the first few days following
surgery. Most patients are able to resume regular food intake within a short time.
5. Bruising marks may appear on the skin of the face during the first few days
after surgery. Moist heat application will help relieve this condition once again.
WHAT ARE DRY SOCKETS? Dry sockets continue to be the most common
problem people experience following dental surgery. They arise due to premature
loss of a blood clot in the empty tooth socket and affect approximately one out of
five patients. This seems to occur with greater frequency in people who smoke or
are taking birth control pills. While both jaws can be affected, they usually occur
in the lower jaw on the third to fifth day. They cause a deep, dull, continuous
aching on the affected side(s). Patients may first notice the pain starting in the
ear radiating down towards the chin. It frequently begins in the middle of the
night, and the Motrin medication usually doesn’t help. Treatment involves placing
a medicated dressing in the "empty" tooth socket. This will help decrease the
pain and protect the socket from food particles. The effectiveness in alleviating
the pain lasts for 24-48 hours and usually will require dressing changes every
day or two for five to seven days. Dressings usually are removed when you have
been pain free for 2-3 days. The dressing doesn’t aid in healing. The only reason
to place a dressing is for pain control. If Motrin is controlling the pain, the socket
will heal without a dressing. An irrigation device will be given to you to help keep
food particles from lodging in the extraction site following removal of the
dressing.
If you need assistance over the weekend, it is helpful if you call around 9:00 AM,
so that we can arrange to see you in the office. We appreciate your patience as
we do our best to keep you comfortable during the healing process.
Faithful compliance with these instructions will add to your comfort and hasten
your recovery. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully. Only in this way will
you avoid the complications which lead to unnecessary discomfort and delayed
recovery. Should any undue reaction or complications arise, notify the office
immediately.
If you need to contact us after office hours, please call the office at 860-747-
1004.

I make every attempt to answer my emergency pager as promptly as possible.
Occasionally, your messages do not reach my pager. If you do not hear from the
doctor on call within one-half hour, please call back and ask them to page the
doctor again. Do this until your page has been answered by the doctor.

Source: http://www.plainvilledentist.com/Portals/5/Postext.pdf