WEST COUNTY After your surgery at St. Louis County Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, you will most likely be groggy from the anesthesia and need to rest. Have someone drive you home. Be aware that you can expect the extraction site to bleed for a little while after the surgery. Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons will place gauze over the extraction site at the completion of the surgery and then send you home with more to change when it becomes soaked. If bleeding continues for longer than 24 hours, please call Drs. Weber, Weber, Kincaid, and Carn.
Rest when you return home, but do not lie flat, as this could prolong the bleeding. Prop your head up on a pillow when lying down. Our doctors will prescribe you pain medication; take only as directed. An ice pack is also great for reducing the pain in the first 48 hours. Heat is okay to use after the swelling begins to decrease. Our doctors might also provide you with a cleaning solution to clean the extraction site at home.
You will be limited to soft foods for a few days after your surgery. Some recommended foods are:
- Gelatin
- Pudding
- Yogurt
- Mashed Potatoes
- Ice Cream
- Thin Soups and other food you can eat without chewing
When drinking, make sure you do not use a straw. The sucking motion can loosen your sutures and slow the clotting process, creating what is known as dry socket. The same goes for smoking. If you have prolonged pain, bleeding, irritation, or feel that the extraction site is not healing properly, do not hesitate to contact our practice. By following these instructions after your tooth extraction in St. Louis, Chesterfield, or St. Peters, Missouri, you can expect a speedy and incident-free recovery.