Post-Operative Instructions

Removal of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Remove gauze from extraction site in 90-minutes.
Take pain medication, please eat something soft (ex: pudding, applesauce, frosty) PRIOR to taking your pain medicine. Pain medication is prescribed to be taken every 6 hours. It is also recommended to take 600mg of Ibuprofen in between the pain medicine dosages. This will cut back on the amount of pain medication that is being taken and keeps the patient’s pain control at a good steady level.
If the extraction site is dry, NOT oozing blood you may leave the gauze out. If the extraction site is still bleeding replace with clean gauze at 90-minute intervals until you are no longer oozing blood.
Eat soft foods for a few days
Please rinse with warm salt water after eating for 7 to 10 days.
Resume normal oral hygiene 24 hours following surgery.
Avoid tobacco, carbonated beverages and drinking through a straw for 3 days following surgery
Please keep head elevated above the body for 24 hours as this will help with bleeding and swelling.
No bending, lifting, strenuous activity and don’t be out in the heat for 5 to 7 days as this will help with bleeding and swelling
Apply ice/cold compress for the first 72 hours. You can switch to warm moist heat on day four if swelling occurs
Start your antibiotics and medication for swelling the day after surgery. Take these medications as directed.
Be sure to eat prior to taking antibiotics and do not take at the exact same time as the pain medicine, as this can cause nausea.
Ant-Nausea Medication is to be taken as needed for nausea. If pain medicine is causing nausea, be sure to take ant-nausea medication 1 hour before you take your medication for pain.