Post- Operative Analgesic Instructions

Some discomfort is normal after oral surgery.

• You should begin taking pain medication prior to the local anesthetic wearing off.
• You will either be given pain medicine in the office, or you may begin taking pain
  medication when you get home, along with some food.

We recommend starting with ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®) 600 mg.

• Ibuprofen bought over the counter comes in 200 mg tablets; 3 tablets may be
  taken 4 times daily, not to exceed 3200 mg daily for an adult.
• In addition to ibuprofen, 1 or 2 tablets of acetaminophen (Tylenol 325 mg or
  Tylenol Extra Strength 500 mg) may be taken every 4 hours, not to exceed 3000
  mg a day.

An excellent over-the-counter option is to alternate between ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) every 3–4 hours, which is ideal for managing most types of pain after oral surgery. You can also take both Ibuprofen and Tylenol at the same time for management of severe pain. If you have been prescribed a narcotic (opioid) pain medication (e.g., Tylenol #3, Norco®, Vicodin®, Ultram®), please use only as directed.

• We recommend only using opioid pain medication if the above regimen is not adequately managing your pain.
•  You may alternate the opioid with ibuprofen if instructed to do so.
• The opioid you have been prescribed also has acetaminophen, so be mindful
  of the 3000 mg maximum daily dose.

Opioids do have some unpleasant side effects and can also be habit forming

• Constipation, nausea, and sometimes vomiting are common.
• Drowsiness, which can impair your reflexes and judgment, is also common.
• Therefore, if you take this medication, do not drive, operate machinery, go to
  work or school, or make important decisions.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages or other sedative medications while on opioid pain
  medication.

If you have reduced kidney function, please consult with your physician, as you may need to alter the dosing of ibuprofen.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with these medications by reading the package insert and/or information provided by your pharmacist.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call your treating doctor

Reed Ference (518)-221-2063
Sean Ference (518)-221-2160
Office Phone (518)-489-3201

1. Applesauce
2. Avocado
3. Baby Food
4. Baked Beans – mashed if necessary
5. Black Beans – mashed if necessary
6. Baked Apples
7. Bananas
8. Biscuits – flakey, soft or soaked to
become soft
9. Broccoli – steamed soft
10. Broth
11. Butternut Squash – cooked soft
12. Carnation Instant Breakfast Drinks
13. Carrots -steamed soft
14. Casseroles
15. Cheese
16. Cheesecake
17. Chowder
18. Cold Cereal – soaked in milk until
soft
19. Cottage Cheese
20. Cake
21. Canned Peas
22. Crab Cakes
23. Cranberry Sauce
24. Cream
25. Cream of wheat – maybe a little to
grainy depending on the type of
dental surgery.
26. Crème Brule
27. Cupcake
28. Custard
29. Doughnuts
30. Ensure
31. Eggs (poached, fried or scrambled)
32. Egg Nog
33. Egg Noodles
34. Egg Salad
35. Fettuccine
36. Fish
37. Frozen Yogurt
38. Fruit Juice
39. Fruit Smoothies
40. Fruit – soft or grind
41. Gravy
42. Grits – Maybe a little too grainy
depending to the type of dental
surgery.
43. Ground Turkey
44. Ground Beef
45. Ground Chicken
46. Guacamole
47. Humus
48. Ice cream
49. Jell-O
50. Juice vegetable
51. Kefir
52. Key Lime Pie
53. Macaroni and cheese
54. Malt-0-meal
55. Mangos
56. Mascarpone Cheese – Consider using it with soft scones (beat 1 (3 oz of cheese, 1 tsp powdered sugar, and 1 cup heavy whipping cream)
57. Mashed potatoes
58. Matzo Ball Soup
59. Meatloaf
60. Meatballs
61. Melons (Very Ripe)
62. Milk Shake – Avoid using a straw
63. Miso Soup
64. Mousse
65. Muffins
66. Oatmeal
67. pancakes
68. Pasta – cooked very soft
69. Pies
70. Polenta
71. Pot roast with vegetables – cooked to
falling apart
72. Probiotics
73. Protein Powder – can be added to any liquid meal for added energy and healing
74. Pudding
75. Ramen Noodles
76. Refried Beans
77. Ricotta cheese
78. Risotto
79. Rice
80. Sandwich Meats
81. Scrambled Eggs
82. Shredded chicken
83. Sherbet
84. Smoothies
85. Soft bread – soak in soup
86. Souffle
87. Soup
88. Sour Cream
89. Spaghetti
90. Spinach
91. Steamed Vegetables
92. Stew
93. Sweet Potatoes
94. Tapioca Pudding
95. Tea
96. Tofu
97. Tuna Salad
98. Waffles
99. Yellow Squash
100. Yogurt

