THE MOLARNATOR’S POST SURGICAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Keep head elevated above the heart for the first 12 hours.

2. Get plenty of rest; do NOT overexert yourself over the next 24 hours.

3. Do NOT smoke, use tobacco or rinse with strong mouthwash (No alcohol/ Listerine). If you need to drink alcohol, try not to let it near or in extraction sites. Make sure you do not suck out of a straw or suck on the wound site for the next few days. This may disturb the blood clot, causing bleeding, slow healing, and/or bone pain often called a “dry socket.” Keep fingers and tongue away from socket.

4. Place frozen peas or an ice pack on your face intermittently for the first 4 hours. Leave it on for 15 minutes, then off for 15 minutes. A warm pack or heating pad can be used any time after using ice packs.

5. Do not rinse mouth until the following day, swish very gently. Don’t use syringe at this time.

6. BLEEDING—Gauze can be removed approximately 1 hour after surgery. It is normal for the saliva to be slightly streaked with blood for about 1-3 days. If abnormal bleeding occurs, place a piece of moist gauze over (not in) extraction site and bite down for 45 minutes.

7. On the morning following surgery, gently rinse mouth with warm (not hot) salt water (1/4 teaspoon salt to a glass of warm water). Only rinse the lower extraction sites with a syringe ON DAY 5. Continue rinsing 3-4 times daily and just before bedtime. Continue this until wound is closed.

8. Following dental surgery, it is normal to experience some pain. If medication has been prescribed, take as instructed. Be careful with pain-meds, they sometimes cause an upset stomach. If you get sick from the pain-meds then stop taking them, Dr. Dansie can prescribe medication for anti-nausea.

9. SWELLING & STIFFNESS — is normal and should not cause alarm. After 24 hours, exercise your jaw, by opening and closing your mouth periodically. Increase the exercise and chew gum on the day after surgery. Again, bleeding may occur while chewing gum, this is okay, but not heavy bleeding.

10. DIET — A liquid or soft diet is advisable during the first 24 hours. Things like mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, Jell-o and juices. Stay away from very hot foods on the first day. Drink a lot of fluids. Do not eat foods in the area that received surgery for a few days, you could disturb the healing. Hot drinks may prolong healing. (If it is too hot to touch. Then it is “WAY” too hot to put in your mouth.) Even though it seems inconvenient, make sure you still brush and floss all the remaining teeth and brush tongue.

11. For pain you can use Ibuprofen (3 tablets of 200 mg) and Acetaminophen (2 tablets of 500 mg). These can be taken together every 6 hours for up to three days. Antibiotics are very important to fight infection. Medications may cause rashes, hives, and itching which can be life threatening. Antibiotics can make oral contraceptives (birth control) non effective. They can also cause vaginal itching or yeast infection. If any of these symptoms occur, please call immediately! Thank you!

CALL DR. DANSIE WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT HOME LANDLINE (801) 465-2754