General Pre-operative Instructions
- Eat breakfast and lunch on the day of surgery.
- Take all medications as directed that you would normally used for other medical reasons. Be sure Dr. Kong is aware of all medications you have taken in the preceding 24 hours.
- Discontinue taking aspirin, products containing aspirin, or vitamin E, 5-7 days prior to surgery unless prohibited from doing so by your physician. If the latter situation arises, please, inform our office immediately.
- Patients taking Warfarin (Coumadin) must stop taking the medication 3-5 days in advance of surgery. The discontinuation of this drug must be coordinated closely with your physician and our office.
- Have all prescriptions filled. Take the medications before surgery as directed and bring them with you to your surgery appointment.
- When sedative drugs are used during surgery, you must have someone pick you up to drive you home and stay with you for several hours. The effect of the sedative drugs lasts 2-6 hours following surgery.
- Be sure to wear comfortable, open collared, loose clothing to the surgery appointment.
- Do not ignore a head or chest cold when oral surgery is to be performed. Please, call the office if you have any symptoms because we may have to cancel your appointment.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please, don’t hesitate to call our office at 713-691-8880.
General Post-operative Instructions
- It is not unusual for swelling to occur following surgery. Apply an ice pack to the outside of your face, 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off for 6-8 hours after surgery. This will help keep the swelling to a minimum but may not completely eliminate it. You may not notice any swelling until the next day. Swelling often peaks 2-3 days after the procedure and it may take 4-7 days to subside. If this occurs, apply moist heat over the operated area using a wet washcloth warmed in a microwave oven starting 48 hours after surgery.
- A small amount of bleeding can be expected for the first few hours after surgery. If there is a considerable amount, apply pressure to the area with a wet tea bag, wash cloth or gauze holding it in place for 20 minutes until the bleeding stops. Do not remove it during this period to examine the surgical site. If bleeding persists, call our office. Do not try to stop the bleeding by rinsing. It is recommended that you place a towel over your pillow the first few nights after surgery to prevent possible staining.
- Following surgery, a certain amount of discomfort can be expected. To minimize discomfort in the surgery site, take your pain reliever medication as directed. Avoid taking pain reliever medications on an empty stomach to prevent nausea.
- After surgery, avoid rinsing your mouth for 24 hours if at all possible.
- A proper diet is essential to healing. Soft foods are recommended for the first post-operative days. Stay away from sharp brittle foods (no popcorn, potato chips, etc.) Try to chew on the non-operated side of your mouth. Avoid citrus fruits, fruit juices, highly spiced foods and alcohol; these will cause pain.
- Do not smoke. The heat and smoke will irritate your gums and delay healing. If at all possible, use this opportunity to give up smoking. There is a strong correlation between smoking and progressive periodontal bone loss.
- You may experience a slight feeling of weakness or chills during the first 24 hours. This is not a cause for alarm but should be reported at the next visit. Follow your regular daily activities, but avoid excessive exertion of any type. Golf, tennis, skiing, bowling, swimming or sun bathing should be postponed for a few days after surgery.
- The first post-operative appointment following a surgical procedure will be made at the time of surgery. Post-operative appointments are important to ensure proper healing regardless of how the surgery area looks or feels.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please, don’t hesitate to call our office at 713-691-8880.