Other Post Dental Surgery Tips:

• AVOID alcohol, and hot beverages for the first 3 days
• DO NOT DRINK from a straw for at least a week – The sucking can dislodge the blood
  that is clotting in the socket
• DO NOT EAT foods that are spicy as this can irritate the gums
• DO NOT EAT acidic foods as this too can irritate the surgical site
• STAY AWAY FROM foods that will splinter or get stuck (crackers, nuts, chips, seeds) as
  they can get stuck in the wound area and / or dislodge blood clots.4
•  Do not try to dislodge any blood clots as this will prolong the healing process.
• NO SMOKING for at least 72 hours after tooth extraction as this can cause dry socket

If you have any questions or concerns, please call your treating doctor

Reed Ference (518)-221-2063
Sean Ference (518)-221-2160
Office Phone (518)-489-3201

For 10-14 days (depending on your doctor’s recommendations):

•  No brushing or flossing the surgical area
•  Soft diet only (no hard or crunchy foods)
  After this period you may return to a normal diet and normal hygiene (brush, floss, and waterpik)

Do not be alarmed if one of the following occurs:

● Light bleeding, slight swelling, some soreness, tenderness, or tooth sensitivity
● Medicinal taste, from Peridex or Perioguard or staining to the teeth

Post-Surgical Instructions

●Anti-microbial rinses and antibiotic medications may be prescribed for you. Take any prescribed medications according to directions and continue taking until all medications are gone.
● Reduce physical activity for several hours following surgery.

 Periodontal laser procedures usually result in little or no discomfort following surgery.

•  For the first 24 hour period immediately following surgery, take three (3) Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and 2 Tylenol every 4-6 hours even if you do not have any pain
•  For the first 10-14 days after surgery, a soft diet is recommended (see accompanying sheet)
• Stay away from spicy food, and hard and crunchy foods (popcorn, seeds, crackers, nuts, chips).

One of the most important factors in obtaining good results following laser surgery
comes from the blood clots that form around the teeth following surgery.

•  It is extremely important not to dislodge the tiny clots that form in and
  around the gums.
• It is also important to maintain good fluid intake during this period

Carefully avoid chewing food in areas of the mouth where the laser has been used for at least one week following surgery.

• Do not be alarmed with any color changes or appearance of the tissues following laser therapy.
• Tissues can be gray, yellow, red, blue, purple, “stringy” and reflect a normal response to laser treatment.
• Brush, floss and waterpik two weeks after treatment!
• Try to keep other areas of your mouth as clean as possible in order to help the
  healing process, brush, floss, and follow other home care measures in all areas of
  your mouth except for the surgery area.
•  It is OK to spit, rinse, and wash your mouth out today.
•  Rinse gently, (do not swish) as directed with Peridex or Perioguard morning and night.
•  Do not excessively rinse, but instead take the rinse and move head back and forth. o It is OK to gently rinse every three (3) hours with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon
  of salt dissolved in an 8oz glass of warm water).
•  Do not be alarmed, that beginning in two weeks after the therapy, and extending as long
  as one year or more, the teeth may become sore, tender, or sensitive as the bone and ligaments around the teeth regenerate and become more firm. This is a sign of healing, but may also indicate the presence of a bite imbalance that may need to be adjusted.

Following Bleaching:

Following Custom Trays:

• For the first 24 hours you may experience some cold and heat sensitivity.
• Do not consume hot foods or beverages until the anesthesia and numbness have worn off.
• Avoid vigorous physical exercise as well as extremely hot or spicy foods for the first 24 hours.
• Do not consume alcoholic beverages or smoke for at least 48 hours following treatment.
• Some bleeding following a deep cleaning is normal, but if you experience excessive bleeding, please call our office.
• You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen as needed according to the instructions on the label or those provided by your doctor.
• A warm salt water rinse, approximately one teaspoon in an eight-ounce glass of water, three times a day can be helpful.
• Brush and floss gently following a deep cleaning, resuming normal brushing and flossing when the soreness is gone.
• Follow any other instructions provided by our office during your visit.
• Please take all medications as prescribed.

