Local care

1. Bite on the gauze for 30 minutes. Change the gauze 30 minutes later. The gauze will be stained with blood when you remove it. That is not due to active bleeding, but due to the gauze’s ability to absorb blood. If your mouth is filling up with blood after removing the second gauze, place the gauze on the socket site and apply more pressure. If that does not stop the bleeding, wrap a moistened tea bag in gauze, and bite on it for 30 minutes. If there’s still a lot of bleeding, call the Harvard Dental Center at (617) 432-1434 option #2.

2. Do not rinse out your mouth or spit today. That causes more bleeding. Instead, lean over a sink or cup, and let the saliva drip out of your mouth without force.

3. Avoid foods or activities that create suction in the mouth (e.g., straws, rinsing, spitting, etc).

4. Avoid thermally hot foods (e.g., coffee, tea, soup). Let them cool before eating today. On the day of surgery, most people find cool, soft foods (ice cream, yogurt) soothing. Consider soups, yogurt, ice cream, puddings, eggs, omelets, soft pasta.

5. Avoid foods with a sharp edge (chips, crackers, toast etc) for 4-5 days.

6. AVOID SMOKING for a minimum of 24 hours. Smoking triples the risk of getting a painful, slow healing extraction socket called a “dry socket.”

7. Place ice to your cheek in the area of surgery. Ice is most effective if placed on the cheek for 20 minutes then removed for 20 minutes throughout the first day. Do not fall asleep with ice on face.

8. Start pain relievers BEFORE your anesthesia wears off (30-60 minutes after your appointment). Unless otherwise specified, start with Ibuprofen (such as Advil or Aleve) 600 milligrams every six hours or 800 milligrams every eight hours. Do not use Aspirin. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) 650 mg every 6 hours is a good alternative. Full doses of both ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be taken together or alternated every 3 hours. There is no bad interaction from taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen at the same time. It is much safer than taking too much of one medicine.

9. Take other medicines as prescribed. Avoid driving or drinking alcohol if given prescription pain pills.

Day after surgery

1. Gently rinse with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in 1 glass of warm water) 4 times a day for one week or use the mouthrinse as prescribed by your dentist.

2. Brush your teeth gently with a soft bristle brush. Be very gentle around the surgical site.

Two days after surgery

Place moist heat (a face towel in very warm, but not too hot, water or a hot water bottle) for swelling. Postoperative swelling is greatest 48-72.

Bruising

Minor bruising after surgery is a normal response and no cause for alarm. It will improve in 7-14 days. If you are concerned at all, please call our office or your dentist.

Stiffness

Some jaw muscle stiffness is common, especially after longer procedures. This is normal and will improve in 7-14 days. Moist heat and Ibuprofen will help relieve some of these symptoms.

Sutures/Stitches

Most of our stitches dissolve on their own and will not have to be removed. The stitches will fall out within the week (some even come out the same day). Do not worry if the stiches are swallowed. Never pull at loose stitches, but you can carefully cut a loose stitch at the gum line. Some stitches may last 2 weeks, depending on the type (check with your dentist before leaving your appointment).

Pain

Most pain after surgery improves by the third day. If pain or swelling increases on the fourth day or later after surgery, call the office and ask to be seen by your doctor or one of the oral surgeons who is available that day or the next day.