Instructions for Care Following Oral Surgery

You have had a surgical procedure in your mouth that must be cared for just as an operation on any other part of the body. Infection, swelling and pain must be held to a minimum or prevented if possible. For these reasons, follow the instructions carefully. A responsible person should carefully attend patients who have undergone sedation for at least eight hours after leaving the office. The patient is not permitted to drive.

Bleeding

  • Leave the folded 2x2's over the area operated on until bleeding subsides, holding it in place with moderate biting pressure for 30-60 minutes; once the bleeding subsides it should be GENTLY removed.
  • Slight bleeding is beneficial. If bleeding seems excessive, and should persist:
    • Wipe out excessive blood
    • Place a folded piece of clean gauze over the bleeding area and bite down on it until bleeding subsides or gauze becomes saturated. Repeat until bleeding is controlled. Gauze should be thick enough to prevent teeth from coming together. ALL PRESSURE SHOULD BE UPON THE BLEEDING AREA.
    • Sit up or semi-recline and rest for the first few hours following oral surgery.
  • DO NOT SMOKE for a period of 5 days. Puffing on cigarettes tends to dislodge the blood clot and prolong bleeding. Nicotine also delays healing.
  • NO SPITTING, RINSING, OR SUCKING on a straw for 24 hours after surgery. This tends to dislodge the blood clot and prolong bleeding.

Diet

An adequate, highly nutritious diet MUST be followed to insure a speedy recovery. Immediately following surgery, a COOL liquid diet should be maintained for 24 hours, then soft foods are recommended and should be continued for several days. We realize that the consumption of foods will be difficult, but an adequate diet is essential for proper healing. Suggestions: Eggs, Jell-O, mashed potatoes, custard, milk shakes, cottage cheese, etc. We also recommend daily use of a good multi-vitamin and vitamin C. Carnation Instant Breakfast, Slim Fast, Ensure, Boost, etc. are all good supplements until a normal diet can be resumed.

Swelling

When extensive surgery has been done about the face, swelling is not unusual. Your swelling will not peak for 2 to 3 days. To help minimize this, place an ice bag or ice cubes WRAPPED in a damp towel on the side of the face over the area where surgery was performed. Leave in place for 20 minutes, remove for 10 minutes and then repeat this series for a period of 48 hours. Ice is of little benefit after this time. Try to do this as soon after the operation as possible. Keeping your head elevated for 48 hours will help minimize swelling.

Mouth Rinses

The day following the surgery, use warm salt water (1/2 teaspoonful of table salt to a glass of warm water_ as a GENTLE mouth rinse after every meal and between meals for several weeks following surgery. The surgical area always must be kept CLEAN.

Sutures

If you have sutures (stitches) in your mouth, they will absorb (dissolve) on their own following surgery. Do not be alarmed if they become loose and bothersome. Any foreign body in your mouth tends to magnify itself out of all proportion. DO NOT play with the sutures with your tongue.

Numbness

Following the removal of teeth of the lower jaw, a small percentage of patients will experience numbness of the lower lip and tongue. The nerve involved provides feeling only and has no effect on eating, talking or your appearance. If numbness does occur, it is more often felt as a minor annoyance and usually disappears with normal healing.

Medications

You may be given prescriptions for pain control and swelling. Antibiotics will not be given unless necessary after surgery. Take all medications as directed.

Your care is individual. No two patients are alike. Please DO NOT take too serious well-intended advice from friends, no matter how much experience they have had. Discuss your problem with the person best able to effectively help you - your ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON. Some bleeding, swelling and pain are expected. However, if for any reason you are alarmed or excessively concerned about the condition of your mouth, please call our office.