• Some pain, bleeding, swelling, and seeping is normal following oral surgery. Please do not try to view the site by pulling on your lip and do not probe the area with your tongue or fingers. If you experience excessive bleeding or discomfort after 48-72 hours, please call our office immediately.
• You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen according to the instructions on the label or those provided by our office as needed.
• Swelling around the face, eyes, and surgical site is not uncommon and may become more noticeable two to three days following surgery. Applying a cold compress to the face near the implant site will help minimize swelling. If using an ice pack, please do not apply ice directly to your skin but place a cloth between the ice and your skin at all times. You may apply the cold compress for up to 20 minutes on and at least 20 minutes off as needed. After 36 hours the cold compress will have no further impact on swelling. After this period, the application of moist heat to the sides of the face can help reduce swelling.
• A warm salt water rinse, approximately ½ teaspoon in an eight-ounce glass of water, three times a day can be helpful.
• Avoid brushing your teeth near the surgery site but brush and floss the rest of your mouth as instructed by our office.
• For 24 hours following your surgery, do not suck on a straw, brush, rinse, spit, or smoke.
• For the first 24 hours, you may experience some cold and heat sensitivity. Avoid hot and spicy foods as well as carbonated and alcoholic beverages.
• Restrict your activities on the day of your surgery. Avoid excessive work or play, and resume normal activity the following day as tolerated.
• After the first day, gently rinse with a warm salt water rinse, approximately one-half teaspoon of salt in an eight-ounce glass of water, three times a day.
• During the first few days after surgery restrict your diet to liquids and soft foods such as soups, yogurt, juice, and smoothies.
• Follow any other instructions provided by the office on your visit. Please take all medications as prescribed including your prescribed antibiotics to help prevent infection.
• If you have a denture that overlaps the implant site, please minimize the use of the denture following surgery to allow the site to heal. After the first week, you should be able to gradually increase the amount of time you can wear your denture.
• It is extremely important to keep your follow-up appointment(s) so that we can monitor the healing process.
• If pain and swelling are increasing after a few days, please call our office right away.

Ongoing Care:

• Immediately following surgery, maintain pressure on the surgical area by biting down on the provided gauze pad or roll until the bleeding stops. A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following a surgical procedure. Placing the gauze pad over the area and biting firmly will help prevent excessive bleeding. Replace the gauze as necessary until the bleeding stops.
• Children should be supervised after having an extraction to make sure they do not bite or chew their tongue or lips as this can cause serious injury to the soft tissue.
• Please fill any prescriptions you have been given and take as directed. If you have been prescribed pain medication other than aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), do not drive, operate heavy equipment, work around machinery or tools, or engage in any other activity that may be unsafe when groggy, as your reflexes and judgment will be affected by the medication.
• Antibiotics may be prescribed to help prevent infection. If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the medicine as directed.
• Swelling around the face, eyes, and surgical site is not uncommon although it may not appear until the day following the surgery and may become more noticeable two to three days following surgery. Applying a cold compress to the face near the extraction site will help minimize swelling. If using an ice pack, please do not apply ice directly to your skin but place a cloth between the ice and your skin at all times. You may apply the cold compress for up to 20 minutes on and at least 20 minutes off as needed. After 36 hours the cold compress will have no further impact on swelling. After this period, the application of moist heat to the sides of the face can help reduce swelling.
• For 24 hours following your surgery, do not suck on a straw, brush, rinse, spit, or smoke. Avoid hot and spicy foods as well as carbonated and alcoholic beverages.
• Restrict your activities on the day of your surgery. Avoid excessive work or play, and resume normal activity the following day as tolerated.
• After the first day, gently rinse with a warm salt water rinse, approximately one-half teaspoon of salt in an eight ounce glass of water, three times a day.
• During the first few days after surgery restrict your diet to liquids and soft foods such as soups, yogurt, juice, and smoothies.
• Sutures may have been placed. Most sutures placed by our office will dissolve on their own in 7-10 days, and it may not be necessary to return to the office for sutures to be removed. If you have sutures that do need a follow-up visit for removal, we will let you know at the time they are placed.
• Please call our office if you experience severe pain, excessive bleeding or swelling, or if you have any questions or concerns. In the event of an emergency please call our office. If you are experiencing a serious or life threatening emergency, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.