Moderate discomfort and swelling occur with most oral surgery procedures. They usually begin within the first 12 hours following the surgery and start to decrease after 48 hours. The amount of discomfort and swelling is unpredictable. It is important to take care of your surgery site, so please follow these instructions.
- Bite on gauze for 30 minutes to stop any bleeding. If bleeding continues, place another gauze and continue to apply pressure.
- For at least 24 hours do not:
- smoke
- drink through a straw
- drink alcohol, carbonated beverages, or hot liquids
- blow your nose
- spit excessively
Any of these things may cause the blood clot over the surgery to dislodge from the “socket”, causing a “dry socket” and resulting in unnecessary pain.
- Do maintain a soft diet for the remainder of the day, things like warm soup, ice cream, milk shakes (remember no straws), etc.
- If your discomfort or bleeding continues or worsens call the office for re-examinations
- If you were given medications, take them according to the instructions. If you have pain medications at home, you may take them according to instructions.
- Tomorrow morning, start rinsing gently with warm saltwater every 4 hours for at least 1 day.
If any problems or questions do arise, please feel free to call the office.