What You Should Do After Periodontal Surgery

The following information has been prepared to help answer the many questions you may have regarding the surgical procedure which has just been performed. Please read the instructions carefully. Our experience has shown them to be very helpful.

1. When the anesthesia wears off, you may have some discomfort from the operation hat was just performed. Your dentist can recommend a pain medication for you, if necessary.
2. A periodontal dressing has been placed around your teeth. It is comparable to the surgical dressing used in other types of operations. It serves a very useful purpose and should not be disturbed.
3. The periodontal dressing will become semi-rigid within a few hours. It can then withstand some of the forces of chewing without breaking. Please limit yourself to a semi-solid diet and avoid excessively hot foods for the first day. After this period, you may return to your regular diet. However, avoid eating on the side with the dressing.
4. The dressing should be permitted to remain in place as long as possible. Small particles may chip off during the week. Should a sizable portion become loose or fall off, please call the office.

    While the dressing is in place, you may notice a slight pain or soreness in the cheek or inside of the mouth. The edge of the dressing may be irritating the tissue. You should not be concerned that anything has gone wrong in the operated area. Please call the office if the soreness persists. It can be easily remedied.

5. Rinsing is not an important part of the treatment. The only real purpose it serves is to give you a sense of better oral hygiene. Do not rinse for 24 hours following your surgery. After that time period, if your mouth does not feel clean, you may rinse every two hours with warm water or a diluted mouthwash.
6. You may use your toothbrush as you usually do, but do not use it on the dressing. Avoid vigorous brushing in parts of the mouth which have previously been operated upon and from which the dressing has been removed. Try to keep food from accumulating in these areas with gentle use of a toothbrush and the rubber tip.
7. You may follow your regular daily activities. Avoid excessive exertion of any type. Athletics and long exposure to the sun should be avoided for the first three days after the operation. Also…no swimming.
8. You may experience a slight feeling of weakness, chills or fever during the first 24 hours. This should not be cause for alarm, but it should be reported to the office.
9. There may be occasional blood in the saliva for the first four to five hours after the operation. This is not unusual and will correct itself. If there is considerable bleeding, take a piece of sterile gauze, form it into the shape of a “U”, hold it in the thumb and index finger, apply it to both sides of the dressing and hold it under gentle pressure for 10 minutes. Do not remove it during this period to examine it. If the bleeding does not stop at the end of this time, please contact the office. Under no conditions should rinsing be used to try to stop the bleeding. Call the office.
10. If you are concerned about the progress of your recovery, please call the office.