Dental Home Care for Fillings
It is possible you may experience pressure sensitivity, hot, and cold sensitivity after your appointment. If an anesthetic was used, the injection sites may be sore and your lips and tongue may be numb for several hours. It is best to avoid chewing until the numbness has worn off. Also hot beverages could cause a problem while you are numb. You may chew with your fillings as soon as the anesthetic
completely wears off Over-the- counter Ibuprofen (Advil), Tylenol or aspirin (one tablet every 3-4 hours as needed for pain) will help to alleviate the tenderness. If pressure sensitivity persists, if the sensitivity to hot or cold increases or if you feel your bit is uneven, contact our office.

Home Care for Crown and Bridge Appointments
Crowns and bridges take several appointments to complete. At the first visit the teeth are prepared and molds of the mouth are taken. Subsequent visits are for the placing of temporary crowns or bridges to protect your teeth while the custom restoration is made. An anesthetic will be used at these visits and therefore it is important for you to refrain from eating and drinking while your mouth is numb.
It is best to avoid eating sticky foods, hard foods and chewing gun. These may work to dislodge your temporary crown or bridge. Brush normally but don’t floss around the temporary crown as it may loosen or dislodge it.

Dental Care for a Tooth Extraction
After a tooth extraction there may be some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen vegetables may be applied to the area to keep the swelling to a minimum. It’s also important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and to begin the healing. If bleeding or oozing once at home, wet a gauze pad and bit firmly on it for 30 minutes. Repeat if necessary. Once the blood clot forms, do not rinse or suck on straws, drink alcohol, smoke or brush teeth near the extraction site for 24 hours. Stay away from all foods with sharp edges, such as potato chips or tortilla chips. To prevent more bleeding, no vigorous exercise for 24 hours as well. Take pain medications as rescribed. If you experience any problems or have questions, call our office.