Maintain your healthy smile by continuing healthy dental care. After your dental service, brush and floss regularly and follow instructions for your specific dental procedure. Here are some after care instructions to perform at home for our most common dental services:
Amalgam restorations or silver fillings
- Brush daily with a soft toothbrush and floss daily.
- Avoid hot and cold foods that affect sensitivity, such as coffee or ice cream.
- Prevent chipping by avoiding clenching or grinding of teeth or biting into hard or sticky foods.
- Do not chew on the surface itself for 24 hours.
- Visit the dentist regularly for check ups as polishing will increase the longevity of your restoration.
Post-Extraction
First 24 hours after care:
- Control bleeding by placing a piece of gauze over the socket and biting down for 3 hours. Also minimize physical activity. If heavy bleeding occurs, contact us.
- Avoid vigorous rinsing, spitting, hot liquids, hard foods, drinking out of a straw, alcoholic beverages and smoking.
- Reduce swelling by placing an ice pack on your face for 10 minutes, leave it off for 20 minutes and repeat as necessary for 1-2 hours.
- Take pain medications if needed (only ones recommended by your dentist for your specific situation), such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and antibiotics if prescribed.
- Brush your teeth but avoid the extraction site for the first day and avoid mouth wash. Be careful brushing the area on the next few days.
Root Canal Therapy (Post-Operative)
- To reduce sensitivity around the area, avoid excessive hot or cold foods, such as coffee or ice cream. Also use toothpaste made for sensitivity.
- For discomfort, you may use pain medications, such as Tylenol or Advil if approved by your dentist.
- To prevent fracture, do not chew or bite on your tooth until it has been restored with a crown.
- The tooth may be sensitive to biting, so don’t chew on it for a few days.
If you have any questions or concerns about your dental procedure, please call us at 262-598-8750.
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