Information about

Preparing for Surgery

Clothing

Please wear a short-sleeved blouse or shirt on the day of surgery. Do not wear contact lenses. Ladies should wear flat heeled shoes. Please do not wear your hair in a pony tail. In order for our heart monitor to work properly, please do not wear nail polish or acrylic nails.

Food Intake

You may have a light meal the night before surgery, but are not to have anything to eat or drink after midnight the day preceding your surgery appointment.

Transportation

Please bring someone with you to remain In the office and drive you home following surgery. If under 18, you will need a parent or guardian with you. You will not be able to take a taxi or a bus.

Oral Hygiene

Teeth should be brushed with Colgate Peroxyl (hydrogen peroxide) the night and morning before surgery to reduce bacteria in the mouth.

Instructions

Parents and friends will receive post-operative instructions while you are recovering.

Care Following Oral Surgery

Proper care of the mouth following oral surgery can reduce complications and increase comfort.

Bleeding

It is normal to have a smail amount of blood accumulate in the mouth after surgery. In order to keep this at a minimum, we ask that you do the following:

Bite on gauze firmly after surgery and change it every 30 minutes until the bleeding stops.

Do not rinse vigorously for the first day.

Do not drink through a straw or smoke for two days in order to avoid losing the blood clot from the surgery site.

Avoid spitting and vigorous rinsing out, this encourages bleeding.

Avoid milk products the day of surgery.

Pain

Within 30 minutes following surgery, take pain medication with clear liquids.

Repeat as medication label directs. To avoid nausea, do not take pain medication on an empty stomach. Prescriptions for most pain medication and antibiotics are refillable once at the pharmacy where originally purchased.

Sutures

All sutures used in our office are dissolvable, and will normally be gone within five to ten days.

Swelling

Swelling may occur over the first two days and decrease over the following two to three days. Apply cold packs the first two days continuously, as tolerated. Cold packs can be made by placing wet counter sponges in baggies and freezing. Please keep head elevated 45 degrees immediately following surgery. Use pillows under back and head while sleeping. After the first two days, hot packs should be used to diminish swelling along with hot water rinses. This is done to encourage circulation in the area.

Oral Hygiene

After surgery, do not rinse vigorously for 48 hours. Do not use peroxide or mouthwash. Because of a high alcohol content, the use of commercial mouthwash during the healing period is not encouraged. Two days following surgery you may begin soaking the mouth with hot water three times a day. It is important that heat penetrate the muscles to help open your mouth. The toothbrush should be carefully used on a daily basis especially posterior teeth. A CLEAN MOUTH HEALS FASTER.

Irrigation

You will be given an irrigating syringe to flush out debris from the lower extraction sites. Begin using this 4 days after surgery. Fill the syringe with warm water and irrigate sockets three times a day, after meals. Do this by placing the tip of the syringe down in the socket and flushing. You will need to use this for one to two weeks until the incisions are healed on lower teeth.

Diet

For a period of time, you will have difficulty eating a normal diet. Because of muscle soreness, chewing may be a problem. Avoid milk products including milk shakes, ice cream, and yogurt the day of surgery. The second day you may add milk products to your diet. Cool foods are best for the first day to prevent bleeding. Thereafter, warm foods are fine. (Please rinse following meals with the syringe after the first four days.)

Suggested Foods

Fruit juices, soups, carbonated beverages

Cooked/thinned cereals, eggs, pancakes

Gelatin

Blenderized cooked vegetables

Blenderized cooked fruits or bananas

Pastas, mashed potatoes

Activity

You will not be required to remain in bed. However, exertional activity is to be avoided totally for a full four days. Exertional activity is anything that may. increase the pulse rate or blood pressure, such as: skiing. swimming, jogging, lifting, gymnastics, dancing, physical education, etc.

Follow Up

Most patients will heal well and feel normal within a week following surgery. No follow-up appointment is usually necessary. If pain or swelling persists or increases after three or four days, call our office for anappointment to be seen as soon as possible. DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL IF ANY QUESTIONS ARISE.