Dental After Care – Jersey City, NJ

General Guidelines

For 24 hours, do not chew hard, sticky or chewy foods that might put stress on new dental work. Hard or sticky candies and aggressive chewing is liable to loosen sensitive restorations or fresh dental work.

Dental Crown and Bridge Aftercare

Crowns and bridges often take successive dental office visits to complete. Before and after each one, Dr. Vahid and his associates will inform you of what to expect. Tenderness and sensitivity with these procedures are common for a couple of days after treatment, but if it lasts longer than that or becomes especially troublesome, please contact our dental office.

If you had anesthesia, please try not to eat, chew or bite until the numbness has dissipated. If you have a temporary dental appliance, avoid hard and crunchy foods and stick with soft, easy to chew foods. If temporary restorations become loose or damaged, call Dr. Vahid immediately.

Do not be alarmed by mild sensitivity to hot or cold foods for a few weeks. If the feeling persists for more than six weeks, please contact Dr. Vahid’s dental office.

Tooth-Colored Fillings Aftercare

Numbness can cause patients to cause inadvertent damage to soft tissues by biting or chewing. Allow the numbness to wear off – do not eat or chew until you have regained feeling. Avoid hard or difficult to chew foods for 24 hours.

Do not be alarmed by mild sensitivity to hot or cold foods. If the feeling persists for more than a few days, please contact Dr. Vahid’s dental office.

Denture or Partial Aftercare

For a few days after receiving partials or dentures, you may experience discomfort. Often, it takes a few adjustments to achieve an optimal fit, so please be patient.

A simple trick to help your mouth adjust is to practice reading aloud with your dentures in for a few minutes every day. Conversely, remove them at night for at least six hours to give your mouth time to rest. Brush your tongue, gums, and the roof of your mouth lightly after removal.

Routine oral care is essential for a healthy mouth with dentures or partials. Brush your teeth and surrounding tissues after a snack or meal and floss once a day before bed. Mouthwash is an effective rinsing aid and can help keep your mouth free from food particles.

Visit Dr. Vahid at least once a year for a denture or partial fit check.

Scaling and Root Planing Aftercare

Removal of plaque and tartar beneath the gum line is referred to as scaling and root planning therapy. These procedures are undertaken to improve the excessive depth of periodontal pockets so the patient can floss and brush more effectively.

Do not chew, eat, or consume hot foods or beverages for the first 24 hours after the procedure. Also avoid physical exercise and spicy food and alcohol during this time, too. Do not drink alcohol or smoke for at least 48 hours after the procedure. You will probably experience some oral bleeding but if it becomes excessive, please call Dr. Vahid.

Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil according to package instructions. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon in eight ounces of water) three times a day. Brush and floss gently after soreness has dissipated. Take all medications that may have been prescribed for you as directed.

Root Canal Aftercare

Thirty minutes following your root canal, do not eat or drink anything, and do not feel around your mouth with your tongue; the bonding agents used for your procedure must have time to set.

If you were given prescriptions, have them filled immediately and take Tylenol or Advil every six to eight hours for discomfort and possible swelling. If these over-the-counter medications do not alleviate your pain, call Dr. Vahid’s dental office.

An ice pack may help alleviate swelling around the affected area; take care not to apply it directly to the skin. Use it for 20 minutes then remove it for 20 minutes and so on for the next six to eight hours.

Once you are able to eat and drink again, take care not to eat hard, crunchy, or sticky foods, and avoid very hot or cold beverages. The area may be more sensitive for some time as you recover.

You will need to return to the dental office within about one month to have your permanent appliance installed.

Discomfort can last up to a few weeks following the procedure The more careful you are now, the better chance your mouth has to heal and the shorter your recovery time will be overall.

Dental Extraction Aftercare

After surgery, be sure to keep the gauze pad over the surgical area and apply pressure by biting down until the bleeding stops. While bleeding is normal, if you feel it is excessive, please contact Dr. Vahid. Oozing and red saliva are common for about an hour after the procedure as are swelling around the face, surgical site, and sometimes the eyes.

Swelling may not appear until the following day and may increase a few days after surgery. Minimize swelling with a cold compress applied near the extraction site on the face in an alternating pattern of 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for the next 36 hours. After this time, moist heat applied to the site may be more effective in the reduction of swelling.

Do not smoke, brush your teeth, suck on a straw, or consume alcohol or carbonated beverages 24 hours after the extraction.

The first days after surgery, consume a liquid and soft foods diet, including foods like smoothies, yogurt, juice, and soup.

Avoid excessive activity the day after surgery and use caution as you return to your normal routine.

After the first day, rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon per eight ounces of water) three times daily.

Any required sutures will dissolve in a week to ten days without further assistance.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction (or 3rd Molar) Aftercare

After surgery, be sure to keep the gauze pad over the surgical area and apply pressure by biting down until the bleeding stops. While bleeding is normal, if you feel it is excessive, please contact Dr. Vahid. Oozing and red saliva are common for about an hour after the procedure as are swelling around the face, surgical site, and sometimes the eyes.

It is not uncommon to experience some dizziness as you get up after surgery and for a few days afterward. Sit up slowly and allow yourself time to adjust before walking.

Swelling may not appear until the following day and may increase a few days after surgery. Minimize swelling with a cold compress applied near the extraction site on the face in an alternating pattern of 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for the next 36 hours. After this time, moist heat applied to the site may be more effective in the reduction of swelling.

