Home Care

We are here to support you before, during, and after treatment.

We are thrilled to partner with you on your journey to oral health. Please refer to the post-op instructions below as a reminder of what to expect after treatment.

As always, please do not hesitate to call us anytime if you have questions at (662) 234-5222. We have an after-hours line to assist you after the office closes. Just call the main line and leave a message. Someone will be back with you shortly.

Composite (white colored) Fillings

Your anesthesia will wear off in approximately 1 to 3 hours after the procedure. It is very important not to chew on the numb side (to prevent biting tongue, lip, etc.) until the anesthesia wears off.

Your tooth (or teeth) may be sensitive to hot, cold or pressure from the procedure. This is COMPLETELY normal. The more invasive the procedure, the more sensitivity you may experience. The possible symptoms of hot, cold or pressure will cease within a few days to a couple of weeks. In very few instances, this sensitivity could last longer than a couple of weeks. As long as your teeth or gums are continuing to feel better, (not staying the same, or getting worse) everything is fine. There is no need for concern.

We may have prescribed Ibuprofen (Motrin). This IS NOT for pain. Ibuprofen is to reduce the inflammation in the area worked on, and will further eliminate hot, cold and pressure sensitivity if taken as directed. If you are allergic to or cannot tolerate ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc) please advise us. If discomfort continues for more than a couple of weeks, please call our office.

Once the anesthesia has worn off and you feel as though any of the teeth we have worked on are hitting first, please give the office a call immediately. This imbalance with your bite may cause further discomfort and should be adjusted.

Extractions

After an extraction, it's important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That's why we ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 30 to 45 minutes after the extraction. If bleeding or oozing continues after you remove the gauze pad, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another thirty minutes. You may have to do this several times.

After the blood clot forms it is important to protect it, especially for the next 24 hours. So Don't: smoke, suck through a straw, rinse your mouth vigorously, or clean the teeth next to the extraction site. These activities will dislodge the clot and slow down healing. Limit yourself to calm activities for the first 24 hours, this keeps your blood pressure lower, reduces bleeding and helps the healing process.

After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and have some swelling. You can use an ice bag to keep this to a minimum. The swelling usually starts to go down after 48 hours.

Use pain medication only as directed, call the office if it doesn't seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluids and eat only soft nutritious foods on the day of the extraction. Don't use alcoholic beverages and avoid hot and spicy foods. You can begin eating normally the next day or as soon as it is comfortable.

Gently rinse your mouth with salt water three times a day beginning the day after the extraction (a tsp. of salt in a cup of warm water). Also, rinse gently after meals, it helps keep food out of the extraction site. It is very important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours; this should include brushing your teeth and tongue and flossing at least once a day. This speeds healing and helps keep your breath and mouth fresh.

Call us right away if you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling after two or three days, or a reaction to the medication.

Root Canals

Root canal therapy often takes two or more appointments to complete. A temporary filling or crown is placed to protect the tooth between appointments. After each appointment when anesthetic has been used, your lips, teeth and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.

Between appointments it is common (and not a problem) for a small portion of your temporary filling to wear away or break off. If the entire filling falls out, or if a temporary crown comes off, call us so that it can be replaced.

It's normal to experience some discomfort for several days after a root canal appointment, especially when chewing. To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended. To further reduce pain and swelling, rinse three times a day with warm salt water (a tsp. of salt in a cup of warm water, rinse-swish-spit).

If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as prescribed, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. To protect the tooth and help keep your temporary in place, avoid eating sticky foods (especially gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew only on the opposite side of your mouth. It's important to continue to brush and floss normally.

Usually, the last step after root canal treatment is the placement of a crown on the tooth. A crown covers and protects the tooth from breaking in the future. If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent swelling or pain, or you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.

Root Planning and Scaling

Following periodontal treatment, you can expect to notice less redness, less bleeding, and less swelling of your gum tissues. Your teeth may feel smoother, and your mouth will taste and feel better. Your gum health must be maintained with proper home care, as instructed, and regular professional care.

When anesthesia has been used, your lips, teeth, and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off. It is easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while numb. It is recommended that you take some ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil, 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours as needed) before the anesthetic completely wears off. This will help with any swelling or pain at the injection sites where the anesthetic was administered.

It is not unusual for the teeth to be more sensitive to hot or cold temperatures, and/or sweets. This occurs as the gum tissue heals and shrinks in size. Brushing two to three times daily with sensitivity toothpaste or using fluoride rinses may help alleviate this over time. If sensitivity continues or is severe, professional application of a desensitizing agent may be required.

For a few days, a soft diet is recommended, chewing on the opposite side.

Consistent and thorough daily oral hygiene is essential to the proper healing of your gum tissues. Brushing, flossing and rinsing with recommended products are critical. Use Listerine, or if prescribed, PerioMed.

