No eating until anaesthesia diminishes. Care not to chew a numb lip or tongue.
No hot, spicy food and drinks today. Soft foods for 48 hours.
Avoid using a straw for 48 hours.
No exercises today.
No contact sports for at least 1 week.
Avoid brushing directly over the wound. Brush other teeth as usual.
Mouth rinsing to start tomorrow. Warm salt water (half teaspoon) or chlorhexidine containing mouthrinse for 1-2 weeks.
No smoking for 48 hours.
Ice packs help reduce swelling. 20 minutes interval throughout the first day or two. Do not apply directly to the skin.
Stitches will dissolve within 7-10 days
If extracted tooth was near sinus:
Do not forcefully spit for several days.
Do not rinse vigorously for several days.
Do not use a straw for several days.
Do not forcefully blow your nose for at least 2 weeks.
Try not to sneeze. If you must sneeze, keep your mouth open.
BLEEDING
Some oozing or blood in saliva may persist for up to 48 hours
Bleeding can be controlled with a gauze pad over the area and biting firmly for 30 minutes. Repeat if necessary.
PAIN
Your mouth will be sore for some time.
Paracetamol and or ibuprofen are effective for most oral surgery.
Ibuprofen should not be taken on an empty stomach.
Narcotic pain medication such as codeine may cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, itching or constipation.
SWELLING
Swelling is the body’s normal reaction to surgery.
Swelling may occur and increase gradually over 48 hours.
Swelling can cause some difficulty with mouth opening. Restricted jaw opening usually takes 7-14 days to return to normal.
INFECTION
Pain, swelling or raised temperature beyond the first 7 days may indicate infection.
NUMBNESS OF THE LIP AND TONGUE
It is important to arrange a review appointment if numbness to the lip or tongue lasts longer than 2 weeks after simple oral surgery.
BONY EDGES
You may feel hard projections in the area and think they are pieces of tooth. This is usually the hard, bony wall which surrounds the roots of the teeth. These generally work themselves out.
DRY SOCKET
A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket. Symptoms of pain at the surgical site and even pain near the ear may occur 2-3 days following surgery. Call the office if this occurs.
OTHER COMPLICATIONS
Ear ache, temporary ache of adjacent teeth, restricted mouth opening, stretching or cracking at the corners of the mouth or discoloration of the skin may occur postoperatively. These are temporary conditions which will improve as healing progresses.
Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon. The muscles get swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in 2-3 days.
Stiffness of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event which will resolve in time.
