NUTRITION:
Begin immediately upon arrival at home. Start with clear fluids, such as apple juice, pop, broth, jell-o, etc. By later on the day of surgery or the next day, heavier fluids with some milk content in them, such as puddings, cream soups, etc, or soft foods may be started. These soft foods may be the consistency of fresh pasta, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, etc, but most importantly, must contain plenty of nutrition value. Return to a regular diet as soon as it can be tolerated. Maintain your fluid balance by drinking at least 8 cups of fluid a day.
REST:
Take it easy and relax for a couple of days post-operatively. You should not engage in any exercise such as weight lifting or aerobics for 1 week following surgery.
NORMAL LIVING HABITS:
Resume work as soon as you feel able. When pain medication is being taken, you should not operate vehicles or drink alcohol.
THINGS TO DO:
-Begin drinking clear liquids such as apple juice, pop, broth, jell-o, etc. initially when you get home.
-Gradually start eating soft foods such as scrambled eggs, pasta and soups as soon as possible.
-Begin to rinse your mouth with salt water (1/2 tsp. salt to one cup of warm water) frequently on the day following your surgery.
-Minimize physical activity for 2-3 days following your surgery. Your body requires rest in order to heal.
THINGS TO AVOID:
-Avoid heavy rinsing or spitting for the first day after surgery. Such activity can dissolve the blood clot in the tooth socket and give rise to bleeding or infections.
-Smoking adversely affects wound healing, among other things. Reduce or eliminate smoking as much as possible.
-Avoid drinking fluids with a straw for the first week after surgery.
-You are strongly advised NOT to drive a vehicle, operate hazardous machinery or consume alcohol for 18 hours after your surgery.
ORAL HYGIENE:
Do not rinse mouth or spit for the first 24 hours following surgery. After 24 hours, begin rinsing mouth with warm, slightly salty water (1/2 tsp salt to 1 cup warm water) approximately 10 times daily and resume normal tooth brushing gently. Do not smoke during the day of surgery and avoid smoking for at least 24 hours or more following surgery. DO NOT USE A STRAW TO DRINK FLUIDS.
PAIN:
Discomfort is to be expected following surgery. Take the prescribed medications as indicated, to provide relief. If they are not working or your prescription has run out, call the office. Many of the pain medications can cause stomach upset, so they are best taken with a small amount of food. Normally pain becomes less severe with each passing post-operative day. Renewed pain three or four days later, severe enough to interrupt sleep may indicate a healing problem. You should call the office if there are any problems.
BLEEDING:
Bleeding can be controlled by placing a gauze over the extraction socket and biting with firm pressure for 1 hour. This procedure can be repeated several times if necessary. Try to elevate the head and minimize talking and physical activity if bleeding is persisting. For troublesome bleeding a moist tea bag may be used as a pack over the socket. Should this fail, contact the office. Avoid spitting and rinsing for the first 24 hours. It is normal for the saliva to be blood streaked for a day or so.
SWELLING:
Swelling is quite common and a perfectly normal occurrence following surgery and normally peaks by the second or third day. Ice packs placed on the outside of the face for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off during the first 24 hours will help to limit the swelling. Also to minimize swelling, elevate head on pillows for the first 3 days to help prevent pooling of fluids and promote drainage. Do not lie flat when sleeping at night. After the third day, apply heat to the sides of the face, massage the check area gently, and exercise the jaw by opening and closing the mouth, 2 or 3 times a day to help reduce muscle stiffness.
INFECTION:
Infections are quite uncommon following oral surgery procedures. Should you develop a persistent fever or pain that is unresponsive to medications, call the office. If antibiotics are prescribed, they should be taken as directed.
DIFFICULTY OPENING THE MOUTH:
This is normal following the removal of teeth, it will return to normal as the swelling subsides.
BRUISING OF SKIN:
Bruising is more common in fair skinned persons and in older patients. It may occur on the face near the area of the surgery or on the arm in the area of the intravenous injection site. The arm may also be tender along the side of the intravenous injection site. This is usually due to a mild inflammation of the blood vessel.
STITCHES:
Are used quite commonly and will usually dissolve spontaneously in approximately 3-10 days.
SORES OR ABRASIONS ON THE LIPS:
Sometimes occur at the corner of the lips from stretching during surgery. Avoid the lips from drying out by applying a moisturizer or vaseline to the lips.
BAD ODOUR OR TASTE IN MOUTH:
This may be due to stitches in the mouth or food particles in the tooth socket. Rinsing with a mouth rinse diluted in half by water may relieve this problem.
SINUS PROBLEMS:
If there have been complications that involve the sinuses of the upper jaw, avoid drinking with a straw, and should you sneeze, always keep the mouth open. Also, smoking should be avoided for as long as possible. Antibiotics and nasal decongestants, if prescribed, should be taken as directed.
Proper home care following your oral surgery will assist in the healing process.
It is advised that a responsible adult remain with you for 24 hours following surgery.
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your surgery or if you feel that there are any problems occurring, please feel free to contact our office.
Dr Chen can be paged after hours or during the weekends by calling the office.
