Post-op instructions

We have created a list of instructions to answer commonly asked questions after oral surgery. Thank you for taking the time to read the following information in its entirety. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions.

• Do not eat anything spicy, sticky or crunchy for 7 days following surgery. Also, avoid any foods or drinks that are above body temperature. Very hot liquids can affect the healing process.
• No suction of any kind for 3 days after surgery. This includes smoking, using straws, or spitting.
• Avoid heavy lifting or exercise for 2 days following surgery as this increases your heart rate and bleeding.
• You will be given sterile gauze from our office at the time of surgery. This will act as the “band- aid” inside your mouth. Every 20 minutes this gauze is to be changed and held between the teeth with moderate biting pressure until the bleeding mostly stops. It is normal for a little blood to seep for 1-3 days following surgery. Remember that a few drops of blood in the mouth mixed with saliva can make the whole mouth look red.
• Use ice packs on 20 minute cycles to reduce swelling.
• Warm salt water rinses should be used following all meals for the first week to help cleanse the surgical area.
• Prescriptions may or may not be provided depending on the procedure. As with all medications, follow the directions exactly as prescribed.
• Stitches, collagen, or a bone graft may be used to assist in healing.

Please remember that surgical procedures vary greatly in terms how invasive they are. Many factors can affect the complication of the surgery and the healing process. These are general guidelines to follow and inform the patient, but specific instructions may be given at the time of surgery that may vary from what is written here.