Post-Operative Instructions

The information below includes helpful instructions on what to do following dental treatment.  Please read the section that applies to you.  The guidelines will help ensure the quickest healing time, help you deal with possible discomfort, and prevent complications.  It will also help you solve certain problems such as a temporary crown falling off.

1. Crowns & Bridges (1st appointment)

2. Crowns & Bridges (Placement appointment)

3. Extractions

4. Root Canal Treatment

5. Fillings (Amalgam or Composite)

6. Deep Cleaning (Gum treatment)

7. APT (Advanced gum treatment)

8. Mini-APT (Betadine^® or Peridex^®)

Home Care

After your Temporary Crown or Bridge

(1st Appointment)

Numbness:  Numbness usually lasts 2 hours.  Please do not chew anything or drink hot or cold liquids until your numbness is gone.

Chewing:  Do not chew on your temporary crown or bridge at all.

Temporary:  If your temporary comes loose, don’t panic – it’s not an emergency.  Place it back on your tooth using a small amount of either of the following temporary cements:

• Fixodent (denture adhesive from any drugstore),

• Fluoridated toothpaste (it will hold the crown in), or

• Vaseline (also acts as a cement in a crown),

and gently brush away any excess.  If you were not successful with any of the above methods, call us for an appointment to recement your temporary.  Do not leave your temporary out of your mouth because teeth will shift and prevent the fitting of your permanent crown or bridge.

Discomfort:  We expect slight discomfort following your treatment.

• For gums:  Rinse 3 or 4 times daily with warm salt water (½ teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water).  Do not avoid gentle brushing!  A clean mouth heals faster.

• For Muscles:  Gently chew on a piece of sugarless gum to relax muscles.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment.  Avoid hard foods like raw vegetables.

• For teeth:  Be patient; time will heal.  Do not chew on the temporary.  Use your favorite brand of pain reliever if necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental pain).  Call us if you have excessive pain.

Temperature:  Avoid extreme hot or cold on your newly prepared teeth; they may be sensitive.  This is normal and may last from a few days to several weeks, gradually improving.

Reappointing:  You must come back for your next appointment to continue treatment.  Delays may cause loss of temporaries, movement of teeth, pain, decay, and more.  This may necessitate additional treatment or a remake of your crown at additional cost.

Call us:  If you have any further questions or concerns call us.

Home Care

After your New Crown or Bridge

(Placement Appointment)

Numbness:  Numbness usually lasts 2 hours.  If you were numbed today, please do not chew anything or drink hot or cold liquids until your numbness is gone.

Chewing:  Your crown or bridge is ready to use about 20 minutes after cementation unless you are numb.  If you were numbed, please wait until numbness is gone.  Never chew ice on crowns or bridges or even natural teeth; ice causes fractures.

Temporary:  If your crown or bridge was cemented with temporary cement, then you must come back for permanent cementation when directed by your doctor.  Do not delay that procedure.

If your crown or bridge comes loose, don’t panic – it’s not an emergency.  Please call us for an appointment to recement your crown or bridge.  Do not delay that procedure either.  Teeth can move, preventing the fitting of the crown or bridge.

 Discomfort:  We expect slight discomfort following your treatment.

• For gums:  Rinse 3 or 4 times daily with warm salt water (½ teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water).  Do not avoid gentle brushing!  A clean mouth heals faster.

• For Muscles:  Gently chew on a piece of sugarless gum to relax muscles.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment, and avoid hard foods like raw vegetables.

• For teeth:  Be patient.  Time will heal.  Do not chew on a hurting tooth, and use your favorite brand of pain reliever if necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental pain).  Call us if you have excessive pain.

Temperature:  Avoid extreme hot or cold on your new crown or bridge.  The teeth may be sensitive.  This is normal, and may last from a few days to several weeks, gradually improving.

Hygiene:  Brush and floss as usual or as directed, even if your crown or bridge was cemented with temporary cement (only be more gentle).  Pay careful attention to the gumline when brushing.  You should also massage the gum around the crown or bridge towards the tooth, not away from the tooth.

Call us:  If you have any further questions or concerns call us.

Home Care

After your Extraction

Numbness:  Numbness usually lasts 2 hours.  If you were numbed today, please do not chew anything or drink hot or cold liquids until your numbness is gone.

Bleeding:  Maintain gentle pressure by biting on cotton gauze placed over the surgical area.  A tea bag gently moistened and wrapped in gauze also works well.  Keep steady, firm pressure for 20 minutes.  Change and repeat as necessary.

Rinsing:  Do not rinse or use mouthwash at all for the first 24 hours.  After 24 hours rinse with warm salt water (½ teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water) every 1 or 2 hours.  Be gentle -- aggressive rinsing may dislodge the healing tissue in the surgical area.  Avoid commercial mouth rinses in the early healing stage.

Discomfort:  Following dental surgery it is normal to feel some discomfort.  If medication has been prescribed to you, use it as directed on the label.  If not, use your favorite brand of pain reliever as necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental discomfort).

• For Muscles:  Gently chew on a piece of sugarless gum to relax sore muscles after the first 24 hours have passed.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment, and avoid hard foods like raw vegetables.

