Post-Operative Care Instructions

Care of the mouth after surgery has an important effect on healing! Swelling, discomfort, slight oozing of blood and restricted jaw movement may be expected depending on the extent and location of your surgery. These problems need not to cause alarm and may be minimized if the following post-operative instruction s are carefully followed:

DO NOT SMOKE FOR 24 HOURS. DO NOT DRINK ANYTHING OUT OF A STRAW. DO NOT SPIT. DO NOT RINSE YOUR MOUTH OUT ON THE DAY OF SURGERY. AVOID CARBONATED DRINKS (i.e. Coke, Sprite, Mountain Dew) AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. EAT COLD, SOFT, NON-CHEWY FOODS ON THE DAY OF SURGERY (i.e. Jell-O, ice cream, applesauce, yogurt).

BLEEDING- you may experience oozing up to 24 hours after your surgery and periodic break-through bleeding for 6-10 days after surgery. Bite on the gauze placed in your mouth for 30 minutes. If after 30 minutes the bleeding hasn’t stopped, replace the gauze and bite firmly for one hour. Do not change the gauze every few minutes or the blood clot formation will be disturbed, and the area will continue to bleed. You may also use a moistened tea bag if bleeding continues or you run out of gauze.

SWELLING- Swelling is at its greatest two days after the surgery. To minimize swelling, apply am ice bag 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off to the operated side on the day of surgery. On the second day of surgery, apply warm, moist towels to the operated site.

NAUSEA- Nausea may accompany discomfort during the initial post-operative period. Nausea may be due to having swallowed a small amount of blood, having not eaten, or may be due to a medication. It is ok to vomit, but if vomiting continues, please contact the office.

PAIN- Discomfort should be expected. If a medication is prescribed, o not take it on an empty stomach. Take the medication according to the instruction son the label and anticipate that it takes one-four hours for some medication to reach their full effect.

CARE OF MOUTH- Do not rinse your mouth our or brush your teeth on the day of your surgery. The morning after your surgery, you can gently rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater (1/2 tsp. salt in a glass of warm water) and brush your teeth. Be sure to brush very gently on the area of surgery- they may be sore, but you must keep them very clean and free from bacteria. Repeat this process every few hours, especially after meals, for the next three to four days.

DENTURE PATIENTS- DO NOT REMOVE YOUR DENTURE FOR 24 HOURS AFTER YOUR SURGERY. The denture serves as a splint which controls bleeding and swelling and promotes healing. After the first 24 hours, you can remove the denture and rinse it off and rinse your mouth out. DO NOT LEAVE THE DENTURE OUT! If you do, you might not be able to get it back in. It is important to return to your dentist one to two days after surgery so that any adjustments can be made.

POST OPERATIVE CONDITIONS- The following post-operative conditions may occur in some patients during the healing process:

Swelling on one or both sides of the jaw
Numbness (paresthesia) around the corner of the mouth or tongue that remains after the anesthesia has worn off. This is best knowns the day after surgery.
Tightness of the muscles (trismus) may cause difficulty in opening the mouth
Slight earache or sore throat
Tissue may be discolored a few days after surgery
Bruising

If you have any other questions or problems call the office at (276)236-6109