Do not smoke, brush your teeth, suck on a straw, or consume alcohol or carbonated beverages 24 hours after the extraction.

The first days after surgery, consume a liquid and soft foods diet including such foods as smoothies, yogurt, juice, and soup.

Avoid excessive activity the day after surgery and use caution as you return to your normal routine.

After the first day, rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon per eight ounces of water) three times daily. Please do not use the irrigating syringe for approximately five days after surgery. After five days, fill it with warm water and salt and flush out the socket to remove any food particles or debris.

If you have been placed on pain medication other than over-the-counter Tylenol or Advil, do not drive, operate heavy equipment, or engage in an activity that can harm you or others due to grogginess.

A dry socket is a common and possible complication of a wisdom tooth extraction and is caused by a blood clot becoming dislodged from the wall of the tooth socket. Symptoms include severe pain and throbbing at the surgical site. If you have pain that does not respond to medication, this may be what you are experiencing. Please call Dr. Vahid if you suspect a dry socket.

Dental Implant Surgery Aftercare

After surgery, be sure to keep the gauze pad over the surgical area and apply pressure by biting down until the bleeding stops. While bleeding is normal, if you feel it is excessive, please contact Dr. Vahid. Oozing and red saliva are common for about an hour after the procedure as are swelling around the face, surgical site, and sometimes the eyes.

Do not chew, eat, or consume hot foods or beverages for the first 24 hours after the procedure. Also avoid physical exercise, spicy food, and alcohol during this time, too. Do not drink alcohol or smoke for at least 48 hours after the procedure. You will probably experience some oral bleeding, but if it becomes excessive, please call Dr. Vahid.

Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil according to package instructions. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon in eight ounces of water) three times a day. Brush and floss gently after soreness has dissipated. Take all medications that may have been prescribed for you as directed.

Do not smoke, brush your teeth, suck on a straw, or consume alcohol or carbonated beverages 24 hours after the extraction.

The first days after surgery, consume a liquid and soft diet including foods like smoothies, yogurt, juice, and soup.

Soft Tissue Graft Aftercare

Take care not to disturb the affected area after your tissue graft. After surgery, be sure to keep the gauze pad over the surgical area and apply pressure by biting down until the bleeding stops. While bleeding is normal, if you feel it is excessive, please contact Dr. Vahid.

Use mouth rinses as prescribed and take medication as indicated by Dr. Vahid and members of his team.

An ice pack may help alleviate swelling around the affected area; take care not to apply it directly to the skin. Use it for 20 minutes then remove it for 20 minutes and so on for the next six to eight hours.

Once you are able to eat and drink again, take care not to eat hard, crunchy, or sticky foods, and avoid very hot or cold beverages. The area may be more sensitive for some time as you recover. Drink plenty of water.

Avoid excessive activity the day after surgery and use caution as you return to your normal routine.

If you have a bandage, please leave it in place for the first 24 hours to ensure proper healing. Do not remove it: it will come off when ready. Once the bandage is removed, you can begin cleaning the wound gently by using a Q-tip swab dipped in a mouth rinse.

Crown Lengthening Aftercare

Take care not to disturb the affected area after your crown lengthening procedure. Avoid forceful spitting or rinsing and take care to be gentle around the affected area.

An ice pack may help alleviate swelling around the affected area; take care not to apply it directly to the skin. Use it for 20 minutes then remove it for 20 minutes and so on for the next six to eight hours.

Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil according to package instructions. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon in eight ounces of water) three times a day. Brush and floss gently after soreness has dissipated. Take all medications that may have been prescribed for you as directed.

Do not return to your regular routine for a few days and avoid strenuous activity.

Osseous Surgery Aftercare

After osseous (or pocket depth reduction) surgery, be sure to keep the gauze pad over the surgical area and apply pressure by biting down until the bleeding stops. While bleeding is normal, if you feel it is excessive, please contact Dr. Vahid. Oozing and red saliva are common for about an hour after the procedure as are swelling around the face, surgical site, and sometimes the eyes.

An ice pack may help alleviate swelling around the affected area; take care not to apply it directly to the skin. Use it for 20 minutes then remove it for 20 minutes and so on for the next six to eight hours. After 24 hours, discontinue the ice pack and instead use a warm pack and alternate it off and on for 15-minute intervals.

Avoid excessive activity the day after surgery and use caution as you return to your normal routine.

Direct Sinus Lift Aftercare

It is important that you refrain from blowing your nose for about four weeks after surgery. Do not hold your nose as you sneeze and take all medicines, including decongestants, as prescribed.

Do not fly in a pressurized airplane or bear down when lifting. Do not engage in scuba diving, play musical instruments that require blowing, or do anything else that increases oral or nasal pressure for at least a month after surgery.

Take special care to keep your mouth clean after surgery to aid the healing process and discourage infection. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon in eight ounces of water) three times a day.

Brush gently with a soft manual toothbrush the evening of your procedure and continue twice a day from there on. The first days after surgery, consume a liquid and soft diet including such foods as smoothies, yogurt, juice, and soup. Drink plenty of fluids, and as you become more comfortable, gradually return to a normal diet.

An ice pack may help alleviate the normal swelling that may occur around the affected area during the first 48-72 hours after surgery. Use it for 20 minutes then remove it for 20 minutes and so on.

Severe or persistent nasal congestion or pain is a problem, and you should notify Dr. Vahid immediately if you experience this.