After your procedure, please read over these instructions carefully and follow each instruction listed below:

• No smoking for 3 days.

• Use ice packs on the outer part of your face for the first TWO days. Apply the ice pack for 15-20 minutes then remove it for 15-20 minutes, keep repeating this for a few hours for TWO days. This will help decrease swelling.

• If there is still some swelling after two days, switch to a heating pad instead of ice packs. Apply the heating pad in microwave. similar manner. If you do not have a heating pad, you can use a wet wash cloth that has been heated in the microwave.

• Do NOT brush or floss the surgical site until told to do so. Instead use Peridex as a mouthrinse GENTLY after you brush other areas of your mouth to keep the surgical site clean.
  1) If checked, you may start dabbing the surgical site with a Peridex saturated cotton swab (front and back) AFTER 2 weeks.
  2)  Once the sutures dissolve from your palate, you can start brushing that area normally.

• You may also GENTLY rinse with warm salt water as much as needed. This will speed up healing and soothe the gums.

• No drinking through a straw or spitting. That means after you are done rinsing, GENTLY let the mouthwash or saltwater out of your mouth rather than forcefully spitting it out.

• You can expect some bleeding for the first 3 days. This is usually a little bit of blood mixed with a lot of spit so do not worry. If there is an area that does not stop bleeding, use some clean gauze or a tea bag to apply firm pressure to that site for 5 MINUTES.

• Stick to a soft food diet for 1 week after your procedure and eat on the opposite side of your mouth. You may eat hard like chips, pretzels, or hard candy. things like yogurt, well cooked noodles, mashed potatoes, omelets, soup, steamed vegetables. DO NOT eat anything hard like chips, pretzels, or hard candy.

• Avoid any food/drink that is too hot, too cold, or spicy for THREE days. This is for your own comfort.

• Take all your prescriptions as directed. Always eat some food before taking any medications that were prescribed. As a summary:
  1) Take ibuprofen 600mg every 6 hours for the first THREE days regardless if you are having pain or not. Use as needed afterwards. It is always easier to control pain by taking medicine BEFORE you start feeling a lot of pain. Do NOT exceed 3000mg of ibuprofen (5 tablets) per day.
  2) Take 650mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol) on an as needed basis every 6 hours if you need additional pain per day. relief. DO NOT stop taking your ibuprofen if you take Tylenol. Do NOT exceed 4000mg of acetominophen
  3) Use Peridex as directed above

• Use an extra pillow at night to keep your head slightly elevated the night of the procedure.

• Avoid any strenuous physical activity for the next 2-3 days to prevent severe bleeding.

•  Do not play with the sutures with your tongue. Do not lift your lip up to try to see where the surgery was done. Let the surgical site stay as still possible to ensure the best healing.
  1) You have sutures on your palate that will dissolve on their own
  2) You have sutures that will be removed after a few weeks of healing. If they become loose before you are scheduled to have them removed, please call the office.

Please do not hesitate to call me or the dental office if you have any questions about these instructions!