After Your Visit

To maximize the whitening, we ask that for the next 48 hours, you DO NOT consume dark or yellow staining substances such as:

• All Tobacco Products
• Avoid Colored Lipstick
• Coffee / Tea
• Red Wine
• Lettuce & tomatoes
• Soft Drinks / Potato Chips
• Mustard / Ketchup
• Berries
• Red Sauces
• Soy Sauce

Remember that you must not use any colored toothpastes or gels for the first 48 hours. In addition, do not use any colored mouthwash or home fluoride treatments. If your daily homecare involves the use of Perio Rx or any Chlorahexidine, please wait 48 hours before continuing the usage of this product. If post-operative sensitivity occurs, chew sugarless gum to reduce the peroxide levels, take an Advil or Tylenol, or what you would normally use for a headache, and brush with Sensodyne. After scaling and root planning (also known as Deep Cleaning) is completed you may experience slight discomfort around the teeth for several days. You may notice some sensitivity to hot and cold (and sometimes sweets) for up to six weeks' duration. This is a normal course of healing. You should begin to notice a definite improvement in sensitivity within two weeks.

There are several things you can do to help reduce or prevent tooth sensitivity and aid in healing following scaling and root planning. These include:

1. Gentle and thorough plaque removal 2-3 times daily with toothbrush (manual or mechanical), dental floss and/or other health care instruments recommended by our team.

2. Rinsing with warm salt water and/or taking a mild analgesic of your choice will help control discomfort (Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Aleve)

3. Perio Care or Peridex may be prescribed to help reduce inflammation and bleeding. Rinse twice a day for 30 seconds after breakfast and before bed. Continue using the rinse until instructed to stop or until it is gone, whichever is first. This will help ensure you get the complete benefits of the medication.

4. Use of desensitizing products will help reduce sensitivity to hot, cold and sometimes sweets. (Prescription Fluoride Gels, Fluoride Rinses, Sensitive Teeth toothpastes)

Avoid smoking while you're recovering from oral surgery, as the sucking motion could cause bleeding or damage to the surgery site.

In some instances, you may have swelling around the surgery site. For the first couple of days after your surgery, you should put an ice pack on that area for 15 minutes at a time, and then rest for 15 minutes before putting it back on.

After 24 hours, you should also start rinsing your mouth four times a day and after meals with salt water. Your dentist may also prescribe antibiotics or other medication to help you heal.

Foods that are safe to eat after oral surgery

After oral surgery, stick to soft foods, such as soups and yogurts that are rich in Vitamin A or C, for the first two days. Avoid any crunchy or hard foods, such as popcorn or pretzel sticks, for six to eight weeks.

You also should eat foods that are room temperature immediately following your surgery. Avoid hot foods and drinks while still under the influence of the anesthetic as you won't be able to feel pain, so you may burn yourself without realizing that the food is too hot. Don't drink out of a straw or consume alcohol for the first 24 hours following your surgery.

How much healing time is needed after oral surgery?

It will take 48 hours for any swelling or discomfort to go down. During this phase of recovery, lie in bed as much as possible and don't participate in any strenuous exercise or heavy lifting.

After those crucial 48 hours, you can expect to enter a longer-term healing phase. The length of this phase varies based on the type of surgery. Wisdom tooth extractions and other common surgeries often take one-to-two weeks to completely heal; however, any type of jaw surgery can take a month or more to completely heal