Caring for Your Smile After Dental Treatment
After Treatment of Deep Cleaning, Fillings, Extractions, Crowns, Bridges, Implants, Veneers, Root Canals, and Denture Delivery teeth and gums often need time to heal. The following information should help you know what to expect and what to do following your dental treatment.
The area cleaned will likely be sore and slightly swollen for the first day. It is unlikely that you will need prescription pain medication. Over-the-counter medications should work fine, if you need anything at all. Don’t eat until your numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting your numb lip, cheek, or tongue. On the first night and in the first morning, lightly rinse with peroxide or warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water). Continue your normal brushing and flossing, but be gentle to the area cleaned. Some bleeding for a day or two after the cleaning is normal, especially after brushing. If you experience any excessive bleeding, call the office. If you are in significant discomfort, or if you have any questions, call the office.
Don’t eat on your new filling until the numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting your numb lip, cheek, or tongue. If you are supervising a child who had fillings done, then make sure he doesn’t bite on his numb lip, cheek, or tongue. It is common to experience cold sensitivity and some soreness on your gums for the first few days. If the bite feels wrong, or if the tooth feels clearly too “tall”, or if the tooth is very cold sensitive for over a week, then it is likely that the filling needs to be adjusted. Please do not wait too long to call the office, because the tooth may develop a severe tooth ache. Adjustments are fast and do not require anesthetic. Continue your normal brushing and flossing. If you experience pain or discomfort for more than a few days after the fillings, call the office.
Do not rinse your mouth until the following day. On the morning following surgery, rinse your mouth lightly with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water). Repeat this several times throughout the day. Remember to rinse lightly, because vigorous rinsing may delay your healing. Keep your fingers and tongue away from the extraction site. If food gets stuck in the extraction site, It will dissolve and be fine. Don’t pick it out. Maintain the blood clot in the extraction site. Try to avoid strong spitting, smoking, or sucking through a straw for the first 24 hours. If the blood clot comes out, then you may develop a “dry socket” and experience extreme discomfort. If this happens, call the office. Continue your normal brushing and flossing, but be gentle to the area around the extraction site. Also, very lightly spit out the paste. Bleeding- It is normal for saliva to be slightly streaked with blood for about 1-2 days after an extraction. If excess bleeding occurs, then place clean gauze over the extraction site and bite down for 30-45 minutes. Discomfort- It is common to feel discomfort following dental surgery. If medication has been prescribed, then take it as instructed. If no medication has been prescribed, then take three 200mg Ibuprofen pills (Advil, Motrin) every 4-6hours, unless you cannot take Ibuprofen. Swelling and Stiffness- This is normal and should not cause alarm. Place a cold towel or an ice pack to your face during the first 6-8 hours. Leave it on for 15 minutes, and then off for 15 minutes intervals. Diet- A liquid or soft diet is advisable during the first 24 hours following dental surgery. Drink lots of fluids! If you are taking care of a child who had an extraction, then make sure he or she doesn’t bite on the numb lip or tongue (it can cause serious injury to their soft tissue). If undue symptoms develop, call the office.
Don’t eat until your numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting your numb lip, cheek, or tongue. While you have the temporary, eat on the other side of your mouth. Don’t eat on or floss around the temporary. It may fall off and make the tooth very sensitive. Light brushing is recommended. If the temporary falls off, then you need to get it back on. If you have temporary cement, then try to get it back on yourself (be careful not to put in on backwards). If you need assistance, call the office. We will get you in to replace the temporary. If you do not get the temporary back on, the tooth may also move and make it difficult to seat the permanent restoration. Please do not throw away a temporary, even if it broken in half. It is common to experience cold sensitivity and some soreness on your gums for the first few days. After the permanent restoration is placed, you may feel slight pressure for a few days. Also, the bite may feel different for a day or two. If the bite feels wrong, or if the tooth feels clearly too “tall”, or if the tooth is very cold sensitive for over a week, then it is likely that the restoration needs to be adjusted. Please do not wait too long to call the office, because the tooth may develop a severe tooth ache. Adjustments are fast and do not require anesthetic. If you are in pain, call the office.
After a root canal, it is common to experience moderate discomfort and sensitivity to pressure on your tooth. The healing process may take several days, but the discomfort should subside gradually. Take any medication that was prescribed for you according to instructions. Don’t eat until your numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting you numb lip, cheek, or tongue. Don’t eat on the tooth for a few days. If you do, then it will probably hurt. Eat on the other side of your mouth. The tooth is often reduced in height so that you will not bite on it. It will be restored at a future visit. If the tooth was not reduced in height because it has a crown, then be extra careful to only lightly bite on the tooth. Continue your normal brushing and flossing.
You should experience some discomfort for a few days with any new denture. Most new dentures need a few adjustments to completely and comfortably fit your mouth. When you find a sore spot, call the office for an adjustment. You should take the dentures out every night and keep them in a clean container with water. Your gums need to rest, “breathe”, and heal without the dentures as you sleep. Clean the dentures thoroughly with a brush, soap, and water before putting them back in your mouth. Don’t use toothpaste, because the denture will gradually develop a white fluoride film. If you are not an experienced denture wearer, then it may be difficult to talk normally with a new denture for a few weeks. You need to train yourself to speak properly again. A good way to practice is to read a book or newspaper out loud every day. Your tongue and muscles will get used to the new denture. You will talk normally very soon. If you are in significant discomfort, call the office.