Emergency Pager

(404) 609-6898 (PUSH #2)

Many patients will experience discomfort after their teeth are extracted due to pain nausea, swelling, and difficulty eating. In general, most difficult times occur during the first 24 to 48 hours after the extraction. The following information is provided to facilitate recovery after the surgery and must be followed in detail

Does not rinse, use a straw, or forcefully spit for 24 hours after the extraction.

Bleeding:  You are biting on cotton gauze to put pressure on the extraction site to help control bleeding. This is similar to putting pressure on a cut on your hand to stop bleeding. You should bite on gauze for approximately 1 to 2 hours. The gauze can be replaced with a Tea Bag if bleeding persists. The wound may “ooze” or bleed very slightly for one to two days after surgery, this is normal. Excess salvia and a small amount of blood appear to be a lot of blood. If there is excessive bleeding, you should contact our office so that we can evaluate the problem.

Nausea/Vomiting: The most common cause of postoperative nausea and vomiting is taking pain medicine on an empty stomach. Warning: certain pain medications will cause drowsiness. Therefore, do not drive yourself or others while taking them. Dizziness or fainting may occur after taking your medication. You must drink a full glass of water with your medication. If vomiting persist beyond 24hrs please contact our office

Eating: We recommend starting with clear liquids and soft textured foods such as jell-o,

clear broth, or juices. Clear liquids are easy to swallow. In the event you become nauseated, clear liquids are also easier to control if you vomit. Once you can keep fluids down without vomiting, you may advance your diet as tolerated.

Oral hygiene: You may gently start brushing your teeth the day after surgery, not the day

of surgery. Every time after you eat something, you should rinse your mouth out with

warm salt water. Please avoid surgical sites during brushing. Do not swish aggressively

 or spit. Allow liquids to roll out your mouth.

Swelling: When you get home you should rest with head elevated on at least 2 pillows.

Ice pack applied to the face near the region of the extraction sites helps to reduce

swelling. Try to keep packs applied to the face as much as possible for the first 8-12 hrs

after surgery. The surgical site on may swell and become quite large. This is normal and

will begin to decrease after 4 to 5 days. Please do not apply pressure or sleep on the side where the extraction site occurred.

Pain: We commonly will use a long acting anesthetic that should keep your mouth numb

(and pain free) for 2 to4 hours after the surgery. When this local anesthesia wears off you

should expect the have some pain or discomfort. Please take your medication as prescribed. Remember- not on an empty stomach.

Sutures:  The sutures placed are dissolving sutures. You should expect them to become

Loose and fall out between 3 to 10 days after the surgery. They will appear as small strings in your mouth. Generally speaking you do not need to come back to the office to have the sutures removed.

Other conditions that may occur:

1. Small bone fragments that sometimes appear will slowly work their way out

of the gum tissue as the tissues during healing. They feel like pieces of tooth

but are actually bone.

1. Please note the extraction site will gradually fill in from the bottom and then

upward.

1. Numbness of the lower lip, chin and/or tongue will sometimes occur after

surgery. This usually disappears in a few days to a few months. Consult the

doctor if this persists.

1. Tongue swelling, itchiness, inability to breathe can be signs of an allergic

reaction call 911. Please contact the office immediately, or report to the

nearest emergency department.