Care of the Mouth after Local Anesthetic   |   Care of the Mouth after Trauma

Care of the Mouth after Extractions   |   Care of Sealants   |   Oral Discomfort after a Cleaning

Care of the Mouth after Local Anesthetic

Your child has had local anesthetic for his or her dental procedure: 

• If the procedure was in the lower jaw... the  tongue,  teeth,  lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.

• If the procedure was in the upper jaw... the  teeth,  lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.

Often, children do not understand the effects of local anesthesia and may chew, scratch, suck or play with the numb lip, tongue or cheek. These actions can cause minor irritations or they can be severe enough to cause swelling and abrasions to the tissue. Please monitor your child closely for approximately two hours following the appointment. It is often wise to keep your child on a liquid or soft diet until the anesthetic has worn off.

Please do not hesitate to call our office if there are any questions.
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Care of the Mouth after Trauma

• Please keep the traumatized area as clean as possible. A soft wash cloth often works well to aid the healing process. 

• Watch for darkening of traumatized teeth. This could be an indication of a dying nerve (pulp).

• If the swelling should reoccur, our office needs to see the patient as soon as possible. Ice should be administered during the first 24 hours to keep the swelling to a minimum.

• Watch for infection (gum boils) in the area of trauma. If infection is noticed, call our office so the patient can be seen as soon as possible.

• Maintain a soft diet for two to three days, or until the child feels comfortable eating normally again.

• Avoid sweets or foods that are extremely hot or cold.

• If antibiotics or pain medicines are prescribed, be sure to follow the prescription as directed.

Please do not hesitate to call our office if there are any questions.
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Care of the Mouth after Extractions

• Do not allow your child to scratch, chew, suck or rub the lips, tongue or cheek while they feel numb or asleep. The child should be watched closely so he or she does not injure his or her lip, tongue or cheek before the anesthesia wears off. 

• Do not allow your child to rinse his/her mouth for several hours.

• Do not allow your child to spit excessively.

• Do not allow your child to drink any carbonated beverages (Coke, Sprite, etc.) for the remainder of the day.

• Do not allow your child to drink through a straw until the site has healed.

• Have your child keep his or her fingers and tongue away from the extraction area.

Bleeding - Some bleeding is to be expected. If unusual or sustained bleeding occurs, place cotton gauze firmly over the extraction area and bite down or hold in place for 15 minutes. This can also be accomplished with a tea bag. Repeat if necessary.

• Maintain a soft diet for a day or two, or until the child feels comfortable eating normally again.

• Avoid strenuous exercise or physical activity for several hours after the extraction.

Pain - For discomfort use Children's Tylenol, Advil or Motrin as directed for the age of the child. If a medicine was prescribed, follow the directions on the bottle.

Please do not hesitate to contact our office if there are any questions.
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Care of Sealants

The American Dental Association recognizes that sealants can play an important role in the prevention of tooth decay. When properly applied and maintained, they can successfully protect the chewing surfaces of your child's teeth. A total prevention program includes regular visits to the dentist, the use of fluoride, daily brushing and flossing, and a limited consumption of times sugar-rich foods. If these measures are followed and sealants are used on the child's teeth, the risk of decay can be reduced or may even be eliminated!

By forming a thin covering over the pits and fissures, sealants keep out plaque and food, thus decreasing the risk of decay.  Since the covering is only over the biting surface of the tooth, areas on the side and between teeth cannot be coated with the sealant. Good oral hygiene and nutrition are still very important in preventing decay next to these sealants or in areas unable to be covered.

Your child should refrain from eating ice or hard candy, which tend to fracture the sealant. Regular dental appointments are recommended in order for your child's dentist to be certain the sealants remain in place. 

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Oral Discomfort after a Cleaning

A thorough cleaning may produce some bleeding and swelling and may cause some tenderness or discomfort. This is not due to a "rough cleaning" but to tender and inflamed gums from insufficient oral hygiene. We recommend the following for two to three days following the cleaning:

1)  A warm salt water rinse two to three times per day 
    (1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water)

2)  For discomfort use Children's Tylenol, Advil or Motrin as
     directed for the age of the child.

Please do not hesitate to contact our office if the discomfort persists for more than seven days or if there are any questions.
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