Your First Visit
Please bring the name and dosage of any medication you are currently taking. Also, if you have any x-rays, test results, referral letters or other information regarding the condition you are seeing us for, please bring those documents with you.
Only persons 18 years old and older may legally give consent for a diagnostic or surgical procedure. All patients under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
If you wish to have intravenous sedation or general anesthesia for your procedure, it is customary to see you first for a consultation. The doctor will review your medical history and discuss the different anesthetic options with you.
Pre-Operative Instructions
General Anesthesia as well as Conscious Sedation Anesthesia provides the patient with a comfortable, relaxed, and anxiety-free surgical experience. To ensure patient comfort and safety, it is necessary for you to follow some important guidelines:
- An adult or responsible escort must accompany you to the office who can take you home after surgery. While it is not necessary for him or her to be present during the procedure, we ask that your escort be present before the procedure.
- Do not eat or drink anything (THAT INCLUDES WATER) for at least 8 hours prior to your appointment.
- Do take your regular daily medications unless instructed otherwise by Dr. Johnson, but with as little water possible.
- Illnesses, including colds and fevers, may require a delay of your surgery in order to ensure safe administration of the anesthetic. If you develop a cold or fever 3-4 days before surgery, please call the office so that necessary arrangements can be made.
- PLEASE WEAR A SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT and comfortable loose fitting clothing. We will need access to your arm. We also ask that you remove any nail polish on your fingernails and do not wear any make-up, jewelry, or heels NO FLIP FLOPS. And if you wear contacts please wear your glasses instead on the day of surgery.
- We require that you have someone at home after surgery to attend to your needs.
- Do not drink (alcohol) or drive for 24 hours after surgery.
- NOSE & TONGUE RINGS MUST BE REMOVED
Post-operative instructions, both oral and written, will be given to you and to your escort on the day of the surgery.
FOOD TO EAT AFTER WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL
- Apple sauce
- Ice cream
- Soup
- Jell-O or pudding
- Mash potatoes
- Yogurt
- Smoothies or milkshakes
- Instant oatmeal
Post-Operative Instructions
Day of Surgery:
General: Limit your activity for several hours. Be sure to have someone assisting your care at your home. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you have received sedation or general anesthesia. Sleep with your head elevated on 2-3 pillows. You may want to use older pillowcases in case you bleed during the night. Do not do vigorous exercise for 2-3 days after surgery, or in any way increase blood flow to your head. Do not consume alcohol or tobacco for seven days after surgery. Alcohol is dangerous when consumed with pain medication, and can delay the healing process; tobacco also delays healing, the suction created by smoking will displace the forming blood clots, and tobacco usage frequently causes dry sockets.
Bleeding: Place small rolls of gauze over your wounds (not between your teeth) and bite firmly for a few hours after surgery to control the bleeding. Change gauze as needed (usually once every 45 minutes to an hour). Some oozing is expected, but this should subside in 24-48 hours. Do not be alarmed if your saliva is pink – one drop of blood will color all of your saliva. Only heavy bleeding is a cause for concern.
Nausea: Nausea is not uncommon after surgery. Sometimes pain medications are the cause. Nausea can be reduced by preceding each pain pill with a small amount of soft food, and taking the pill with a large volume of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids and minimize dosing of pain medications, but call us if you do not feel better. Ginger Ale may help with nausea.
Swelling: Swelling after surgery can vary from minor to extensive. To minimize swelling, apply an ice pack to your cheek. Alternate the ice for 15 minutes on, then 5-10 minutes off. If procedures have been done to both sides of the face, alternate the ice pack from side to side. Continue for 36 hours.
Swelling will peak 36 hours after surgery. Around 36 hours after surgery, you may apply heating packs to the side of your face, just as you did the ice packs. Swelling will begin to decrease after the third day after surgery, and should subside 7-10 days after surgery.
Medication: Follow the instructions given by Dr. Johnson.
Oral Hygiene: You may brush your front teeth as normal, but avoid touching the operated area. The toothbrush bristles will irritate the wound, and may cause an infection. You may not rinse the first day. Around 24 hours after surgery, you may begin to soak your surgical wounds gently with warm salt water (½ c. water, ½ tsp. salt) every two hours to keep the area clean of infection until the gums have healed initially (about a week). Start brushing your teeth gently after meals. Be cautious when brushing – avoid direct contact between the toothbrush and the surgical area for the first 3-4 days.
Diet: Eat only soft, bland foods; you may progress to room temperature foods the day after surgery, and warm foods the day after that. Do not return to normal eating habits and foods (especially fried, spicy foods) until 2-4 weeks have passed. Avoid extremely hot foods. It is sometimes advisable, but not absolutely required, to confine the first day’s intake to liquids or pureed foods (soups, pudding, yogurt, milk shakes, etc.) It is best to avoid foods like nuts, sunflower seeds, popcorn, etc., which may get lodged in the socket areas. Over the next several days you may gradually progress to solid foods. It is important not to skip meals! If you take nourishment regularly you will feel better, gain strength, have less discomfort and heal faster.
If concern or discomfort, please call the office at 949-347-9990.