To ensure quick and comfortable healing following an extensive dental procedure, it is important that you follow guidelines. Remember though, every patient is unique, and Drs. Goodman or West may prescribe instructions specific to your situation.

Sedation Dentistry  |  Root Canal  |  Tooth Extraction

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Sedation Dentistry (Pre-Op Instructions)

• No food or water (except water with meds) for six hours prior to appointment.
• No alcohol or caffeinated beverages for 12 hours prior to appointment.
• No stimulants for 12 hours before/after appointment.
• Must have a responsible person to bring you and take you home.
• Patient must not be pregnant.
• Patients must not wear contact lenses.
  
  

Sedation Dentistry (Post-Op Instructions)

• No driving for 24 hours after appointment.
• No operating hazardous devices.
• No heavy lifting.
• No stairs.
• No important decisions.
• Patient must have responsible person with them until he/she has fully recovered from sedation effects.
• Patient can eat and drink whenever and whatever he/she wants.
• Drink plenty of fluids as soon as possible.
• Patient should be attended to whether sleeping or awake; do not trust him/her alone.
• Attendee should hold patient's arm when walking.
• Patient should not carry, sleep or be left alone with the elderly or young children for a period of no less than 24 hours after the last dosage of medication.

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Root Canal (Post-Op)
Unless Drs. Goodman or West placed a post and build up, there is a temporary filling sealing the opening in your tooth. This is to prevent bacteria from your saliva from getting in the tooth and re-infecting the root canal. It is very important to have a permanent restoration or crown placed within 4 weeks (earlier if possible), even if your tooth is still sore or does not yet feel totally "normal." Failure to do so may lead to re-infection and subsequent extraction.

• Once anesthesia wears off, it is normal for your tooth to be sore for a few days up to a week. If needed, take an over-the-counter pain pill (ex. Ibuprofen, ketoprofen, Tylenol, aspirin, etc.), unless prescribed something stronger) within the first couple of hours after your appointment, and continue for as long as required.
• Although the tooth has a temporary filling, try to avoid chewing on it until a permanent restoration is placed. This is to help reduce the possibility of the tooth fracturing and needing to be extracted.
• Once a tooth has had a root canal treatment, it will never again be sensitive to hot or cold. If you are experiencing thermal sensitivity, it must be from another tooth.
  
  Please call the office if...
  • You experience swelling.
  • The pain pills that you are taking are not effective. This assumes that you are already taking the maximum of pills allowed (ex. Ibuprofen 800mg every 6 hours, Tylenol 1000mg every 6 hours, etc.).
  • If within the first four weeks the temporary falls out and needs to be replaced.
  • If after having had your permanent restoration your tooth feels sore.

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Tooth Extraction (Post-Op)
Depending on your specific situation, Drs. Goodman or West may prescribe specific instructions following your extraction. However, there are general guidelines that can help make your healing time quicker and more comfortable:

• Following your extraction, your mouth will remain numb (amount of time varies depending on the amount of anesthesia and area). Be careful not to bit your cheek, lip or tongue.
• Do not drink through a straw. Pressure caused by sucking can work to loosen the blood clot.
• If numbness does not subside within a few hours, contact your dentist.
• If gauze pack is placed in your mouth to limit bleeding, leave it in place for 30-45 minutes - or as long as prescribed.
• Do not aggravate the extraction site with your tongue.
• If bleeding continues after gauze is removed, fold a clean piece of gauze, dampen it in warm water, and place on the extraction site. Apply moderate pressure for about 30 minutes.
• If heavy bleeding continues, contact your dentist.
• A blood clot will begin to form in the extracted tooth's socket; this is normal.
• Do not disturb the clot by smoking, vigorously rinsing your mouth, or drinking through a straw.
• Avoid alcohol (including some mouthwashes) for 24 hours.
• Avoid cleaning the teeth next to the extracted site on the day procedure takes place. Continue to clean other teeth as normal.
• Dry Socket may occur if blood clot does not form within first day or two. This causes severe pain. Contact your dentist immediately.
• Use cold compresses to alleviate swelling. If swelling, pain, nausea, vomiting or other uncomfortable conditions continue, contact your dentist immediately.
• Drink lots of fluids and eat soft foods. Avoid hot foods/liquids and foods that require heavy chewing (for first day or so).
• On day following extraction, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water following meals. This will help keep food particles away from extraction site. Do not rinse heavily however, as it may disturb the clot.