Post-Operative Advice

Pain and swelling management: As soon as the anesthesia begins to wear off, take a pain reliever (prescribed or over-the-counter) as instructed by your dentist to manage pain. Also, apply ice to your jaw for 20 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours. This will help reduce swelling.

Bleeding control: Slight bleeding is normal after the procedure. However, if you are bleeding profusely, apply firm pressure to the affected area with moist gauze for 20 to 30 minutes. Repeat if necessary. Contact us if bleeding persists or resumes after a long period of inactivity.

Nutrition and hydration: Wait until the anesthetic has worn off completely before eating or drinking. Choose liquid or soft, easy-to-chew foods such as milk, pureed vegetables, creamy soups, yogurt, applesauce, overcooked pasta and eggs. Avoid very hot, very cold, salty or spicy foods and beverages. Also, don't drink through a straw, as sucking can disturb the treated area, impair healing and slow healing.

Oral hygiene and wound care: After meals and before going to bed, gently rinse your mouth with salt water for about a week after surgery. However, do not brush your teeth or rinse your mouth for 24 hours after the procedure. Avoid touching the wound with your tongue, finger or toothbrush, and chew your food on the side opposite the treated area.

Physical activity: For the first 24 hours, take time to rest and relax to promote healing. Sleep with your head elevated. Avoid strenuous physical activity or bending over for 48 to 72 hours.

Other precautions: Follow your dentist's instructions on taking medication. Do not smoke for at least 24 to 48 hours after extraction, ideally for two weeks. Abstain from alcoholic beverages for one week after surgery.

Bleeding control: After surgery, avoid touching wounds or stitches, and don't rinse, spit or drink through a straw on the day. Slight bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for the first 24 hours. For heavy bleeding, bite down on a gauze pad for 30 minutes or until it stops.

Managing swelling and bruising: Swelling may appear the next day and reach its peak after two to three days. Apply an ice pack to the outside of your face, near the surgical site, for 20 minutes at regular intervals for the first 24 hours. Sleep with your head elevated for the first two nights to reduce swelling. Bruising is common and can last up to 14 days. Apply warm, moist compresses to reduce discoloration.

Diet: Until the anesthesia wears off, avoid acidic, hot or spicy foods. Consume soft foods and liquids on the day of surgery, then return to a normal diet as soon as possible. Drink plenty of fluids.

Oral hygiene: Maintain good oral hygiene by using the mouthwash recommended by your dentist on the night of surgery, then twice a day after breakfast and before bedtime. Rinse your mouth with salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water) four to five times a day, especially after meals. Gently brush your teeth and healing pillars, avoiding the areas operated on at first.

Physical activity: Limit your physical activity for the first three days after surgery. Do not wear your dentures after surgery, at least until your follow-up appointment, unless otherwise indicated by your dentist.

Healing: Avoid smoking and alcohol until healing is complete (about two weeks). Stitches will be removed one to two weeks after surgery during your post-operative examination. If some sutures come off prematurely, this is not usually a cause for concern.

Medication: To minimize nausea, take your medication with a little food. Start taking painkillers as soon as the local anaesthetic wears off. Follow instructions for all prescribed medications. If you develop a rash or stomach upset persists, stop the antibiotic and contact us. It's important to note that antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of contraceptives.

Pain management: Take painkillers before the anesthetic wears off to prevent pain. The jaw joint may be strained after holding the mouth open for a long time, so take Advil or Tylenol as a preventive measure. Follow your dentist's instructions, or his or her prescription, if applicable, when taking medication.

Diet and chewing: Prefer soft or liquid foods for the first few days, then avoid those requiring intense chewing, such as chips, steak, crusty bread, chewing gum and raw vegetables. From day one to day 21, do not chew on the treated area.

Oral hygiene: For the first two weeks, do not brush or floss your teeth in the treated area to avoid loosening the stitches prematurely. If your dentist has prescribed an antiseptic mouthwash, use it as directed. Otherwise, gently rinse your mouth with a mixture of warm water and salt (1/2 teaspoon per glass of water).

Physical activity: Avoid physical exercise for 72 hours to promote healing.

Smoking: Don't smoke for three months after surgery. Tobacco interferes with the oxygenation of oral tissues and promotes bacterial proliferation, slowing down healing and graft integration.

Additional precautions: Do not pull on your cheeks or lips to examine the graft. Avoid drinking through a straw or spitting. After 24 hours, gently rinse your mouth after meals, allowing the liquid to drain gently without shaking or squeezing.

Bleeding: Slight bleeding is normal for the first 24 to 48 hours. If bleeding is heavy, apply gauze pads folded in quarters to the area and bite down firmly for 20 minutes. Do not spit for the first 72 hours to avoid stimulating bleeding.

Managing swelling and bruising: Following a bone graft, it's common to experience swelling of the face and bruising of the skin. Apply an ice pack to the affected area for 20 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours to minimize swelling. Swelling usually subsides after 24 to 48 hours, but may persist for up to 7 to 10 days. If swelling recurs after it has subsided, contact the clinic team.

Diet: Eat light meals such as yogurt, soup, jello and dairy drinks for the first two days, then gradually return to a normal diet. Avoid hot foods and do not use a straw for the first 48 hours to prevent bleeding.

Oral hygiene: You can brush your teeth gently from the day after surgery, except in the area of the bone graft. It's important to keep your mouth clean. Use a saltwater mouthwash (1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water) after meals and before bedtime, starting the next day.

Physical activities: Rest on the day of the operation, keeping your head elevated.

Smoking: Avoid smoking for two months after a bone graft to promote healing.

Pain: Treatment does not normally cause marked pain, but the tooth may be sensitive in the hours or days following treatment. Call us if the sensation persists, worsens or becomes real pain.

Diet: There's no need to change your diet, but it's advisable not to chew on the side of the treated tooth, especially if it's sensitive. Resume eating normally once the symptom has disappeared.

Swelling: Swelling of the cheek or tissues near the treated area is abnormal. Contact us promptly if this occurs.