Patient Care

  1. Do not eat or drink for 2 hours after treatment. After 2 hours, and for the first 24 hours, avoid hot drinks and eat only soft, cold food (such as cold puree, dairy products and ice cream). For the first week avoid hot food and hot drinks.
  2. After the surgery it is recommended to gently press the area with a soft, sterile pad, in order to stimulate the coagulation and stop the bleeding.
  3. For the first 24 hours it is possible to see blood in the saliva – this is normal, even if there are traces of blood on the pillow after sleeping. Avoid spitting or washing your mouth for the first 24 hours, in order to let the wound start the healing process. If the bleeding continues after 24 hours, or the amount of blood is significant, contact your dentist.
  4. In the evening after the treatment do not brush your teeth or use mouthwash.
  5. After 36 hours it is recommended to wash the mouth twice a day for 2 weeks, using commercial mouthwash or salt mouthwash (1/4 teaspoon of salt per one glass of warm water). Gargle the mouthwash for 1 minute, spit it out, and avoid washing the mouth or eating for the next 30 minutes.
  6. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol for the first 24 hours. It is recommended to avoid smoking until the treatment area is fully healed.
  7. If any antibiotics or analgesics (painkillers) were prescribed by the dentist, use them according to instructions.
  8. If the treatment area is bleeding in the upcoming days, press the area with a sterile pad or a wet tea bag.
  9. In the first 2-3 days hematomas or swelling of the tissues might appear in the treatment area, cheek or under the eye, and should disappear after a week. In order to speed up the disappearance of the marks it is recommended to press ice gently the area on the day of treatment (10 minutes with ice and 10 minutes without, for a couple of hours) and sleeping with your head raised for the first 2 nights.
  10. Absorbable sutures are expected to stay in the mouth for 2 weeks, and there is no need to remove them. If they are non-absorbable, they should be removed by the dentist after 5-7 days. In both cases, do not brush the sutured area for the first week after treatment.
  11. If any problem arises, or if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask your dentist.

Cold packs are recommended for the first 24 hours.
The patient is advised to maintain a soft diet and avoid hot liquids and to favor the opposite side of the mouth.
Sutures may be removed after 7 days. Analgesics/Antibiotics may be prescribed at the discretion of the practitioner.Peri-operative oral rinses with a 0.12% Chlorhexidine Digluconate solution have been shown to significantly lower the incidence Of post-implantation infectious complications. A preoperative one minute rinse is recommended, followed by four daily Rinses for two weeks following surgery.

For more info:
“Comparative in vitro evaluation of efficacy of mouthrinses against Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacilli and Candida albicans.” Pubmed

“Differences in antimicrobial activity of four commercial 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthrinse formulations: an in vitro contact test and salivary bacterial counts study.”Pubmed