Riverside Oral Surgery

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After Wisdom Teeth Removal

The removal of impacted teeth is a serious surgical procedure. Post-operative care is very important. Unnecessary pain and the complications of infection and swelling can be minimized if the instructions are followed carefully.

Immediately Following Surgery

  • The gauze pad placed over the surgical area should be kept for half an hour. After this time, the gauze pad should be removed and discarded.
  • Vigorous mouth rinsing or touching the wound area following surgery should be avoided. This may initiate bleeding by causing the blood clot that has formed to become dislodged.
  • Take the prescribed pain medications as soon as you begin to feel discomfort. This will usually coincide with the local anesthetic becoming diminished.
  • Restrict your activities on the day of surgery and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.
  • Place ice packs on the sides of your face where surgery was performed. Refer to the section on Swelling for an explanation.

Bleeding

A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following surgery. Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not uncommon. Excessive bleeding may be controlled by first rinsing or wiping any old clots from your mouth, then placing a gauze pad over the area and biting firmly for 30 minutes. Repeat if necessary. If bleeding continues, bite on a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. The tea bag’s tannic acid helps form a clot by contracting bleeding vessels. To minimize further bleeding, do not become excited, sit upright, and avoid exercise. If bleeding does not subside, call for further instructions.

Swelling

The swelling that is normally expected is usually proportional to the surgery involved. Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes, and sides of the face is not uncommon. This is the body’s normal reaction to surgery and eventual repair. The swelling will not become apparent until the day following surgery and will not reach its maximum until two to three days post-operatively. However, the swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs. Two plastic bags filled with ice or ice packs should be applied to the sides of the face where surgery was performed. The ice packs should be left on continuously while you are awake. After 24 hours, ice has no beneficial effect. If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction to surgery. Thirty-six hours following surgery, the application of moist heat to the sides of the face is beneficial in reducing the size of the swelling.

Pain

It's not uncommon to experience discomfort or pain after a surgery. To help manage this, it's important to follow your surgeon's instructions regarding medication and dosage. Correctly following their instructions will help avoid potential complications and promote a faster recovery. If you have any additional questions or concerns, don't hesitate to call our office.

Diet

Drink liquids after general anesthesia or IV sedation. Do not use straws when drinking from a glass. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot. You may eat anything soft by chewing away from the surgical site(s). High calorie, high protein intake is very important. Try to maintain a normal diet. You should prevent dehydration by taking fluids regularly. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake. At least five to six glasses of liquid should be taken daily. Try not to miss a single meal. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort, and heal faster if you continue to eat. CAUTION: You may become dizzy if you suddenly sit up or stand from a lying position. If you are lying down following surgery, make sure you sit for one minute before standing.

Keep The Mouth Clean

No rinsing of any kind should be performed until the day following surgery. You can brush your teeth the night of surgery but rinse gently. The day after surgery, you should begin rinsing at least four times a day with a cup of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of salt, especially after eating.

Discoloration

In some cases, discoloration of the skin follows swelling. The development of black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration is due to blood spreading beneath the tissues. This is a normal post-operative occurrence, which may occur two to three days post-operatively. Moist heat applied to the area may speed up discoloration removal.

Antibiotics

If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the tablets or liquid as directed. Antibiotics will be given to help prevent infection. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash or other unfavorable reaction. Call the office if you have any questions.

Nausea & Vomiting

In the event of nausea and/or vomiting following surgery, do not take anything by mouth for at least an hour, including the prescribed medicine. You should then sip on Coke, tea, or ginger ale. You should sip slowly over a 15-minute period. When nausea subsides, you can begin taking solid foods and the prescribed medicine.

 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Patients Just Like you

The entire team was great, from start to finish. Dr. Cho does amazing work. All the research I had done pointed to a week of swelling and pain after some not minor procedures Dr. Cho performed yesterday, but I woke up today feeling great, no swelling, and very minor discomfort. I truly dreaded the entire process, but the Riverside team made the very best of a bad situation. My sincere thanks.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Patients Just Like you

I had a tooth extracted and bone graft done on Friday. Obviously a procedure like this is no fun for anyone, but I knew I was in the best care. Big shout out to Dr. Auerbach and the entire staff at Riverside Oral Surgery - River Edge. They are all kind, patient, respectful, gentle and caring. Aside from the amazing staff, the office is immaculate.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Patients Just Like you

I recently had all 4 of my wisdom teeth extracted at riverside oral surgery with Dr. Lynn. I have very fair skin and expected a lot of bruising and swelling, which to my surprise I have almost none of. Dr. Lynn is extremely professional and charismatic, and clearly a master in his field. I never expected to have such an easy and smooth recovery. Thank you Dr. Lynn and the rest of riverside oral staff for such a great experience!

Other Complications

  • If lip, chin, or tongue numbness occurs, there is no cause for alarm. As stated before surgery, this is usually temporary in nature. You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb, you could bite it and not feel the sensation. So be careful. Call your oral surgeon if you have any questions.
  • A slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. If the temperature persists, notify the office. Tylenol or ibuprofen should be taken to reduce the fever.
  • You should be careful going from lying down position to standing. You were not able to eat or drink prior to surgery. It was also difficult to take fluids. Taking pain medications can make you dizzy. You could get lightheaded when you suddenly stand up. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute and then get up.
  • Occasionally, patients may feel hard projections in the mouth with their tongue. They are not roots; they are the bony walls supporting the tooth. These projections usually smooth out spontaneously. If not, they can be removed by your oral surgeon.
  • If the corners of your mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment such as Vaseline.
  • Sore throats and pain when swallowing is not uncommon. The muscles get swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in two to three days.
  • Stiffness (trismus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event that will resolve in time.

Finally

Sutures are placed in the area of surgery to minimize post-operative bleeding and to help to heal. Sometimes they become dislodged. This is no cause for alarm. Just remove the suture from your mouth and discard it. Our oral surgeons generally utilize self-dissolving sutures; therefore, removal of sutures may not be required. If sutures are to be removed, it takes only a minute or so, and there is no discomfort associated with this procedure. So it’s really nothing to worry about.

The pain and swelling should subside more and more each day following surgery. Call the office for instructions if your post-operative pain or swelling worsens or unusual symptoms occur.

There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed. The cavity will gradually fill in with new tissue over the next month. In the meantime, the area should be kept clean, especially after meals, with salt-water rinses or a toothbrush.

Your case is individual. No two mouths are alike. Do not accept well-intended advice from friends. Discuss your problem with the person best able to help you: your oral surgeon or dentist.

Brushing your teeth is okay just be gentle at the surgical sites.

A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket. Symptoms of pain at the surgical site and even pain in the ear may occur two to three days following surgery. Call the office if this occurs.

If you are involved in regular exercise, be aware that your normal nourishment intake is reduced. Exercise may weaken you. If you get lightheaded, stop exercising.

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