Brushing:  Carefully brush all areas in the mouth not involved by the surgical procedure.  A clean mouth heals better and faster!

Swelling:  Control swelling by gently applying ice packs for periods of 20 minutes ON, 10 minutes OFF for the first 24 hours only.

AVOID:  Avoid the following during the entire healing period, especially the first 24 hours:  aggressive rinsing, forceful spitting, touching or picking at the surgical area, drinking thru a straw, alcohol, and smoking.  Avoid skipping meals.  Eat well balanced meals with low or no refined carbohydrates.  Eat soft foods until you are comfortable chewing.

Call us:  If you have any further questions or concerns call us.

Home Care

After your Root Canal Therapy

Numbness:  Numbness usually lasts 2 hours.  If you were numbed today, please do not chew anything or drink hot or cold liquids until your numbness is gone.

Chewing:  Do not chew on the tooth AT ALL until the treatment is finalized (crowned).

Temporary:  If your temporary crown or bridge comes loose, don’t panic – it’s not an emergency.  Place it back on your tooth using a small amount of either of the following temporary cements:

• Fixodent (denture adhesive from any drugstore),

• Fluoridated toothpaste (it will hold the crown in), or

• Vaseline (also acts as a cement in a crown),

and gently brush away any excess.  If you were not successful with any of the above methods, call us for an appointment to recement your temporary.  Do not leave your temporary out of your mouth because teeth will shift and prevent the fitting of your permanent crown or bridge.  If you only had a temporary filling, leave it alone.  Just keep your tooth clean by brushing thoroughly and be sure to continue with the permanent restoration without delay.

Discomfort:  We expect slight discomfort following your treatment.

• For gums:  Rinse 3 or 4 times daily with warm salt water (½ teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water).  Do not avoid gentle brushing!  A clean mouth heals faster.

• For Muscles:  Gently chew on a piece of sugarless gum to relax muscles.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment, and avoid hard foods like raw vegetables.

• For teeth:  Be patient.  Do not chew on the tooth at all.  Use your favorite brand of pain reliever if necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental pain).  Call us if you have excessive pain.

Medication:  Take prescribed medications as directed on the label.

Finalizing Treatment:  Remember that root canal treatment is not the final treatment for a tooth.  Your tooth will need a final restoration for protection, such as a crown or a filling.  Ask your dentist about finalizing treatment, and remember not to chew on the tooth AT ALL until then.

Call us:  Be sure to call if you notice any swelling, rash, itching, fever, etc… or if you have any further questions or concerns.

Home Care

After your Silver or White Filling

Numbness:  Numbness usually lasts 2 hours.  If you were numbed today, please do not chew anything or drink hot or cold liquids until your numbness is gone.

Chewing:  Do not chew on your new silver fillings for 24 hours.  However, you can chew on teeth with white fillings after numbness is gone.

Children:  Observe children carefully until their numbness has worn off.  Due to the strange feeling of the anesthesia, many children will chew on the inside of their lips, cheeks, or tongue, which can cause serious tissue damage.

Discomfort:  We expect slight discomfort following your treatment.

•  For gums:  Rinse 3 or 4 times daily with warm salt water (½ teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water).  Do not avoid gentle brushing!  A clean mouth heals faster.

• For Muscles:  Chew a piece of sugarless gum to relax muscles.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment.  Eat only soft foods until muscle soreness is gone.

• For teeth:  Be patient; time will heal.  Do not chew on a hurting tooth, and use your favorite brand of pain reliever if necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental pain).  Call us if you have excessive pain.

Temperature:  Avoid extreme hot or cold on your teeth with new fillings; they may be sensitive.  This is normal, and may last from a few days to several weeks, gradually improving.

Your Bite:  You may notice slight changes in your bite after your new fillings.  Your bite should settle in and feel comfortable after 1-2 weeks.  If you have persistent discomfort with your bite, especially on white fillings, please call us to make an appointment for adjustments.

Call us:  If you have any further questions or concerns call us.

Home Care

After your Deep Cleaning (Periodontal Treatment)

Numbness:  Numbness usually lasts 2 hours.  Please do not chew anything or drink hot or cold liquids until your numbness is gone.

Discomfort: We expect slight discomfort following your treatment.

• For gums:  Rinse 3 or 4 times daily with warm salt water (½ teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water).  Do not avoid gentle brushing!  A clean mouth heals faster.

• For Muscles:  Gently chew a piece of sugarless gum to relax muscles.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment.  Eat only soft foods until muscle soreness is gone.

• For teeth:  Be patient; time will heal.  Use your favorite brand of pain reliever if necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental pain).  Call us if you have excessive pain.

Healing:  Remember, a clean mouth heals faster.  Rinse several times a day with warm salt water.  If you prefer to use a flavored mouthwash, you may dilute it with warm water and rinse.  This is beneficial for both healing and mouth cleanliness.

Brushing:  Brush thoroughly but gently.  Use a soft brush warmed in hot water with emphasis on the area of the tooth near the gumline.  If you have been using rubber tips, water piks, or other dental aids, continue to do so.  Do not avoid brushing even if your gums are sore!

