Pos-Op Instructions
At Markiewicz Dental, we offer several oral surgeries, including tooth extraction, implant placement, crown placement, root canals, and dental bridges. Although your procedure will improve your oral health, you can expect to feel sore for a few days after your anesthesia wears off.
Markiewicz Dental provides several post-op instructions in Mundelein, IL, for your reference. Dr. Anthony Markiewicz, Dr. David Markiewicz, or one of their assistants will also provide verbal instructions on caring for yourself at home after oral surgery.
General Post-Op Instructions for Various Oral Surgeries
While the degree of self-care you need to perform depends on how invasive your procedure is, you can apply the tips below to your at-home care routine.
Consume only soft foods for the first few days
Biting into hard food will likely be uncomfortable for you after having oral surgery. We encourage you to pick up several soft food items like bananas and oatmeal while recovering.
Avoid spitting or rinsing for 24 hours
You may strongly desire to rinse your mouth after you have undergone oral surgery, but we urge you to avoid spitting or rinsing for the first 24 hours after your procedure. If you have stitches, spitting or rinsing could loosen them and lead to a blood clot and/or infection. However, we encourage you to rinse with mouthwash or warm salt water after each meal for up to two weeks after the first 24 hours have passed.
Take non-prescription pain relievers every three to four hours
Over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen or Tylenol, are typically strong enough to minimize or eliminate mild pain. You can take one or two pills when you feel discomfort, but try not to take more than two pills in the three to four-hour period.
Should you find that non-prescription pain relievers are inadequate to reduce your discomfort, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Anthony Markiewicz or Dr. David Markiewicz. They will evaluate your pain level and prescribe a stronger product if needed.
Use ice packs for 24 to 48 hours
Another way to relieve discomfort is to hold an ice pack to the cheek on the side of your mouth where your dentist completed oral surgery. You will have the best results if you keep the ice pack in place for 20 minutes and take a break for 10 minutes each time you use it for pain relief.
