Dental Procedure Follow-up Care
So, you’ve had a procedure in our dental office in Warren, MI. Whether it’s something simple like a KOR Whitening or complex like an extraction or root canal, you are being sent home with follow-up care instructions. Most of our Warren area dental patients are good about following the care instructions that we send them home with, but some dental patients don’t and often deal with detrimental results. If we’ve provided you with post-procedure care instructions, here’s why it’s important to follow them closely.
Adequate Pain Management
There’s no doubt that many dental procedures can cause you pain and discomfort. This is especially true if you have had a dental extraction or some type of oral surgery. Just like having regular surgery, we will provide details on how to manage pain and care for your wounds in the days following your procedure. These recommendations for pain management are based on good research and are developed to make you as comfortable as possible. Your instructions may include prescription or over-the-counter medications, ice, and rest to help with pain. Make sure, for your comfort, that you follow these instructions so that you feel well and don’t have too much pain or discomfort.
Mouth Care
Another critical part of our post-procedure care instructions are details on how to care for your mouth while you are healing, completing a procedure or waiting for permanent fixtures. These details may include how to brush your teeth, what to do about swelling or bleeding, suggestions on physical activity, foods and drinks to avoid, and numerous other suggestions. These care instructions are to protect your mouth during recovery. They may help you avoid opening a surgical incision or keep you from staining your newly whitened teeth.
Avoid Infection
If you’ve had surgery, we will probably prescribe both an antibiotic and a pain killer. Your post-procedure instructions will give you details on how to take your antibiotic so that you avoid infections. We also may suggest salt water rinses that will keep wounds clean and reduce your risk of infections.
Follow Any Medication Prescriptions
There are a variety of medications that we may recommend that you take while recovering from a dental procedure, as well as any at home follow-up procedures. The post-procedures that you receive from our Warren dental office are important to helping keep your mouth healthy and you feeling good while you recover. If we’ve recommended additional medications or home procedures, make sure you follow these instructions closely so that you achieve the desired results from your dental procedure.
Protect Temporary Fixtures
If we’ve placed a temporary crown or a temporary tooth for an implant, it’s important that you follow the instructions on how to care for the fixture. This may mean avoiding certain foods and how to brush and floss around the temporary tooth. Failing to follow these instructions may lead to tooth damage as well as loss of the temporary tooth or crown.
The end result of the instructions we provide to you after a dental procedure is to give you a healthy mouth with strong, beautiful teeth. Following the instructions on your post-procedure care sheets ensure that you heal well, temporary dental fixtures are protected, and your smile stays bright.
Looking for a Dentist in Warren, Michigan? Contact Us Today!
Dr. Apsey and the team at Smile Brightly in Warren, Michigan know that your smile is important to you. That’s why we provide a full range of services to help keep your smile healthy and beautiful. If you are looking for a new dentist in the Warren area, or need to make a dental appointment, please call us today at (586) 573-7700.