Frequently Asked Questions
It is important to discuss all medication with Fallbrook Mission Dental during your pre-surgical consultation. In most cases medication should be continued unless specifically instructed to withhold them. Typically Plavix, Aspirin, Coumadin and other types of blood thinners can also be continued. When necessary Fallbrook Mission Dental will consult with your physician to safely manage your medications.
It's important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding after a tooth extraction. You will be asked to bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes immediately after the extraction. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times. After the blood clot forms, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. These activities will dislodge or dissolve the clot and retard the healing process. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.
After the tooth is extracted, you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. Take pain medications as prescribed. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours. In some treatments there may be some minor bruising; however, in procedures such as dental implant placement ordinarily there is no bruising seen. For teeth removal or jaw procedures, women and/or very light skinned patients may experience slight bruising. Taking blood thinner will help reduce bruising. It is, however, not uncommon to have a black eye or discolored cheek or neck following extensive procedures. Fallbrook Mission Dental will discuss what bruising if any would be related to your procedure treatment.
Procedure and patient health are determining factors of what antibiotic and/or medication will be prescribed. Call the office if the medication does not seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable. Fallbrook Mission Dental will discuss what, when, how long and dosage with you in both the pre-surgery and post surgery interviews.
Here at Fallbrook Mission Dental, we are committed to providing general dental care and to creating beautiful smiles for you and your family. We offer emergency care and evening on-call hours for patients of record who cannot wait until the next business day. Schedule an appointment by filling out our online form calling us.