Preoperative Instructions for Patients Undergoing Intravenous Anesthesia

  1. You may not have anything to eat or drink (including water) for eight (8) hours prior to the appointment.

  2. 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.

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

  4. Please wear loose fitting clothing with short sleeves, and low-heeled shoes. Contact lenses, jewelry, and dentures must be removed at the time of surgery.

The removal of impacted wisdom teeth and surgical extraction of teeth is quite different from the extraction of erupted teeth. The following conditions may occur, all of which are considered normal:

  1. The surgical area will swell.

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

  3. Trismus (stiffness) of the muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a period of days.

  4. You may have a slight earache.

  5. A sore throat may develop.

  6. Your other teeth may ache temporarily. This is referred pain and is a temporary condition.

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

  8. There will be a space where the tooth was removed. After 24 hours this area should be rinsed following meals with warm salt water until it is healed. This cavity will gradually fill in with new tissue.

  9. There may be a slight elevation of temperature for 24 to 48 hours. If temperature continues, notify us.

  10. It is not unusual to develop bruising in the area of an extraction.

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.

YOUR CARE
AFTER SURGERY
(IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ)

What to do after extraction of a tooth

Extractions usually heal quickly and without complications if simple precautions are taken. However, they should not be neglected, and they should be given certain attention. Cooperation with your Oral Surgeon is important.
Remember, you have just had an operation. Treat yourself with due care: don’t over-exert yourself; eat regular meals. You should reduce your activity as much as possible for several hours after an extraction. This helps reduce bleeding and permits the formation of a clot in the tooth socket, which is necessary for healing.

AFTER YOU LEAVE THE OFFICE

  1. Continue applying pressure by simply biting together on the gauze in your mouth.

  2. After about 40 minutes, remove gauze, eat something soft yet substantial (see food suggestions below), replace gauze as follows: Take 2 to 3 gauze pieces; fold them in half, and in half again. Place them directly over the extraction site, or all the way back behind the existing teeth if you had wisdom teeth extracted; bite together firmly. About 30 minutes after eating, remove gauze again and take the prescribed pain medication, then replace gauze.

    Keep your head elevated with an extra pillow for the first 24 hours.

    It is normal to have bleeding for two days following the surgery, so use the gauze and change as needed.

  3. Apply an ice pack to the outside of your face, alternating sides, about every 30 minutes as much as possible for the first 24 hours following your surgery. After 24 hours, start applying heat (heating pad, hot water bottle, etc) in the same fashion until all noticeable swelling and/or bruising is gone.

    Remember to have an adequate amount of food in your stomach before taking your pain pills. Do not take pain medication on an empty stomach. Allow food to digest, about 30 minutes before taking medication. You will be more comfortable if you take them on a regular schedule as directed by your doctor.

    • Food suggestions:

      • Oatmeal
      • Eggs
      • Mashed potatoes
      • Refried beans
      • Pasta
      • any soft food that will create a good base for the pain pills

    • Oral Hygiene:

      • Brush your teeth as normally as possible and rinse very gently with warm, salt-water (1/2 tsp salt in glass of warm water).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PATIENTS
IF YOU ENCOUNTER NAUSEA
AND/OR VOMITING

  1. DO NOT TAKE PAIN PILLS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. You must have food in your stomach prior to taking pain pills.

  2. STOP taking the pain pills.

  3. Doctor can prescribe an additional medication to counteract nausea. Also, a different pain medication can be considered. Please contact our office (527-5050) so that we can be aware of your needs.

  4. Please be able to tell us if you have any allergies to Compazine or Tigan. Also, have available the phone number of a pharmacy you would like us to contact.

  5. - Stop taking the pain pills
    - As soon as possible, use the anti-nausea medication that the doctor will prescribe. It will be a rectal suppository in order for the medication to get in and be useful.
    - When the nausea is under control, then take clear liquids (7-Up, Jello, juice, soup broth, etc.)
    - Once the nausea is under control, use Extra-Strength Tylenol for pain.
    - Next, try eating soft foods (Cream of Wheat, oatmeal, yogurt, soup, cottage cheese, soft-cooked vegetables, etc.)
    - Only after nausea is controlled and you have food/liquid intake, you can try pain medication.
    - If pain meds cause further nausea, do not use them. Rather, use Extra Strength Tylenol per the package directions. Do not exceed the package recommended amount.

  6. Please let us know of your situation and request a prescription for
    anti-nausea medication and/or an alternate pain medication.

  7. Remember, pain pills have narcotics in them and narcotics frequently cause nausea. It is not an allergy, but a common side effect. Some people are very sensitive to this side effect and cannot tolerate some pain pills. We don’t know which pain pills you will tolerate the best unless you are able to tell us from any prior experiences. Thank you for your attention to the above items.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PATIENTS
THAT HAVE A SINUS OPENING

Because of the close relationship to the sinus, many times whwn a tooth is extracted, it will leave a small opening between the mouth and the sinus. This was the situation in your case. Therefore, it is important to follow these instructions.

  • Take medications as directed.
  • Refrain from blowing your nose for three weeks.
  • Try not to sneeze or cause nasal pressure; open mouth wide if necessary to sneeze.
  • Do not use a straw or smoke.
  • Eat soft foods for several days and chew on the opposite side as much as possible.
  • Do not rinse your mouth vigolrously for several daus.

It is commmon to have a slight amount of bleeding from the nose for several days.

I f you have any questions, please call our office.

In case of problems

You should experience no trouble 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.

Remember your follow-up visit

It is often advisable to return for a postoperative visit to make certain healing is progressing satisfactorily. A follow-up visit will be scheduled. In the meantime, maintain a healthful diet, observe rules for proper oral hygiene, and visit your dentist for regular checkups.