POST OP - EXTRACTIONS

EXTRACTIONS

POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
DO NOT DISTURB THE AREA: Keep tongue and toothbrush away from area. Do not use straws to drink liquids. Keep anything sharp from entering the wound (crunchy food, toothpicks, eating utensils). Be sure to chew on the opposite side for 24 hours.

BLEEDING: When you leave the office, you might be biting on a gauze pad to control bleeding. Keep slight pressure on this gauze for at least 30 minutes. Don’t change it during this time; it needs to remain undisturbed while a clot forms in the extraction area. After 30 minutes you may remote it. You may bite on another gauze or a tea bag for another 30 minutes it you feel it is still bleeding. Small amounts of blood in the saliva can make your saliva appear slightly red. This is normal and may be noticed the rest of the day after the procedure.

SMOKING: Do not smoke for 24-48 hours after the surgery.

PAIN: Some discomfort is normal after surgery. To minimize pain, take 400mg of Tylenol, Advil or a similar non-aspirin pain reliever every 4-6 hours until bedtime to maintain comfort. Take it before anaesthesia wears off. Take medication as directed.

SWELLING: Applying an ice bag to the face over the operated area will minimize swelling. Apply for 10 minutes, then remove for 10 minutes. Continue this for the first day. Do not apply heat as this encourages blood flow and swelling in the area of the extraction.

NUMBNESS: The local anaesthetic will cause you to be numb for several hours after you leave the office. Be very careful not the bite. chew, pinch, or scratch the numb area. Sometimes the extraction causes residual numbness or tingling for six weeks or longer. Inform the office this occurs.

BRUSHING: Do not brush your teeth for the first 24 hours after surgery. After this. you may brush your teeth gently. but avoid the area of surgery for 3 days.

RINSING: Avoid all rinsing for 24 hours after extraction. Rinsing can disturb the formation of a blood clot which is essential to proper healing. After 24 hours you may begin gentle rinsing with a salt- water solution (1/2 teaspoon salt + 8 ounces warm water). Avoid commercial mouth rinses. such as Listerine, as they usually contain alcohol and will irritate the healing area.

DIET: Eat soft foods for the first 2 days. Maintain a good balanced diet. Return to normal regular meals as soon as you are able to after the first 2 days. Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol for 48 hours.

ACTIVITY: After leaving the office. rest and avoid strenuous activities for remainder of the day. Keeping blood pressure lower will reduce bleeding and aid healing.

ANTIBIOTICS: If you were given an antibiotic prescription, take all of them as directed until they are finished. Women: Some antibiotics reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills. Contact your physician for more information.

Please call us at 604-689-7551 if you have: uncontrollable pain, excessive or severe bleeding, marked fever, excessive warm swelling occurring a few days after the procedure, reactions to medications- especially rash, Itching or breathing problems.

Following these instructions will aid in healing and increase your comfort level during the healing process. Failure to follow these instructions may lead to significant discomfort and negatively impact the success of the procedure.


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