Will I experience any discomfort after the anaesthesia (“freezing”) wears off?

There may be some minor discomfort and swelling, but this is normal.  Before the anaesthetic wears off you should take two analgesic pills (“pain-killers”) as recommended by the dentist.  Providing you are not allergic to Advil™ (ibuprofen) and your medical doctor has not instructed you otherwise, the following regimen is recommended: 400mg of Advil™ (ibuprofen) every 4 hours for the first 24 hours whether you are experiencing pain or not. It is not necessary to wake to continue this regimen. After the first 24 hours, take only as needed for pain.

May I rinse my mouth?

No. You should not rinse your mouth for at least 24 hours following the procedure.  Listerine mouth rinse (any flavor of your choosing) should be started the day after surgery. You should rinse gently in the area that was treated so as not to encourage bleeding.

May I brush my teeth?

You should carefully brush your teeth as usual, but completely avoid the area where the surgery occurred.  Brushing here could encourage bleeding.  If bacterial deposits are allowed to accumulate on the teeth involved in the surgery, healing will be delayed. Therefore it is important to keep the mouth as clean as possible by using Listerine rinse in the surgical area and brushing of the teeth not involved in the surgery.

When may I resume normal cleaning procedures?

This will be discussed at the post operative appointment. There may be special instructions depending on the type of surgery you have had.

What may I eat?

You should keep to a soft, bland diet. Stay away from foods with hard little pieces (ie raspberry jam, flax seeds etc), spicy foods and acidic foods/juices. For the first 24 hours, you should avoid hot food and drink. You should select foods high in protein and vitamins, as these will facilitate healing. Well-cooked vegetables, fish, eggs and dairy products are recommended, if you are normally able to eat these foods. You may wish to take a supplement for vitamins C and B complex as well. These will also facilitate healing.

May I drink alcohol?

You should not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours.

Will I have bleeding in my mouth following surgery?

It is not unusual to have some very minor bleeding or “pink in the sink” for 24 hours following periodontal surgery.  Because blood mixes with saliva, there may appear to be more blood than there actually is. You should not be concerned and avoid spitting or rinsing. If there are large blood clots visible or considerable bleeding several hours after the surgery was performed you should do the following:
1. Take a piece of moist sterile gauze and form it in the shape of a “U”.
2. Holding the gauze between the thumb and index finger, apply gentle pressure to the surgical site for twenty minutes.
3. Do not remove the gauze during this period to examine it.
4. If the bleeding persists afterwards, please contact Dr. Kushner.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD RINSING BE USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP BLEEDING. Rinsing will encourage bleeding.

What about exercise?

Avoid exercise for at least 3 days following the procedure.  If possible, after the surgery go directly home and relax as much as possible. Vigorous exercise such as tennis and aerobics should be avoided for the first week.

Things that you may notice following periodontal surgery

Depending on the type of surgery you have had, the affected teeth may feel and appear looser until complete healing and final therapy is complete. Try to ignore this and do not develop the habit of moving the loose tooth or teeth with your tongue or fingers. Please avoid gritting or grinding of these teeth. It is possible to produce further loosening or movement of the teeth with such habits.
The roots of the teeth that are uncovered following surgery may become temporarily sensitive to hot and/or cold, to tooth brushing and to some foods. If this is a problem, please inform us and we can supply you with special toothpaste or a fluoride mouth rinse to alleviate the situation. You must keep the sensitive spots clean or the problem will worsen instead of improve.

Nights and holidays etc.

If an emergency arises after office hours, or on the weekend, or on a holiday and you have been unable to contact Dr. Kushner please call Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Ave., (416) 586-5133 and ask for the dental resident on call.

Office number: (416) 743-9961

Post Sedation Care

If you have completed your periodontal surgery under oral sedation you may not drive a car, operate heavy machinery or consume alcohol for the next 18 hours or as long as drowsiness/dizziness persists. What you may expect as a result of the sedative medication is drowsiness and possibly some memory impairment. If you have any concerns regarding the sedation or the surgery, please consult the information listed above.