Bleeding:  Your gums may bleed for a few days when you brush or floss.  Don’t be alarmed; this is common.  Continue brushing and flossing even if your gums bleed.

Temperature:  Avoid extreme hot or cold on your teeth; they may be sensitive.  This is normal, and may last from a few days to several weeks, gradually improving.  We recommend the use of anti-sensitivity toothpastes (like Sensodyne) or concentrated prescription fluoride gels (like Prevident or GelKam).

Call us:  If you have any further questions or concerns call us.

Home Care

After your Antibacterial Periodontal Therapy -- APT

Also see After your Deep Cleaning

Medications:   Continue to take as prescribed.  This treatment often requires the use of antibiotics.  If you had antibiotics prescribed, it is very important that you continue to take them as directed until finished.  Do not skip a dose, do not double a dose, and do not stop taking them!

Peridex^®:  Rinse 2 times-a-day for 2 weeks.  You received a prescription-only mouthwash called Peridex^® (0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate).  The antibacterial property of this mouthwash is an integral part of this treatment.  You should use it as directed by your doctor.  The best results are obtained if you rinse for 30 seconds after breakfast and 30 seconds before bedtime.  Since this is a strong antibacterial agent, you may notice some side effects:  staining of your teeth and/or tongue, and alteration of taste.  Rest assured, these are only temporary side-effects and will reverse after the 2 weeks have passed.

Drops : Use 1 time daily for 2 weeks.  You also received a small glass dropper bottle which contains 4% chlorhexidine gluconate – 33 times stronger than the concentration found in Peridex^®.  This is used to help prevent bacteria from growing and living on your tongue.  Using 3 drops on a dry brush, scrub the entire top surface of your tongue.  Try to reach as far back as possible – the further back you reach, the more bacteria you will kill.  Do this once daily before bedtime for two weeks.  Again, this will stain your tongue and alter your taste temporarily.

Brushing:  This is the most effective way to eliminate bacteria.  Try to brush after every meal and before bedtime, the most important time being before bedtime.  Remember to use very small motions and to hold the brush at a 45° angle towards your gums as shown during your appointment.

Flossing:  Probably the number 1 cause of periodontal disease is not flossing enough.  Now you have a fresh start and a chance to prove you can do it.  To prevent periodontal disease (and cavities) you must floss at least once a day, most importantly before bedtime.

Health:  When combined, all of the above techniques will help you to avoid health problems associated with oral bacteria.  It is up to you to maintain a clean and healthy mouth.  Please be prepared to spend around 10 minutes every night for these 2 weeks to do your “homework.”  After these 2 weeks, you should spend at least 5 minutes to floss and brush every night.  Always floss before brushing.  Remember that your diet has an important effect on your oral health also!

Appointing:  Your next appointment should be in 2 weeks.  Do not skip or delay this appointment.

Home Care

After your  Betadine^® and Peridex^® Treatment

Peridex^®:  Rinse 2 times-a-day for 2 weeks.  You received a prescription-only mouthwash called Peridex^® (0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate).  The antibacterial property of this mouthwash is an integral part of this treatment.  You should use it as directed by your doctor.  The best results are obtained if you rinse for 30 seconds after breakfast and 30 seconds before bedtime.  Since this is a strong antibacterial agent, you may notice some side effects:  staining of your teeth and/or tongue, and alteration of taste.  Rest assured, these are only temporary side-effects and will reverse after the 2 weeks have passed.

Brushing:  This is the most effective way to eliminate bacteria.  Try to brush after every meal and before bedtime, the most important time being before bedtime.  Remember to use very small motions and to hold the brush at a 45° angle towards your gums.

Flossing:  Probably the number 1 cause of periodontal disease is not flossing enough.  Now you have a fresh start and a chance to prove you can do it.  To prevent periodontal disease (and cavities) you must floss at least once a day, most importantly before bedtime.

Appointing:  Your next appointment should be in 2 weeks.  Do not skip or delay this appointment.

Discomfort:  We expect slight discomfort following your treatment.

• For gums:  Rinse 3 or 4 times daily with warm salt water (1 teaspoon table salt in 8 oz. warm water).  Do not avoid gentle brushing!  A clean mouth heals faster.

• For Muscles:  Gently chew a piece of sugarless gum to relax muscles.  Chew on the side opposite your treatment.  Eat only soft foods until muscle soreness is gone.

• For teeth:  Be patient; time will heal.  Use your favorite brand of pain reliever if necessary (ibuprofen tends to work best for dental pain).  Call us if you have excessive pain.

Bleeding:  Your gums may bleed for a few days when you brush or floss.  Don’t be alarmed; this is common.  Continue brushing and flossing even if your gums bleed.

Temperature:  Avoid extreme hot or cold on your teeth; they may be sensitive.  This is normal, and may last from a few days to several weeks, gradually improving.  We recommend the use of anti-sensitivity toothpastes (like Sensodyne) or concentrated prescription fluoride gels (like Prevident or GelKam) that we can prescribe for you.

Call us:  If you have any further questions or concerns call us.