Dental care doesn’t have to be scary every time. There are plenty of dentists that can help ease your mind as you get work done to improve the look and feel of your teeth. Emergency dentist visits, however, can be a little nerve-wracking. If you need major dental care assistance like removing wisdom teeth (which is performed on 5 million Americans each year), make sure you’re going to a trusted dentist, and do your best to prepare.
Here are a few things you can do to prepare for a major dental care procedure like a tooth extraction.
- Don’t eat or drink anything before surgery: Because you’ll most likely be under some type of anesthetic, you might feel the urge to vomit if you have foods and liquids in your system. Although it’ll be difficult, try and refrain from eating at least the night before your dental procedure.
- Figure out which medications to stop taking: Certain medications can complicate things on the day of your procedure. So it’s best to stop taking anything that isn’t a necessity and consult with your doctor and dentist about any medications that you do need to consistently take.
- Make sure someone is free to drive after your procedure: You won’t be to drive yourself after a major dental surgery, so you should make sure that someone can give you a ride at the right time. Talk to a family member or close friend and make sure they have a few open hours just in case the procedure lasts longer than it should.
Aftercare following major procedures like tooth extraction is just as important as the initial preparation. Here are a few additional things you should keep in mind after a major dental surgery.
- Get plenty of rest: You shouldn’t try and do too much after any major dental procedure so just take it easy for a few days. Make sure you get a great night’s sleep each night and just relax on your couch or bed during the day.
- Don’t brush, floss, or rinse for a day or two: Brushing or flossing immediately after a major dental procedure can put your teeth at risk. Make sure you wait at least a day or two after the surgery before you start regularly brushing, flossing, and rinsing again.
- Only eat soft meals: Like brushing too soon after surgery, eating hard or chewy meals can cause serious dental problems, too. Stick to yogurt, oatmeal, pudding, and other soft foods for a few days until you get strength back in your mouth.
If you want to learn more about what you should do before and after major dental surgery, contact Trusted Dentistry today!
