After Care
Eugene General Dental Services
After Care Resources
Whenever you have dental procedures completed some soreness may occur at the injection site and/or the tooth/teeth that have been worked on. Give yourself a couple hours for the anesthetic to wear off before chewing. Your tongue, cheek and bite may take some time to get used to any changes so exercise caution for the first few days after a procedure. Your tooth/teeth may have slight hot, cold, and pressure sensitivity that can be alleviated with over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen. If your sensitivity continues beyond a few days, increases and becomes painful, please call our office.
Composite (tooth colored) Fillings
The composite material is set up immediately after it is placed so you can begin safely chewing as soon as the numbing wears off. Dr. Tillman does his best to ensure the filling material is shaped correctly and in line with adjacent teeth. If your filling feels high (hitting before your other teeth) and becomes sensitive, let us know.
Root Canal
Usually, after root canal therapy a temporary filling is placed, but in some cases a permanent crown or filling is completed. Avoid sticky, hard, crunchy foods that may disrupt the temporary filling. If the temporary filling falls out, contact our office as soon as possible. Some people experience mild pain and sensitivity during the first few days. Taking over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen can help with these symptoms.
Deep Cleaning
(Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing)
It is very common for gums and teeth to be sore for a couple days following a deep cleaning. It’s still important to gently brush the gumline, floss daily and waterpik to promote healing and keep the areas clean. Warm saltwater rinses (1 tsp salt dissolved in one cup of warm water) may help to soothe tissue. Over the counter medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can also help with soreness. Avoid spicy, salty, acidic and crunchy foods. If an antibiotic was placed by a tooth, avoid flossing or picking around that specific area for 10 days.
Whitening
Some people experience sensitivity while whitening their teeth. To avoid sensitivity, you can brush with an over-the-counter sensitive toothpaste one week prior to whitening and continue during the whitening process. Generally, people whiten 2-4 hours daily for up to two weeks for their initial whitening treatment. If you are experiencing sensitivity, you can decrease the time to 1-2 hours every other day. Avoid foods and drinks that are extreme temperatures and colors while whitening. Be sure to review the whitening instructions included with your kit.
Crown and Bridges
In most cases, we use our CEREC machine to make crowns and bridges the same day. This allows you to leave the office with your permanent crown or bridge cemented in place – no follow up appointment is needed. Sometimes, we need to use a dental lab to make the permanent crown or bridge so we’ll make a temporary one for you to wear until we can cement the permanent restoration – this usually takes two weeks and you’ll need to schedule a quick second appointment. While wearing a ‘temporary’ it is recommended to practice the following: chew on the opposite side, avoid sticky or hard foods, brush the gumline well, continue to floss daily but do not pull up on the floss – pull it through instead. If your temporary restoration falls off please call our office for further instructions.
Extractions
Immediately following an extraction you’ll be sent home biting on a piece of gauze. Keep this gauze in place for 30 minutes and only replace gauze if bleeding persists. When replacing gauze wet a 2×2 (given at your appointment) and place over the extraction site for another 30 minutes. Generally, the first few days following an extraction can be uncomfortable. Most people can manage mild pain with over-the-counter medications, and in some cases a prescription pain medication may be given. It’s important to follow safety guidelines such as avoiding driving, operating machinery, etc. while on medications. For the next few days avoid sucking on a straw, smoking, rinsing, carbonated drinks, and physical labor or exercise. This will help to promote adequate healing of the extraction site. As always, call our office if any questions or concerns arise.
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