INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING EXTRACTIONS AND MINOR SURGERIES

1. Post-operative care is for the major part of your responsibility though we are here and always ready to help.

2. On the first day, the goal is to control bleeding.
Bite on gauze firmly for one hour. Make sure gauze is placed where teeth are removed. This allows the formation of a blood clot in the socket.

Please avoid spitting out your saliva or fluids, instead keep swallowing that allows for the formation and retention of the clot which is so essential for quick and uneventful healing.
After an hour, gently remove the gauze do not replace it and have soft cool food such as ice cream or cold milk.
For newly inserted dentures, you need to wear it continuously for the first 24 hours. The denture stops bleeding, helps clot formation and molds the tissue. The denture should be removed 24 hours later allowing cleaning of the denture and extraction site.
If active bleeding persists, fold gauze into a firm wad and place it directly on the bleeding area. Maintain firm pressure by biting for another hour. The gauze may be substituted by a soaked teabag. The tannic acid in tea has a clotting effect.
Do not suck the operating area and do not drink through a straw or rinse or brush teeth for the first day. Smoking or alcohol should be avoided for atleast 48 hours. Soft cool and Bland food items in the first 24 hrs or then lukewarm soft food can be ingested.

For wisdom tooth extraction, apply ice pads to the corner of the jaw on the operating side until bedtime, alternating for 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, 3-4 times in a day for about 2-3 days.
Talk as minimal as possible in the first 2-3 days.

3. Starting the next day, the goal is to prevent infection.
Do not rinse vigorously. Gentle rinses of the mouth are encouraged after every meal to keep the surgical site/socket clean. Plain or saltwater, cool on the first day and lukewarm on second day onwards is advocated.
Brush your teeth as usual and gradually return to normal food.
Heat packs can be applied to the swollen areas 36 hours later.

4. If you are sedated, it is the escort’s responsibility to ensure that you follow the instructions carefully.

5. You would expect blood in saliva for 1 to 2 days, pain, swelling, limited mouth opening, soreness in the jaw and joints, bruise, hole in the socket for a few months.

6. You should resume your retainers or splints soon after bleeding stops.

7. Try not to challenge your jaw by biting on hot, hard, or spicy food for the first 2 weeks, and hard food until the bone heals (about 3 months).

8. Avoid exploring the surgical site with tongue etc, avoid sucking there and also avoid opening the mouth wide.

9. You should report to us if
You are still frozen the next day. There is a risk of nerve injury, though rare, with extractions, especially lower wisdom teeth due to its close relationship with the inferior alveolar nerve. The anatomy varies individually. Another commonly involved nerve is the lingual nerve. Please let me know if this occurs.

You are still bleeding profusely after 24 hours.

You have severe pain accompanied by foul breath. This is possibly a dry socket. Please come to the office to have it rinsed and medicated.

You feel liquid going into the nose. This may indicate a sinus communication. Do not test it and try not to blow the nose for 10 days. A closure procedure can be done to fix this 3 months later.

You feel anything else you think is not right then please let us know at the earliest.