Microsoft word - postoperative instructions - do's and dont's.docx

Oral Surgery Home Care

PLEASE DO:
PLEASE DON’T:
Take Advil, 600 mg four times a day for 3-5 days. Smoke or use nicotine during your recuperation. Take narcotic medicine with some food or drink. Drink thick fluids through a straw for 24 hours. Change gauze every 30 to 45 minutes until bleeding stops. Spit out blood from your wounds; apply the gauze instead. Drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated. Operate a car or heavy machinery for 24 hours. Brush your teeth or irrigate wounds the first day.

DISCOMFORT: Please keep in mind that common oral surgery is not trivial surgery. Extensive oral surgery such as wisdom
teeth removal can result in a very uncomfortable recovery process, sometimes worse than expected. Since there is great
variation in results among individual patients, it may not be applicable to compare your surgical experience with someone
else’s. Some patients, especially those who smoke or clench or grind their teeth, may experience severe pain for over a
week. Adults should take 600 mg of ibuprofen (Advil) every 6 hours. Ibuprofen can safely be taken in addition to the
prescription given to you by Dr. Stout (Acetaminophen or Tylenol cannot). As your comfort improves, taper off the
prescription medication first and the ibuprofen last. The discomfort may not peak for 3 to 5 days after the surgery.
Worsening pain that radiates into the sides of the face and head is often due to spasm of the jaw muscles, especially for
patients who clench or grind their teeth, and is often worst when awakening in the mornings. Treat muscle pain by applying
moist heat for 10 minutes followed by massaging the areas for 10 minutes several times a day.

BLEEDING: Gauze packs were placed in your mouth at the surgical site to provide gentle pressure over the wounds.
Replace these packs with fresh ones every 30 to 45 minutes, or until the bleeding has completely stopped. Usually several
hours of gauze application are needed. It is quite normal to notice occasional bleeding or blood-tinged saliva many days
after the surgery. If bleeding seems to be persistent, don’t spit the blood out, but continue changing the gauze and keeping
pressure on the wounds. For problem bleeding, clotting can be improved by dipping the gauze in ice water or inserting a tea
bag inside the gauze. Keep your head elevated. To prevent persistent bleeding during the first 24 hours, avoid drinking
through a straw, spitting, rinsing vigorously, or having hot foods or liquids. Remove the gauze to eat, drink and sleep.

FEVER, SWELLING, BRUISING AND SUTURES: A low-grade fever (up to 101° F) sometimes occurs for a few days after
surgery. Swelling in the face usually peaks several days after the surgery, and then resolves over the next few days. Placing
ice over the surgery site helps, but ice should only be used on the first day. You may notice some bruising on your face or
neck; this is not worrisome. The sutures will dissolve, usually 5-7 days after the surgery.

DIET AND ORAL HYGIENE: For the first 24 hours, limit your diet to liquids and soft foods. Take in plenty of fluids to avoid
dehydration. Do not rinse vigorously. After 24 hours, you may eat whatever your comfort permits, but soft foods are a good
idea for up to a week. After 24 hours, rinse frequently with warm water. If you were given an irrigating syringe, begin using it
to vigorously irrigate the sockets after meals. It is normal to notice an innocent, but objectionable odor or taste emanating
from a tooth socket for 2-3 weeks after the procedure. Start brushing the teeth surrounding the surgical site with a soft
toothbrush a few days after the surgery. If you have a new prosthesis, try to keep it in place for the first night, and then
remove it at night thereafter, leave it out if it hurts to wear it. If your surgery included bone or gum tissue grafting, do not
drink hot liquids for 2 weeks, and do not irrigate grafted areas until instructed to do so by Dr. Stout.

NAUSEA: Nausea can be a side effect from the sedation medicine, prescription narcotics, dehydration, or from swallowing
some blood. Nausea usually fades away without treatment, but persistent nausea can be treated with non-prescription travel
sickness medication (Dramamine or Bonine). If your pain is mild, discontinue the prescription narcotic (the most likely cause)
and use only a non-narcotic medication such as Advil, Motrin, or Aleve. If your nausea is severe enough to prevent you from
holding anything down, then a prescription suppository is available.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to treat you. We are honored to care for you, and wish you all the best for a smooth
recovery. Call our office immediately at (805) 981-8144 if you notice severe bleeding, difficult breathing, inability to swallow,
persistent vomiting or any other problem. If we cannot be reached quickly, call 911 if you feel there is an emergency.
YOUR POSTOPERATIVE CHECKUP is on ____________________________________ at ______________am/pm
NOTE: A parent must accompany a minor child to all appointments, including postoperative visits.

Source: http://www.fantasticsmiles.net/assets/files/Postoperative%20Instructions%20-%20Do's%20and%20Dont's.pdf