If a localized antibiotic (Arestin) was placed, please follow all additional instructions given to you at your appointment. Be sure to not floss the treated area for at least 10 days.

In most cases, only one half of the mouth is treated at a visit. Please remember to keep all appointments to complete the treatment on the opposite side, and all follow-up appointments thereafter.

Crowns

If your crown is sent to a lab to be made, you will have a temporary crown that protects the site while the custom crown is being produced. Temporary cement is used so that the crown can be easily removed at your next appointment.

If your temporary crown comes off before your next appointment, place the temporary back on your tooth with tooth cement from the drug store or call our office.

With your temporary crown and with your permanent crown, you may experience some discomfort due to irritation of the area during the treatment procedures. You may also experience sensitivity to cold or pressures.

Your new permanent crown will be shaped and shaded especially to your teeth in color and fit. The temporary crown is made to serve you temporarily, so its color and fit are not custom-matched to your teeth.

After your new permanent crown is in place you may need a few days to adjust to it. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment and we can adjust it.

Care for your new crown with proper brushing and flossing. It is especially important to keep the edge of the crown clean at the gum line.

Bridges

Bridges usually take two or three appointments to complete. On the first appointment, the teeth are prepared. A temporary bridge is placed to protect the teeth while the custom restorations are being made.

After each appointment when anesthetic has been used, your lips, teeth and tongue may be numb for several hours. Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.

To help keep your temporary in place, avoid eating sticky foods (especially gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew only on the opposite side of your mouth. On rare occasions, the temporary bridge can come off. Call us if this happens, and keep the temporary so it can be re-cemented. It's very important for the proper fit of your final restoration that temporaries stay in place. It's normal to experience some sensitivity to heat, cold and pressure after each appointment.

Your gums may be sore for several days. Rinse three times a day with warm salt water to reduce pain and swelling. Use medication only as directed.

It's important to continue to brush normally, but floss very carefully and pull the floss out from the side to prevent pulling out the temporary crown. If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or you have any other questions or concerns, please call us immediately.

Implant Placements

FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY:

Do not spit. Use a tissue to wipe your mouth as needed, or swallow your saliva.
Do not use a drinking straw. Drink straight from the cup.
Do not smoke.
Keep fingers and tongue away from the surgical area.

Spitting, the use of a straw, smoking, and poking can dislodge the blood clot that is forming, and will cause bleeding from the area. Also, smoking can increase the chances of an infection.

FOR BLEEDING:
Some minor bleeding is expected after implant surgery. It will usually subside quickly, and stop within an hour or two after surgery. A little oozing is normal and may persist for several hours. Upper implants may occasionally trigger some bleeding from the nose. This is normal and will stop quickly.

Keep gauze on the surgical area with some pressure for 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove the gauze after 30 to 45 minutes, and replace it with a new piece of gauze if you are still bleeding. It is important to make sure the gauze is directly on the surgical site. Firm pressure for another hour should stop the bleeding. Be careful when removing the gause not to dislodge the clot at the extraction site.
If you find that this is not working after your third attempt, use a moistened tea bag instead of the gauze. The tannic acid in tea will help to form a clot, and stop the bleeding.
If all else fails, call the office.

FOR SWELLING:
Most patients will experience some swelling after surgery in the mouth. It may be mild or severe, and is different for every patient. The swelling will get bigger for the first 24 to 48 hours before it starts to go away. It may last for several days to one week. Some bruising may also develop on the face.

Use an ice pack on the cheek or face next to the surgical site. Keep it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then off for 10 minutes, and repeat until you go to sleep. Start again the next day.
Sleep with your head elevated slightly above the heart. This will keep swelling down.
On the third day, change to moist heat instead of ice packs. This will bring the swelling down quicker.

EATING:
You may eat soft foods as soon as the anesthetic wears off. Try not to chew directly on the surgical site. You may resume a regular diet as soon as you feel up to it. Please stay well nourished, and well hydrated, you will heal faster.

BRUSHING:
You may brush your teeth, avoiding the surgical area, either tonight, or tomorrow morning. Be gentle, and do not spit or rinse forcefully. Start brushing the surgical area on the second day, and be very gentle on the stitches.

RINSING:
You may start rinsing tomorrow, gently, with some warm salty water every few hours. Do not use alcohol-containing mouth rinses for a few days.

MEDICATIONS:
You were probably given one or more prescriptions for medications. Take all medications with a full glass of water, and as directed on the bottle. Call us if you experience severe nausea or diarrhea, or cannot swallow your pills.

Antibiotics: Continue until the bottle is empty. Do not quit halfway.
Pain Medicine: Continue as necessary. Remember that narcotics can make you drowsy, so no driving, operating machinery, or alcoholic beverages while you are taking them.
Mouth rinse: Peridex or Periogard. Swish with one-half ounce for thirty seconds, and spit it out, two times per day.