Preoperative Surgical Instructions for all Patients

No aspirin / Advil / Ibuprofen for 10 days prior to surgery.

No blood thinning medications (Like Coumadin, check with your medical doctor about stopping medication before surgery).

No alcohol the night before surgery

No caffeine the day of surgery

If you have been given a prescription of Ambien take the tablet one hour prior to your appointment. Place it under your tongue and let it dissolve (In some cases you may have one for the night before surgery - This is to be taken 1 hour prior to bedtime to be sure you get a good nights rest).

Be sure to wear short sleeves.

Do not eat anything for 6 hours prior to surgery (Unless you are a diabetic, then you should eat a normal meal and take your medication as usual). You may drink clear liquid equal to 1/2 cup that morning. No Coffee or Tea!

A responsible adult must accompany the patient to the office, remain in the office during the procedure, and be able to drive the patient home.

The patient should not drive a vehicle or operate any machinery for 24 hours following the anesthesia experience.

Contact lenses, jewelry, and dentures must be removed at the time of surgery.



 The following conditions may occur after periodontal  surgery or dental implant placement, all of which are considered normal:

• The surgical area will swell.

• Swelling peaks on the 2nd or 3rd post -operative day.

• You may have a slight earache.

• A sore throat may develop.

• Your teeth may be sensitive to cold liquids for several weeks to several months.

• If the corners of the mouth are stretched out they may dry and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with cream or ointment.
  
  

Please take all prescriptions as directed.

Women please note: Some antibiotics may interfere with the effectiveness of your birth control pills. Please check with your pharmacist.

• ACTIVITY: After leaving the dental office, relax for the remainder of the day. Avoid strenuous activity (heavy aerobic exercise) for 3 days. Avoid smoking for at least 24 to 48 hours after surgery.

• BLEEDING: For Connective Tissue Graft: Should bleeding occur from the palate (roof of mouth), wet a regular (Lipton) tea bag. (Not an herbal or decaffeinated tea bag.). Apply tea bag over the incision in the roof of the mouth and apply pressure with thumb for 10 minutes. Repeat if bleeding continues. The caffeine and tannic acid will help to clot and stop the bleeding. If there is no change in the amount of bleeding, call the office Immediately.

• SWELLING: The day of surgery, Place Ice pack (or bag of frozen peas/corn) on your face for intervals of 10 minutes on and off for 10 minutes until you go to bed. You may also place ice chips in your mouth. This will help reduce the swelling. Cold liquids are very important for reducing swelling, discomfort and bleeding. Sip ice water, ice tea, frozen yogurt, milk shakes, applesauce, Ensure or similar cold liquids for the remainder of the day. DO NOT USE A STRAW.

•  Many of our patients are "numb" for an average of 3-8 hours after surgery. DO NOT DRINK ANYTHING HOT OR EAT SOLID FOOD WHILE YOU ARE NUMB... you may burn yourself and/or cause bleeding and swelling.

• EATING: It is necessary to maintain a relatively normal diet throughout the course of healing. The day of surgery, stick with cold liquid. (See above). The day after surgery, start a soft food diet and continue for the next 2 weeks, chewing should be done predominately on the side opposite of the surgery. AVOID any type of food that is "hard and crunchy"-chips, pretzels, nuts, seeds, popcorn, raw, vegetables, tacos, apples, etc. If surgery was done In the front area of your mouth DO NOT bite off any type of food such as, corn on the cob, etc.

• TYPES OF FOOD THAT YOU CAN EAT: -Cooked pasta meals- (spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, etc.), soft meats- (turkey, fish, chicken, hamburger, pasta casseroles, tuna, etc.), mashed potatoes/gravy, breakfast foods- (eggs, cooked cereals-oatmeal, pancakes, etc.)

• SUTURES: Sutures (stitches) are placed to hold the gum tissues in the proper position for ideal healing. The sutures will dissolve and will be coming out in the next 7-30 days (depending on the type of sutures used). AVOID disturbing the sutures with your tongue, toothbrush, or in any other manner since displacement will impair healing. If you notice sutures have fallen out the day of surgery, contact our office immediately.

• DRESSING: The surgical area may have been covered with a pink putty-like dressing that will protect the area in the first days of healing. If it comes off prior to the first post-surgical appointment, do not be concerned. Just throw it away. Otherwise, the dressing and any remaining sutures will be removed at the post-surgical appointment.

• ORAL HYGIENE: AVOID brushing, flossing, Waterpik, and proxy brush the area of surgery until you are instructed to do so. It is important to maintain a normal level of oral hygiene in the non-operated areas by brushing and flossing.

• PERIDEX: (chlorhexidine gluconate) mouth rinse is recommended for most surgeries. This is an antibacterial mouth rinse and will keep the surgical area clean while it is healing. Start the day after surgery, Rinse twice a day for 30 seconds after you brush/floss your non-surgical areas. This has a tendency to stain teeth but it can be polished off by the hygienist on your next cleaning visit. If you have had a Gum Tissue Graft you will not be using this product or any commercial mouthwash until advised. The alcohol will dehydrate the tissue. You may gently rinse with water only. NOTE: DO NOT RUN YOUR TONGUE OVER SURGERY AREA OR PULL ON LIP TO SEE SURGERY SITE, THIS MAY MOVE THE GRAFT.

• MEDICATIONS: Please follow the instructions on the bottle for any medications prescribed. If any adverse reactions to those medications should arise, such as nausea, itching, swelling, or any allergic symptoms, please contact the office immediately and discontinue all medications immediately.

• We suggest that you do not smoke for at least 5 days after surgery.

• Do not be alarmed if a "black and blue" bruise should appear at the site of an injection. The arm also may be "black and blue," swollen and tender to touch due to the IV.

• The use of alcohol is strongly discouraged when taking prescription drugs such as pain medication, muscle relaxants, and antibiotics. Its use can cause potentially lethal interactions.
   
  

In Case of Problems

You should experience few problems if you follow the instructions and suggestions as outlined. But if you should have any problems such as excessive bleeding, pain, or difficulty in opening your mouth, call our office immediately for further instructions or additional treatment.