Thank you for choosing Westchester Oral & Maxillofacial Associates to be a part of your care. Below are instructions for post-operative care and we hope this answers any questions you may have. Contact our office directly with any concerns. Have a good rest of your day!
POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING ORAL SURGERY ARE AS FOLLOWS:
AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE:
Keep gauze over the area with biting pressure for 20-30 minutes, making sure you are swallowing your saliva, then remove and replace if needed.
If you were sedated for your procedure, you cannot drive for 24 hours.
BLEEDING:
Some bleeding is normal and expected for the first 48-72 hours after surgery. If bleeding is excessive, place dry gauze or a moistened tea bag over the surgical site and bite firmly for 30 minutes with the head elevated. Please change the gauze every 30 minutes, as needed. If the bleeding becomes heavy, please call the office for further instructions. Do not eat or sleep with gauze in your mouth.
DIET:
For the first 24 hours, soft foods at room temperature or colder are recommended (Jell-O, pudding, applesauce, mashed potatoes, eggs, pasta, etc.) with beverages that are room temperature or cooler.
Avoid foods that are spicy, have small seeds (strawberries or sesame seeds), or are acidic. No straws are allowed for 24 hours postoperatively. After the first 24 hours you may gradually increase your diet to more solid foods.
DISCOMFORT:
Post-op discomfort for the first 72 hours is normal following any oral surgery procedure. Please refer to the medications list for pain management.
SWELLING:
Swelling is normal; it may increase 72 hours following surgery and often subsides after four to five days. To reduce swelling apply cold compresses to the area in 20-minute intervals (20 minutes on / 20 minutes off) for the first 24 hours following your procedure. Swelling may be accompanied by bruising and limited jaw opening, which is normal and no cause for concern.
ORAL HYGIENE:
Begin gently brushing and rinsing 24 hours AFTER surgery. You may use a soft toothbrush to clean the surgical site. Avoid electric toothbrushes and waterpiks near the surgical site for at least five days after surgery.
STITCHES:
The doctor typically places a combination of dissolvable and non dissolvable sutures. The dissolvable ones are likely to dissolve on their own over the next three to seven days. If there are any remaining sutures, they will be removed at your follow up.
POST-OP VISIT: If you have been given a post-operative appointment, please return to the office as scheduled.
POST-OPERATIVE MEDICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Antibiotic:
Take as directed on the prescription bottle. Make sure to complete your antibiotic prescription.
- Medrol® Dosepak (Steroid): If prescribed, take as directed. Instructions are indicated on the packet insert. Make sure to complete this prescription.
- Naproxen (Anti-Inflammatory): Begin the day of surgery and take one pill every 12 hours for at least five days.
- Peridex: Start 24 hours following your surgery. Saturate gauze, place over the surgical site, and bite for 30-60 seconds two times daily for two weeks. Do not rinse with, or swallow, this medication.
- Prescription Pain Medication: If prescription pain medication was ordered for you, take as directed on the prescription bottle. If no prescription pain medication was ordered, over the counter extra strength Tylenol® or Motrin® is recommended.
**Not all medications listed above are prescribed to every patient. Please follow the instructions for the medications that were sent specific to you.**
QUESTIONS and/or CONCERNS: If any questions or concerns, including urgent matters or emergencies, arise after leaving the office, you can reach us by phone. Dr. Kur is on call 24 hours a day for emergencies and we can be reached at (914) 592-0440.
