You have taken a big step toward better oral health. Follow these guidelines to give your treatment the best chance to heal.
Take your antibiotics: Amoxicillin 500 mg (or Clindamycin 150 mg if allergic) three times a day for one week to prevent infection. For pain, use Ibuprofen 600 mg every 6 hours for mild discomfort, and Tylenol #3 (300 mg/30 mg) every 6 hours for more severe pain; both can be taken together. During the first week, rinse gently with warm salt water three times daily. Starting the second week, switch to Peridex mouthwash three times a day.
Stick to yogurt, smoothies, warm soup (no big chunks), Ensure, protein shakes, and ice cream. Avoid very hot foods and beverages, and no bread for 1 week. Resume a normal diet in week two, but avoid chewing on the surgical area and skip hard foods like chips or peanuts for 2 weeks.
Smoking can harm the surgical area, invite infection, and delay healing. It can also affect the overall success of your treatment. Avoiding it completely until treatment is done is best; stopping for the first 2 weeks is a must.
Avoid heavy exercise for the first few days: running, weightlifting, high-intensity workouts, or sports. Increased blood pressure can disrupt healing and raise the risk of bleeding at the surgical site.
Your comfort and peace of mind matter to us. If anything about your recovery worries you, call us right away. Our team is here to help every step of the way.
Call (404) 348-2437