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After-care

FILLINGS/ROOT CANAL

  • Be mindful of numbness: If your treatment was done with local anaesthesia, be careful not to accidentally bite your tongue, cheek, or lip while you’re still numb. This numbness typically wears off within a few hours, but it’s essential to be cautious during this time.
  • Watch what you eat: Stick to soft foods for the first 24 hours after getting a filling or after the root canal treatment. Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, or overly hot or cold foods that could irritate the area or dislodge the filling.
  • Manage discomfort: It’s common to experience some sensitivity or discomfort after your root-canal treatment or your filling (especially if the filling is deep). Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or paracetamol can help alleviate any discomfort. If your dentist prescribed medication, follow the instructions provided.
  • Avoid extreme temperatures: For the first few days after getting a filling, try to avoid very hot or very cold foods and beverages, as they can trigger sensitivity in the filled tooth.
  • Monitor for signs of complications: Keep an eye out for any signs of potential issues with the filling, such as persistent pain, swelling, sensitivity to pressure, or changes in your bite. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your dentist promptly.

EXTRACTIONS

  • Leave the site alone: If you investigate the area with your tongue a lot, you risk disturbing the blood clot there, resulting in the area not healing well or fast (a condition known as dry socket).
  • Do not rinse deliberately/vigorously within 12 hours: Rinsing deliberately around the extraction site in the first 12 hours will disturb the blood clot. Spitting out or drinking is fine. Eat on the opposite side of your mouth if possible to stay away from the site, which can helps to keep it clean.
  • Avoid drinking through a straw: Refrain from drinking through a straw for at least 24 hours after the extraction. Using a straw can create suction in the mouth, which may dislodge the blood clot that forms in the extraction site and delay healing.
  • A slight ooze of blood is normal: If you think that the area is continuing (or begins) to bleed, sit down, still, bite on the gauze/cotton rolls provided to put pressure on the extraction site. Stay there for 10 minutes without disturbing the area. If that is not enough to settle the bleeding, then phone the practice for advice.
  • Take prescribed medications: If your dentist prescribed antibiotics or pain medication, take them as directed to prevent infection and manage any discomfort. Follow your dentist’s instructions carefully regarding dosage and timing.
  • Use ice packs: Apply an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth to the outside of your face near the extraction site for 10-15 minutes at a time during the first 24 hours. This can help reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort.
  • Stick to soft foods: Eat soft, easy-to-chew foods for the first few days after the extraction. Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, or spicy foods that could irritate the extraction site or dislodge the blood clot.
  • Practice good oral hygiene: Resume brushing and flossing your teeth gently, but avoid the extraction site for the first 24 hours. After the initial period, you can carefully clean the area with a soft-bristled toothbrush or rinse gently with warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) to promote healing and prevent infection.
  • Avoid alcohol and strenuous activities: Take it easy for the first 24 hours after the extraction. Avoid strenuous activities and exercise, as well as bending over or lifting heavy objects, as these activities can increase blood pressure and bleeding. Alcohol can increase your blood flow, resulting in the area bleeds more and for longer than it should.
  • Report any concerns: If you experience severe or worsening pain, excessive bleeding, swelling, fever, or any other unusual symptoms, contact us promptly. These could be signs of complications that need to be addressed.


IN-CHAIR TEETH WHITENING

After undergoing in-chair teeth whitening, it’s essential to follow specific after-care instructions to maximise the results and minimize any potential side effects. Here are some general after-care guidelines:

  • Avoid staining foods and beverages: For the first 24-48 hours after the whitening procedure, avoid consuming dark-coloured or staining foods and beverages such as coffee, tea, red wine, tomato sauce, berries, and soy sauce. These can potentially re-stain your teeth after the whitening treatment.
  • Avoid tobacco products: Refrain from smoking or using any tobacco products for at least 24-48 hours after the whitening procedure. Tobacco can cause staining and compromise the results of the whitening treatment.
  • Stick to a white diet: Consume only white or light-coloured foods immediately after the whitening procedure to minimize the risk of staining. Examples include plain yogurt, white rice, bananas, chicken breast, and white fish.
  • Be cautious with oral hygiene: Avoid brushing your teeth immediately after the whitening procedure, as your teeth may be more sensitive at this time. Wait for at least 24 hours before brushing your teeth again. Rinse your mouth with water if needed to remove any residual whitening gel.
  • Use desensitising products: If you experience tooth sensitivity after the whitening procedure, your dentist may recommend desensitizing toothpaste or gel to alleviate discomfort. Follow your dentist’s recommendations for using these products.
  • Limit acidic foods and beverages: Acidic foods and beverages can exacerbate tooth sensitivity after teeth whitening. Limit your consumption of citrus fruits, vinegar, carbonated drinks, and acidic sauces for the first few days after the procedure.
  • Maintain good oral hygiene: Resume your regular oral hygiene routine after the initial 24-hour period, including brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, as well as flossing daily.
  • Monitor for sensitivity: It is normal to experience sensitivity after whitening treatment. If sensitivity persists or worsens, contact your dentist for further evaluation and recommendations.


LOOKING AFTER YOUR RETAINER/NIGHT GUARD/BLEACHING TRAYS

  • Our mouth/brains think that it must be food when we put something in our mouths, so our saliva glands start producing lots of saliva. This means it’s hard to get to sleep. Our mouths adjust if we allow an extra 10-20 minutes, then the saliva flow settles down and going to sleep achievable. So initially, perhaps for the first few nights, put the retainer on your mouth a little earlier than you expect.
  • If you cannot get to sleep, get your mouth (and brain) used to the retainer by wearing it during the evening for a few hours, several evening in a row.
  • In the morning, stale old saliva needs to be washed out of the retainer. A sip of mouthwash with the retainer still in place, swished around enthusiastically, helps to wash this out. Spit out the mouthwash, then take the retainer out. Give it a quick brush with a wet toothbrush and rinse it with cold water. Then it can be put in it’s container and left until the next day.
  • If you need to take the retainer out in a hurry and it was left unwashed, wet it again and give it a light brushing with your toothbrush and some toothpaste, then rinse it again with cold water.
  • Once every few months, consider soaking the retainer in a weak bleach solution for an hour or so to kill any bacteria. The retainer plastic can start to smell a bit unpleasant due to bacteria. A cup of water with half a cup of plain bleach works well. Rinse it thoroughly afterwards.
  • If you wake up in the morning and a particular tooth feels sore, it may mean that the retainer needs to be adjusted slightly. Contact us and we can sort that out. Also, if you wake up and a gum area feels sore, the edge of the retainer can be trimmed back to prevent this. Again, contact us and we can assist.