Forms & Finances

Food & Drink: Follow a soft diet for a few days. Examples of soft foods include soup, mashed potatoes, yogurt, scrambled eggs, pureed vegetables, and smoothies. Do not consume liquids through a straw. Avoid alcoholic beverages and refrain from smoking until healing is well established. General anesthesia surgery patients only: avoid dairy products for 24hrs as dairy may cause nausea.

Rinsing: Do not rinse, spit or use mouthwash for the first 24 hours. Starting the next morning, you should rinse with a mixture of 1/2 hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 warm water at least 5 times per day for at least six weeks. Brush the rest of your teeth. A clean mouth heals faster.

Sutures: Your sutures will take approximately 7-10 days to dissolve.

Rest: Avoid laying flat, and keep your head elevated on 2-3 pillows for the first 24 hours following surgery. Avoid excessive activity for at least 1 week.

Bleeding: Place folded gauze directly over the wound and bite down firmly for 20 minutes with an ice pack on the same side of your face. If bleeding persists, moisten a regular (not decaf) tea bag with cold water, squeeze excess water out, and place it directly over the wound. Sit straight up, and bite down firmly for 20 minutes, with an ice pack on the same side of your face. Repeat with a new tea bag.

Swelling: Some swelling is normal, and depending on the surgery, maximum swelling may not occur for approximately 48hrs after surgery. To help reduce swelling, gently apply ice packs to the outside of your face for 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off. Continue this for the first 48hrs after surgery. Do not apply heat unless instructed by the doctor.

Discomfort: Some discomfort is normal. Take post-operative pain medication as prescribed. Do not drive while on prescription pain medication. You may take 600-800mg of Ibuprofen up to 4 times per day, and no more than 16 pills in a 24hr period. You can add 650-1000mg Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 3 times per day in between the Ibuprofen.

Follow Up Appointments: Follow up appointments are not always needed, but please contact our office with any questions or concerns.

Implant Patients Only: The day after surgery, rinse with a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and warm water, 4-5 times per day for the entire healing process. You will also be given a prescription for Peridex solution, to be swabbed on the surgical site with a Q-tip 2 times per day for the entire implant process. (Do not rinse with the Peridex solution unless instructed by the doctor.) Sutures can take approximately 3-4 weeks to dissolve. If they have not dissolved after 1 month, the doctor may decide to remove the sutures.