Perio Implant Health Professionals

Post-operative Instructions

Please review these instructions regarding postoperative care following your periodontal therapy.

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Call the office right away if you notice:

Recovery at a glance

First 4-6 hours
- Keep water or a beverage with crushed ice in your mouth as much as possible
- Take the first pain dose while still numb, if prescribed
First 24 hours
- Cold foods and liquids only
- Cold liquids help prevent swelling
Days 1-2
- Avoid strenuous physical activity
- Slight bleeding or a pink tinge in saliva is not unusual
After 24 hours
- Warm foods and liquids may be started
- Warm moist compresses for swelling outside the mouth

Caring for yourself at home

Points marked Call us tell you when to contact the office.

Periodontal/Implant Surgery, like other surgical procedures, may be associated with varying degrees of discomfort.
This depends on the nature of the procedure involved and differences between individuals.
If your doctor prescribed analgesic (pain) medication, please take it as prescribed only if needed.
It is usually best to take the first dose of analgesic medication while the surgical site is still anesthetized (“numb”).
If the medication contains a narcotic, you should not operate a moving vehicle or machinery.
Antibiotics should be taken as prescribed or until the bottle is empty.
Call usIf nausea, itching, or symptoms of allergy occur, contact the office immediately.

You may notice slight bleeding or a pink tinge in your saliva from the surgical site.
This type of minor bleeding for one or two days is not unusual and should not be of concern.
A moistened gauze or Lipton’s tea bag (not herbal tea) can be firmly pressed against the bleeding site for 10-15 minutes to stop the bleeding.
Call usIf at any time you notice the formation of large blood clots or an obvious flow of blood, which is more than a slight ooze, notify the office at once.

If your doctor has placed sutures (stitches), they usually have to be removed one to two weeks after the surgery.
Do not try to remove them yourself.
Call usIf you notice that a suture has come out or is loose, notify the office during working hours.

A periodontal dressing is often used to cover surgical sites from one to two weeks for your comfort.
If it should become loose or fall off without discomfort, it is usually fine to leave the dressing off.
Call usShould the dressing come loose or dislodge, and there is pain or bleeding, notify the office during working hours.

For your comfort, a diet with a soft consistency is recommended.
Avoid chewing in the areas of surgery.
Avoid hard, fibrous, or “sharp” foods (such as corn chips) as these may be uncomfortable and can dislodge the periodontal dressing and/or create some bleeding.
Drink plenty of liquids.
The first 24 hours should consist of cold foods and liquids only.
Water or a beverage with crushed ice should be kept in the mouth as much as possible for 4-6 hours immediately after the surgery.
Warm foods and liquids may be started 24 hours after the surgery.

Continue to brush and floss the teeth that were not involved in the surgery area.
Oral hygiene in the surgical site should be limited to the use of a post surgical toothbrush and gently rinsing with an anti-microbial mouth rinse.
The dressing may be gently wiped with a moistened Q-tip or the post operative toothbrush.
Please follow the home care instructions as provided by the office.

Avoid strenuous physical activity during your immediate recovery period, usually 1-2 days.

Some slight swelling of the operated area is not unusual and may begin about 24 hours after the surgery.
If slight swelling occurs, it usually resolves after several days.
Cold liquids in your mouth during the first 24 hours will help to prevent swelling.
If swelling is noticeable outside of the mouth after 24 hours, warm moist compresses can be placed on the outside of the face where swelling occurs.
Call usAny unusual or large swelling should be reported to your doctor at once.

For the next several days, do not smoke, rinse or spit hard, drink through a straw, or create a “sucking” action in your mouth.
Do not use an oral irrigating device until advised.

If you have any questions or concerns you may contact us at (213) 481-0664.

Soft, easy foods

When preparing a post-op menu, please consider some of the following choices:

We’ll answer your questions and help you plan your visit.