Post-Surgical Instructions

Oral Hygiene

  • Gently, but thoroughly brush the areas that were treated today. The gums will be tender and you may notice a little bleeding

  • Tomorrow you may begin interproximal (between the teeth) home care ie: floss, proxy brush, soft pick, rubber tip, etc. The tissue will be tender and may bleed, but this should subside in 2-4 days with routine home care

  • You may use warm salt water rinses as often as you would like; these are very soothing to the gum tissue

Diet

  • There are no restrictions to what you may eat. Be very careful while your lips and tongue are numb so that you don’t
    bite them

  • Avoid hard, crunchy food for a day or two

Swelling & Discomfort

  • Most patients report that they have minimal discomfort following this procedure

  • If the tissue is bothering you, take your usual over the counter (OTC) pain reliever

  • Use warm salt water rinses to help with discomfort

  • If the discomfort is not controlled with OTC pain relievers and salt water rinses, please call our office

 Activities & Habits

  • There are no limitations to any activities or exercise. Let discomfort be your guide

Bleeding

  • It is normal to have minor bleeding for a few hours following today’s appointment

Other

  • Some patient’s report that they have sore or stiff jaw joints following this procedure. This is because of opening wide for an extended period of time. Use over the counter Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) if you are able to take this and warm moist heat on the side of the face. Slow gentle stretching also helps alleviate the soreness

 

Scaling and Root Planing