Any surgical procedure in the mouth may be followed by some bleeding, oozing, swelling, or discomfort. In order to minimize or avoid complications, these instructions should be followed unless different instructions have been given to you by the doctor or assistant.
BLEEDING AND GAUZE: The gauze packs in your mouth should be changed every 20-30 minutes for the first few hours following surgery. Make sure the new gauze has been slightly dampened. Place over the extraction site and gently bite down. If the gauze does not control the bleeding or if the gauze becomes saturated quickly (10 minutes), replace the gauze with a moistened tea bag following the same instructions. Remove all gauze as soon as bleeding subsides and when eating or drinking. DO NOT LEAVE IN WHILE SLEEPING. Slight oozing can occur for up to 24 hours. Elevating the head above the heart will also help reduce bleeding. If you are concerned about excessive bleeding, please call the office.
SWELLING: To minimize swelling, place an ice bag to the outside of the face where surgery was performed. Ice may be used the first 24 hours, (on and off) after surgery. After 24 hours, warm moist heat may be applied to help the body absorb swelling and relieve discomfort.
CARE OF MOUTH: DO NOT rinse, spit, smoke, or brush your teeth for the first 24 hours after surgery. Blood clots are forming where the teeth were removed and any of these actions could cause them to dislodge. After 24 hours you may gently rinse your mouth with prescribed mouth rinse twice daily and warm salt water after you eat for one week. This will help clean the wounds and heal the tissue. You may brush your teeth but keep the brush away from the extraction sites. After 1 week you may use the plastic syringe to clean food debris from the extraction site. Fill with warm salt water and flush the area.
PAIN: Some discomfort should be expected. However, following the directions on your pain medication should relieve most pain. Pain medication should be taken with food to prevent nausea. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WHILE TAKING PAIN MEDICATION. Warm moist heat applied to the outside of the face 48 hours after surgery will help relieve muscle soreness. Dr. Liu & Dr. Schemke may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection. The antibiotic should be taken on time and until the prescription is gone. Should discomfort worsen after 3-4 days or if you experience an abnormal reaction to any medication, discontinue and call the office.
DIET: A soft diet should be maintained for the first 24-48 hours or longer if sever extractions. (i.e., jello, pudding, mashed potatoes, soft eggs, ice cream, yogurt or soup) Items that can be consumed with little or no chewing will be the easiest. Please remember not to use a straw for a week.
NAUSEA: Nausea is a common side effect but can usually be controlled by taking small sips of 7-up or Ginger Ale. Nausea is usually prevented by taking medication with a small amount of food.
If you have any questions regarding these instructions, please call the office at 707-422-6020