Patient Education Dental Clinic Dental or Oral Surgery Post-operative care instructions This handout provides care instructions for you to follow after your dental or oral surgery. It also provides the name of the dentist/oral surgeon who performed your surgery, the date of your follow-up visit, and contact information. Your surgery was for: Your surgery was done by: Dr. Your follow-up visit is on: at: at University of Washington Medical Center Roosevelt. Note: If your follow-up care will be with another provider, please take this handout with you so he or she will know what we did. General Guidelines Do not disturb your wound. Doing so may cause irritation, infection, and/or bleeding. Do not smoke. If you do smoke, make an effort to refrain as much as possible. This is an excellent time to consider quitting! Bleeding Rest and keep your head elevated. It is normal for a small amount of blood to ooze from your mouth. You may want to sleep on a towel or old pillow in case there is any staining. If you have more than a small amount of bleeding: - Fold or roll a gauze pad and place it tightly on your surgical site. Be sure it is on your gums and not between your teeth. - Press or bite down hard on the gauze and keep firm pressure for at least 20 minutes. - If the gauze becomes soaked, do not remove it, but place another gauze over it and call your doctor.
Page 2 Due to changes in the clot that forms at the surgical site, bleeding may start again in 2 to 3 days. This is normal. If this happens, repack the area with new gauze and apply firm pressure. Nausea or Vomiting When you swallow blood, it can cause you to feel nauseated or to vomit. Pain medicines can also cause you to feel nauseated or to vomit. Sometimes taking pain medicines after a meal helps. If you are sick to your stomach or you cannot hold down any food or water, call your doctor. We do not want you to become dehydrated. Pain and Pain Medicines Pain after dental or oral surgery is normal. Pain medicines help to lower and control your pain, but they often do not completely eliminate your pain. On a rating scale of 1 to 10, expect your pain to go from 7 or 8 down to 2 or 3. Take your pain medicines exactly as prescribed. Do not take more pain medicine or use other remedies without the consent of your doctor. If you have not been given a prescription for pain medicines, an over-the-counter pain medicine should be enough. If you find that your pain relief is not adequate, call your doctor. Other Medicines Fill prescriptions as soon as possible. Take medicines exactly as told. For antibiotics, be sure to take the entire prescription, even if you start feeling better. Contact your doctor if you have any side effects that cause concern. Swelling Swelling after dental or oral surgery is normal. It may last 4 to 5 days. To minimize swelling, apply an ice pack to your face over the area of your surgery as soon as possible after surgery. Leave the ice pack on for 20 minutes. Then take it off for 20 minutes. Repeat this cycle as needed for the first 6 to 8 hours. If the swelling is excessive, call your doctor.
Page 3 Bruising Sometimes bruises appear after surgery. They can be caused by the type of surgery you have or from your lips and cheeks being stretched during surgery. If you get bruises, they may be large and take days to weeks to go away. Sometimes bruises occur first near your surgical site and then move down into your chest and neck by gravity. Bruises change colors as they resolve. This is all normal. If you have bruising that you feel needs attention, call your doctor. Sutures (also called stitches) Your sutures will dissolve and fall out in the next 2 to 14 days. Call us if any sutures need to be clipped or removed. Signs of Infection All wounds are at risk of becoming infected. Existing infections can get worse. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, be sure to take it as told even if it means getting up during the night to stay on schedule. Be sure to take the entire prescription, even if you start feeling better. The bacteria that survive the longest during antibiotic use are the hardest to control if they are allowed to re-grow. Contact you doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms: Fever, over 101 F or 38.5 C. Swelling, especially 2 to 4 days after surgery, that is warm to the touch and somewhat hard instead of puffy. Swelling in your throat/neck or on your face that causes an eye to start to close. You do not feel well (run down, tired, or sick). Diet and Fluids Drink plenty of fluids. Try fruit juices, milk shakes, eggnog, water, or a liquid supplement like Ensure. Eat soups or foods that can be chewed easily such as fish, cottage cheese, pasta, and eggs. You may not feel like eating as much as usual, but it is important to eat well to promote healing.
Page 4 Oral Hygiene Rinsing with warm salt water (½ teaspoon salt to 8 ounces of warm water) several times a day may make you feel better. Start doing this the day after surgery. Clean your mouth well after eating and drinking. Start brushing your teeth gently and flossing as soon as you are able. Toothpaste may sting. It is OK not to use toothpaste for a few days. Instead, dip your toothbrush in warm water and clean your teeth carefully. Clean the surgical site, being careful not to disturb your wound or the sutures. Lacerations Clean your wound every day. When cleaning your wound, blot gently with damp gauze, especially near your sutures. Keep the area near facial wounds clean and dry. This may help to reduce scar formation. Root Canal Therapy Root canal therapy is usually done in stages. Most likely your root canal will need additional visits to complete. It is normal to have mild to moderate pain after the first treatment. You may take aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve your pain. Splints If your tooth was displaced, the doctor has put some form of wire splint on it to hold it in position while it heals. When you clean your teeth, take extra care to remove food that may become trapped in the wires. Clean the rest of your mouth with a toothbrush, and floss as usual. Eat soft foods to help protect the splint. Your doctor will tell you about how long you will have to wear the splint. In some cases, the tooth will need a root canal or extraction later. Your doctor will provide details about your situation.
Incision and Drain Care Questions? To help control infections, sometimes drains made of rubber are Call 206-598-4277 Your questions are important. Call your doctor or health care provider if you have questions or concerns. UWMC Clinic staff are also available to help at any time. placed in the wound. This allows a route for your body to vent your infection. You will likely feel the drain with your lips and tongue. Try to leave it alone as much as possible. You will need to return to the clinic for follow-up care and to have the drain removed within the next few days. Other Instructions from Your Doctor: Dental Clinic: 206-598-4277 4225 Roosevelt Ave. N.E., 4th floor Seattle, WA 98105 For problems or emergencies: You may page your doctor by calling the UWMC paging operator at 206-598-6190, or ask for the dental resident on call. Dental Clinic Box 354698 University of Washington Medical Center 4225 Roosevelt Ave. N.E. Seattle, WA 98105 11/2006 Reprints: Health Online 206-598-4277