Post Operative Instructions

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Post-Operative Instructions

Proper post-operative care after surgery is very important to optimize the healing process and to reduce the complications after an oral surgery procedure. Please you must read the following instructions carefully.

Immediately Care Following Surgery

Bite down on the gauze pack over the surgical site for 30 minutes. If excessive bleeding continues, place new gauze, bite down again, and keep your head elevated. Remember to remove the gauze before eating or drinking.
To promote healing, avoid spitting, vigorous mouth rinsing, or forceful chewing, as these actions may increase bleeding or dislodge the blood clot. Keep your fingers and tongue away from the surgical area. Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid using a straw, as it can create suction in the mouth and lead to complications.
You might feel numb in your lips, cheeks, or tongue due to the local anaesthesia. It’s temporary and should wear off within 2-10 hours. Be cautious not to accidentally bite your lips, cheeks, or gums. If the numbness lasts more than 24-48 hours, let us know.
Stick to a liquid or soft diet for the initial 24 hours after surgery. Then slowly introduce solid foods as comfort allows. Avoid hard, crunchy, and spicy foods, including seeds, nuts, rice, popcorn, or similar items. Take the prescribed pain medication soon after the surgery when the effect of local anaesthesia starts to wear off.
Apply ice packs to the outside of your face intermittently as much as you can tolerate for the first 48 hours to reduce swelling. Ensure you get ample rest on the day of the surgery.
Refrain from smoking/vape and or alcohol intake during the healing period.
Limit your activities on the day of surgery, and ease back into your normal routine gradually.
Following implant surgery, a healing abutment (metal) will protrude from the gum. For the initial 2 weeks after implant surgery, refrain from wearing dentures unless otherwise advised.
Take your prescribed medication as per instructions.

Bleeding

After oral surgery, expect slight bleeding and redness in saliva. For excessive bleeding, gently wipe the area, use clean gauze, and bite firmly for 30–40 minutes. Repeat every 30–40 minutes with new gauze. If bleeding persists, bite on a cold-water-moistened tea bag for 30–40 minutes, then remove it. Avoid talking and excessive chewing during continuous bleeding. If excessive bleeding doesn’t stop, contact our office or the emergency department of a nearby public hospital.

Swelling

Mild to moderate swelling is normal after oral surgery, showing the body’s natural response. It varies based on the surgery and individual factors, usually affecting the mouth, jaws, cheeks, and below the eyes. Swelling peaks around 2–3 days post-surgery, then gradually reduces. Ice packs (20 minutes on and 10 minutes off) in the first 48 hours help reduce inflammation. Sitting upright on the first day is recommended. Persistent swelling on day 4-5 could indicate an infection, needing immediate attention. Extensive swelling, especially affecting the eyes or neck and causing breathing difficulty, requires contacting us or the emergency department of a public hospital.

Pain

Take pain control medications promptly for surgery under local anaesthesia and as soon as after the numbness starts to wear off for surgery under general anaesthesia. Take the medications with a full glass of water.

Ibuprofen-Based Options for mild to moderate pain

Option 1: Nurofen® containing Ibuprofen. Take two tablets (400 mg) every 4 hours for the first 12 hours, then as needed. Do not exceed 8 tablets in 24 hours.
Option 2: Brufen® containing Ibuprofen. Take one tablet (400 mg) every 4 hours for the first 12 hours, then as needed. Do not exceed 4 tablets in 24 hours.

Ibuprofen/paracetamol-based options for moderate to severe pain

Options 1: Nuromol® containing ibuprofen/paracetamol. Take one tablet every 4 hours for the first 12 hours. then as required. Do not exceed 8 tablets in 24 hours.
Options 2: If Ibuprofen alone does not control the pain take a paracetamol-based analgesic, such as Panadol 500 mgs, two hours after the Ibuprofen or together with Ibuprofen and repeat. Do not exceed 8 tablets of Panadol in 24 hours.

NOTE: Ibuprofen may not be appropriate for people with asthma, gastric or heart conditions or on aspirin. In such situations, take two tablets of Panadol® containing paracetamol (1000mg) every 4 hours for the first 12 hours, then as required. Do not exceed 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Panadeine forte®: Prescribed in some situations for severe pain, containing paracetamol and codeine. Codeine may cause drowsiness, nausea, and constipation. Do not drink alcohol, drive, or operate machinery while you are taking these medications. Use Panadeine Forte for the shortest duration necessary to control your pain.

