Surgical After care
Oral Surgical / Dental Extraction After care
Good after care is essential to successful oral surgical/dental extraction treatment and a comfortable and quick recovery. If you have any doubts, concerns or questions that are not addressed here, please contact us immediately.
The First 48 Hours
What you should do immediately after a surgical procedure
If a gauze pack was placed on the surgical site / extraction socket, continue biting with firm pressure on the gauze for another one to two hours or until there is no obvious bleeding. You will be given sterile gauze to change if the one in your mouth is soaked (IMPORTANT : it is not necessary to change the gauze even if it is soaked as the main effect of the gauze is PRESSURE on the surgery site)
Keep your mouth as dry as possible for at least 4 hours after the surgery
Apply an ice pack over the surgery area intermittently over the first day. This helps minimize swelling and pain
Avoid very hot food/drinks for the first 3-5 days
Avoid smoking or vaping at least for the first 3-5 days
What to expect
There may be a slight oozing of blood even on the following day. This often shows up as streaks of red in the saliva and does not constitute active bleeding.
You may have a slight swelling or bruises on your face where the surgery/extraction was performed. The swelling will disappear in a few days' time (most commonly 3-5 days but it varies).
As the numbness wears off, post surgical pain gradually sets in. Pain medication is usually dispensed/prescribed/recommended to deal with this and you should take medication as directed.
Precautions to observe
The lips, tongue and/or cheeks may remain numb for several hours. Biting hard on the numb areas will not cause pain, but can cause severe injury. Parents of young patients, please be especially mindful of this. As numbness wears out the sensation is often strange initially and there is a strong temptation to "test" it by biting.
Good after care is essential to successful oral surgical/dental extraction treatment and a comfortable and quick recovery. If you have any doubts, concerns or questions that are not addressed here, please contact us immediately.
The First 48 Hours
What you should do immediately after a surgical procedure
If a gauze pack was placed on the surgical site / extraction socket, continue biting with firm pressure on the gauze for another one to two hours or until there is no obvious bleeding. You will be given sterile gauze to change if the one in your mouth is soaked (IMPORTANT : it is not necessary to change the gauze even if it is soaked as the main effect of the gauze is PRESSURE on the surgery site)
Keep your mouth as dry as possible for at least 4 hours after the surgery
Apply an ice pack over the surgery area intermittently over the first day. This helps minimize swelling and pain
Avoid very hot food/drinks for the first 3-5 days
Avoid smoking or vaping at least for the first 3-5 days
What to expect
There may be a slight oozing of blood even on the following day. This often shows up as streaks of red in the saliva and does not constitute active bleeding.
You may have a slight swelling or bruises on your face where the surgery/extraction was performed. The swelling will disappear in a few days' time (most commonly 3-5 days but it varies).
As the numbness wears off, post surgical pain gradually sets in. Pain medication is usually dispensed/prescribed/recommended to deal with this and you should take medication as directed.
Precautions to observe
The lips, tongue and/or cheeks may remain numb for several hours. Biting hard on the numb areas will not cause pain, but can cause severe injury. Parents of young patients, please be especially mindful of this. As numbness wears out the sensation is often strange initially and there is a strong temptation to "test" it by biting.
General Care
Eat as well as you can, The dietary requirement for the initial one week include fresh fruits, vegetables and non-spicy soft food such as soup, porridge and yoghurt. Minimize chewing by taking a soft diet. If chewing use the other side of the jaw, which was unaffected by the surgery.
Rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash or warm salt water after every meal.
Please refrain from smoking for at least 4 to 5 days after the operation. Smoking has been shown to reduce blood supply to the gums and soft tissues of the mouth and slow down healing as well as causing an increase in the incidence of post surgical infections
Take all medications as prescribed. Antibiotics are types of medication that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria.
Do not consume alcoholic drinks for 3-5 days after the surgery.
Eat as well as you can, The dietary requirement for the initial one week include fresh fruits, vegetables and non-spicy soft food such as soup, porridge and yoghurt. Minimize chewing by taking a soft diet. If chewing use the other side of the jaw, which was unaffected by the surgery.
Rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash or warm salt water after every meal.
Please refrain from smoking for at least 4 to 5 days after the operation. Smoking has been shown to reduce blood supply to the gums and soft tissues of the mouth and slow down healing as well as causing an increase in the incidence of post surgical infections
Take all medications as prescribed. Antibiotics are types of medication that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria.
Do not consume alcoholic drinks for 3-5 days after the surgery.
Rest is important to good post surgical recovery. Do not engage in strenuous activities (e.g aerobics, jogging, swimming) for at least 4 to 5 days after the operation.
Be gentle when washing your face, by not applying too much pressure near the wound area.
Brush your teeth normally, but do not brush hard near the wounded area for the first 4 weeks. You can usually resume brushing normally at the surgical site after about 4-8 weeks. If any pain or discomfort is felt brush more gently and allow the tissues to recover more before trying again.
