After Exposure of an Impacted Tooth

Do not disturb the wound. Keep fingers away. If bracket and chain are placed and becomes disrupted or falls off, contact the office.

Bleeding

Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 72 hours. Excessive bleeding that rapidly fills your mouth with blood can frequently be controlled by biting with pressure on a moistened gauze pad placed directly on the surgery site for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues, please call for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling apply an ice bag or a bag of frozen vegetables on your cheek near the area of surgery.  Switch to moist heat on the third day.

Diet

Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or hard foods. Only consume soft food and liquids on the day of surgery. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.

Pain

You should begin taking pain medication before you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. For moderate pain, 1 or 2 Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)2-3  200 mg tablets may be taken every 4-6hours for pain relief. For severe pain, the prescribed medication should be taken as directed.

Oral Hygiene

Oral cleanliness is essential to good healing. Clean your mouth thoroughly after each meal, beginning the day after surgery. Brush your teeth normally if possible. Rinse with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) six times a day, using regular water if salt is not available.  Continue this procedure until healing is complete.

REMEMBER: A clean wound heals better and faster.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Be aware that your normal nourishment intake is reduced. Exercise may weaken you. If you get light headed, stop exercising.