Home Care Instructions for Dental Procedures
We provide detailed recovery instructions for procedures that require post-operative care. We ensure you understand how to take care of yourself before sending you home. If you ever forget or need a reminder about any care instructions, don’t hesitate to contact us. You can also refer to the home care instructions below.
Post Dental Operative Care Tips and Suggestions
We typically numb specific areas of your mouth with a local anesthetic. This approach enhances your comfort and allows you to relax in the chair without experiencing excessive vibrations or heat. The anesthetic’s effects may persist for some time, particularly in areas like the tongue, lips, and roof of the mouth. You should refrain from consuming beverages or food during this period.
We strongly recommend avoiding sticky or hard foods after the procedure. If we place a temporary restoration while awaiting the permanent one, we use a specialized dental adhesive. This adhesive offers flexibility when exposed to particularly sticky or hard foods. If any problem persists beyond a week, contact us to schedule an appointment for further evaluation. We accommodate any necessary adjustments to your appointment.
Inform us if you engage in regular sports activities or intense physical exertion. We can craft a personalized mouthguard for you. Additionally, notify us if you experience teeth grinding at night or wake up with jaw discomfort. We can provide a nightguard tailored to improve your sleep quality and ensure you wake up refreshed.
Guidelines for After Cosmetic Reconstruction
You should expect to feel a large or awkward sensation in your mouth for at least a few days when we make substantial or minor changes to the way your teeth look. Your mouth has not changed drastically for many years. When something changes (like biting your cheek), your mouth tends to obsess over the new sensation. We change the texture, size, and thickness of a tooth. It is very reasonable to expect it to be a point of annoyance for a few days until your mouth gets used to it.
If you still notice an irregularity in your bite or a problematic sensation after a week or so, contact us. We will happily schedule an appointment to make changes to the reconstruction.
For a couple of weeks while you get used to your new reconstructions, expect sensitivity to heat and cold. The teeth will require time and exposure to heal and get used to the new sensations. They will be tender in the meantime. The gums will also take some time to cease feeling sore or minutely painful.
You can generally treat these issues with a rinse of warm salt water a few times a day and after meals. Salt water will help reduce swelling and pain at the site. You can take light pain medications. They do a great job of reducing discomfort and swelling.
Cosmetic Dental procedure
If a new reconstruction affects your speech, you will likely overcome it in a few days. Many people tend to salivate more after cosmetic dental procedures – a normal response. Your brain thinks something must be washed out of the mouth and responds by flooding it with excess saliva. This should subside in around a week.
Continue your normal oral health routine of brushing at least twice a day and flossing once. Treat your new cosmetic reconstructions as you would natural teeth, but more carefully. They are not natural teeth.
Avoid chewing on hard things like ice or using your teeth to open packaging. Your new teeth are brittle and can chip or crack. Some foods you might want to avoid chewing with your new teeth are:
- Sticky or hard candies
- Ice
- Hard nuts
- Peanut brittle
- Fingernails
- Pencils and pens
It is wise to refrain from foods and drinks that are known to stain teeth as they can have a similar but more pronounced effect on cosmetics. Things like coffee, red wine, and tea have a particularly strong staining effect on teeth and cosmetics.
Care Tips Following Crown and Bridge Appointments
We complete crowns and bridges, dental appliances, in two visits to our office. During the first appointment, we measure your teeth for restoration and place a temporary crown over the tooth/teeth to be restored. The temporary is only designed to stay on your teeth for a couple of weeks. We make it easily removable, so it can’t withstand sticky or hard foods.
You may experience increased sensitivity to heat and cold. Avoid very cold or hot foods or drinks on that side of your mouth until the sensation becomes less pronounced. If your temporary restoration comes off, please call us and come into our office. We will be happy to replace it.
Post-Tooth Extraction Guidance for Healing
Extract a tooth, and it becomes crucial for a blood clot to form in the extraction site. This initiates the healing process. Keep the gauze pad on the site for 30 minutes to an hour. It will allow a good clot to form. If the site bleeds or oozes for any reason, place another gauze pad into the area. Apply pressure to it with your jaw. Once the blood clot forms, it is important for it to stay in place. However, blood clots in the mouth face various elements that can dislodge them.
We recommend avoiding the following activities for about three days while waiting for the site to heal:
- Using a straw
- Smoking
- Drinking alcoholic beverages
- brushing teeth near the extraction site
- Vigorous physical activity
Apply a cold compress to the site if you notice swelling. Swelling usually subsides within two to three days. Complete the full set of antibiotics if we prescribe them. You should never stop taking antibiotics midway through the prescription.
Best Practices After Composite (White) Fillings
Composite and other forms of fillings offer the most leeway and are the most forgiving restorative dental procedures we provide. We will numb the site, so you must wait for the numbing agent to wear off before eating or drinking. Otherwise, you may accidentally bite yourself. You can eat and drink as soon as the numbing agent wears off, as we firmly set the filling material in place.
If your bite feels uneven, if you experience persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our Salem Office at (503) 877-1598. Alternatively, you can reach our Monmouth office at (503) 877-1590.