After
Care Precautions
After
Extractions
After Fillings
After Getting Dentures
After a Root Canal
After
Extraction Precautions
Some bleeding may
occur for some time after your tooth extraction. In most
cases this bleeding can be effectively controlled and
stopped by placing a piece of moist clean gauze over the
empty tooth socket, and then biting firmly on this gauze
for 45 minutes to an hour. Make sure that the gauze is
positioned so when you bite down it applies pressure directly
onto the extraction site. If you bite down and your teeth
come together fully you may not be placing much pressure
on the gauze.
It is both firm pressure and maintaining
this pressure over a prolonged period of time (45 minutes
or so) that are important factors when this technique
is used. Don't keep changing the gauze, just put some
in and then clamp down on it for 45 minutes to an hour.
If the bleeding seems to persist,
a slightly moistened tea bag can be a very effective substitute
for gauze. One of the components of tea (black tea, the
regular stuff you would make iced tea from) is tannic
acid. Tannic acid can aid in the formation of blood clots
and this technique can be very effective. (Same instructions
as above, just substitute the tea bag for the gauze.)
If a small amount of bleeding persists
after 45 minutes then repeat these instructions. If heavy
bleeding is still present then contact your dentist.
[Back
to Top]
After
Filling Precautions
To
maintain your fillings, you should follow good oral hygiene
practices — visiting your dentist regularly for
cleanings, brushing with a fluoride-containing toothpaste,
and flossing at least once daily. If your dentist suspects
that a filling might be cracked or is “leaking”
(when the sides of the filling don’t fit tightly
against the tooth, this allows debris and saliva to seep
down between the filling and the tooth, which can lead
to decay), he or she will take X-rays to assess the situation.
If your tooth is extremely sensitive, if you feel a sharp
edge, if you notice a crack in the filling, or if a piece
of the filling is missing, call your dentist for an appointment.
[Back
to Top]
Caring
for your Dentures
1. Use a dental adhesive to get your dentures
to fit properly. Stuffing them into your mouth any old
way can lead to sores or an improper fit, which could
throw off your chewing and speech.
2. Brush your dentures daily. Use the
toothpaste recommended by your dentist. Treat them as
well as you would your original teeth. Then soak them
in the suggested solution overnight unless you plan to
wear them while sleeping.
3. Report any problems to your dentist.
If the dentures chip, bend, or otherwise get broken or
warped, let your dentist know so they can be quickly repaired.
[Back
to Top]
After
a Root Canal
Avoid chewing with this tooth until after
the numbness and tenderness has gone. Bullet Frequent
rinsing with warm salt water for the next two days. Bullet
If the doctor has prescribed other medications, be sure
to take as directed by the doctor. Bullet We recommend
you take something for the increased sensitivity in this
area within one hour of leaving our office, to get the
medication into your blood system before the anesthesia
we administered begins to subside.
[Back
to Top]
|