You may notice a dark blood clot at the site of surgery that gradually changes color to dark purple and then yellowish on the surface. This is normal and represents the blood clot organizing itself and the healing tissues moving in to the area, Please do not scrub it with your toothbrush or scrape it with your fingers. If you do, the wound may re-open and bleed.
Please remember to return to our clinic as scheduled (usually 7-10 days after the surgery) for follow up and/or to remove your sutures. This is important so that we can assess the extent of healing.
Emergencies and what to do
Bleeding is when you find your mouth filling with blood. Streaks of blood in your saliva are quite normal in the first 2 days after a dental extraction/an oral surgery.
If you find yourself in this situation, rinse your mouth briefly with cold water once, then fold a piece of gauze (or a cotton handkerchief) into a tight pad and place directly over the bleeding area. Apply firm, steady pressure on the pad by biting on it for 30 minutes. Repeat twice if bleeding persists. If this fails, please call us immediately for assistance.
Rashes/Swollen Eyes are usually an indicator of an allergic reaction/adverse drug reaction. If a rash or any allergic reaction develops, stop taking the medications prescribed, and contact us immediately.
Many medicines also cause some side effects, like irritation to the stomach. These are 'normal', and you usually need not be alarmed, but if you have any doubts, contact us immediately. You must never consume any alcohol while you are on any medication.
Something Stuck In The Surgical Site : Should anything get stuck in the surgical site (e.g: food particles), rinse it gently with water, mouthwash or salt water. This usually is sufficient to dislodge the object. If you are unable to dislodge the object this way, DO NOT dig into the wound.
Severe Pain : Pain following a surgical procedure is, unfortunately, quite normal. It can usually be resolved by pain medication, but there are times when pain medication may not be totally effective. This may be due to pre-existing inflammation in the surgical site, post operative infection, differing pain thresholds or simply the fact that the person's body does not respond so well to the type of pain medication prescribed.
Such episodes are transient though the duration varies, and can usually be managed by adjusting the dosage of the pain medication or changing the medication. Contact us immediately, and we will be able to advise you.
Others : In the event of an emergency please call us immediately. In the unlikely event we cannot be reached, please seek emergency treatment at the Accident and Emergency Department at any hospital.
Be gentle when washing your face, by not applying too much pressure near the wound area.
Brush your teeth normally, but do not brush hard near the wounded area for the first 4 weeks. You can usually resume brushing normally at the surgical site after about 4-8 weeks. If any pain or discomfort is felt brush more gently and allow the tissues to recover more before trying again.
You may notice a dark blood clot at the site of surgery that gradually changes color to dark purple and then yellowish on the surface. This is normal and represents the blood clot organizing itself and the healing tissues moving in to the area, Please do not scrub it with your toothbrush or scrape it with your fingers. If you do, the wound may re-open and bleed.
Please remember to return to our clinic as scheduled (usually 7-10 days after the surgery) for follow up and/or to remove your sutures. This is important so that we can assess the extent of healing.
Emergencies and what to do
Bleeding is when you find your mouth filling with blood. Streaks of blood in your saliva are quite normal in the first 2 days after a dental extraction/an oral surgery.
If you find yourself in this situation, rinse your mouth briefly with cold water once, then fold a piece of gauze (or a cotton handkerchief) into a tight pad and place directly over the bleeding area. Apply firm, steady pressure on the pad by biting on it for 30 minutes. Repeat twice if bleeding persists. If this fails, please call us immediately for assistance.
Rashes/Swollen Eyes are usually an indicator of an allergic reaction/adverse drug reaction. If a rash or any allergic reaction develops, stop taking the medications prescribed, and contact us immediately.
Many medicines also cause some side effects, like irritation to the stomach. These are 'normal', and you usually need not be alarmed, but if you have any doubts, contact us immediately. You must never consume any alcohol while you are on any medication.
Something Stuck In The Surgical Site : Should anything get stuck in the surgical site (e.g: food particles), rinse it gently with water, mouthwash or salt water. This usually is sufficient to dislodge the object. If you are unable to dislodge the object this way, DO NOT dig into the wound.
Severe Pain : Pain following a surgical procedure is, unfortunately, quite normal. It can usually be resolved by pain medication, but there are times when pain medication may not be totally effective. This may be due to pre-existing inflammation in the surgical site, post operative infection, differing pain thresholds or simply the fact that the person's body does not respond so well to the type of pain medication prescribed.
Such episodes are transient though the duration varies, and can usually be managed by adjusting the dosage of the pain medication or changing the medication. Contact us immediately, and we will be able to advise you.
Others : In the event of an emergency please call us immediately. In the unlikely event we cannot be reached, please seek emergency treatment at the Accident and Emergency Department at any hospital.