Instructions

Instructions after a filling or extraction

smiling boys at dental officeOnly liquids until the mouth and teeth wake up(about 1 ½-2 hrs), to prevent your child from biting their lips, cheeks or tongue.  Ice cream is considered a liquid and is a great treat after an apt., especially since it has calcium.  Do not let your child bite, pinch, or play with their lips, or tongue.  If your child bites themselves, it will be very painful, may swell and get secondarily infected.  You will usually notice this up to 24 hrs after the appointment.  Call the office, they may need an antibiotic prescribed if they get secondarily infected.

Extraction

  • Bite on gauze given for 20-30 minutes
  • Do not eat anything until the numbness wears off
  • Soft diet for a few days, ice cream, applesauce, pasta, yogurt are good choices
  • You should expect blood tinged saliva for next 24 hrs
  • If there is excessive bleeding please call the office for an evaluation
  • Give over the counter medication(what you normally give for fever) for pain when you get home
  • If resorbable sutures were placed they will dissolve in about a week
  • Do not drink through a straw, use a cup for 24 hrs
  • Do not spit for 24 hrs
  • Brush your teeth as normal but avoid the extraction area until it is feeling better