Infection

Swelling in the first 2-3 days after surgery is usually due to inflammation and should not be confused with infection. Signs of infection include increased swelling after 3 days, swelling that is painful, hard, or hot, a foul taste or odor in the mouth (pus), fast breathing rate and a body temperature above 38°C (febrile). If you notice these signs, it’s important to report them promptly as postoperative infections are serious and may require hospital admission.

Dry Socket

A dry socket happens when the blood clot is dislodged from the surgery site, exposing the bone. If you experience severe pain 3-6 days after surgery, not eased by pain medication, it could be a dry socket. This condition is often linked to smoking. Please note that dry socket is an inflammatory condition which needs to be reported to our office for management.

Oral Hygiene

Diet

Start with liquids until the numbness goes away. After that, switch to soft foods with smaller, more frequent meals for few days. Be careful getting up from lying down to prevent dizziness. Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet for better healing.

Nausea and Vomiting

After general anaesthesia, some patients might experience nausea and vomiting. To prevent this, avoid taking medications on an empty stomach. If possible, wait until nausea subsides before taking medications. Stay hydrated with liquids. Nausea can be a side effect of strong pain medications like hydrocodone or oxycodone. Consider pausing these medications to see if nausea improves. If nausea persists, contact our office or hospital for further guidance.

Bruising and Discoloration

Patient may notice bruising or discoloration around the areas of surgery which is temporary and will subside in 1-2 weeks.

Jaw Tightness or Limited Mouth Opening

This is normal after oral surgery and will get better with time. Occasionally, you can do gentle jaw exercises to improve your jaw movements. On the third day, applying warm moist heat to the outside of your face can be helpful.

Dizziness or Light-headedness

After general anaesthesia, some patients may feel dizzy when standing up. It’s important to have someone with you for the first 24 hours. Avoid getting up quickly from a sitting or lying position, and ensure you stay hydrated.

Sutures (Stitches)

Your sutures will dissolve within 1-2 weeks after surgery, but they might come out earlier. You might observe them loosening as your gum tissue swelling decreases; this is normal. In some cases, non-resorbable sutures may be used, and these will need to be removed by your surgeon.

Follow-up

Select a follow-up appointment, either through telehealth or in person, two weeks after surgery.

Emergency

If you notice any unusual signs or symptoms, call our office at 1300 798 701. For urgent advice, reach out to Dr. Mafaz Ullah on his mobile at 04 1270 6669. In case of a serious medical emergency, call 000. If there is an unexpected hospital admission related to our treatment, please inform Dr. Mafaz Ullah.

Request an appointment or call us today on
1300 798 701

Potential risks related to wisdom tooth surgery

Like all surgeries, the generalized risks are pain, swelling, infection and bleeding. Pain and swelling are usually mild to moderate with the worst being the first 48-72 hours. Most patients are out of pain or close to it about one-week post-surgery. Infection is unlikely, especially in young healthy patients. Bleeding usually stops within a few hours after the surgery from biting on gauze. While it is normal to have a bit of blood in your saliva for a few days after the surgery, problem bleeding is exceedingly rare.

Upper wisdom teeth frequently stick up into the sinuses to some degree and in rare cases there can be a small perforation into the sinus floor. This can lead to symptoms such as stuffiness, nose bleed, sinus infection or feeling air or fluid passing between the mouth, sinus and nose. This issue is treatable and usually resolves within 1-3 weeks and is fixable with minor surgery in the even more rare case that it does not heal on its own.

Lower wisdom teeth are close to and sometimes touching the inferior alveolar nerve, which is responsible for sensation in the lower lip, chin and jaw on either side. This nerve is for feeling only and does not move any muscles so if it is affected by the surgery the patient would feel numb or tingly in those areas but would not have any change in appearance or function. The overall incidence of nerve injury with lower wisdom teeth is 0.3% and is almost always temporary with feeling returning to normal in weeks to months. The position of the teeth to be removed in relation to the nerve is determined by X-Rays and in cases in which the risk is elevated a CT scan, which is a 3D X-Ray, will be taken to further evaluate.

Any invasive or surgical procedure may carry risks. Before moving forward, it is recommended that you seek a second opinion from an appropriately licensed professional.