Dr. Lee routinely calls his patients, usually the same day, to check in and see how he/she is doing after the dental treatment. However, in the event when we cannot be reached, here are some post-operative care instructions that may help keep your child comfortable after the visit.

Care After Dental Cleaning/Polishing

A thorough cleaning unavoidably produces 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 2-3 days after cleaning is performed:

• A warm salt water rinses 2-3 times per day.
• For discomfort use Children’s Tylenol as directed.

Care After Local Anesthesia

Your child has had local anesthetic for their 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 watch and stay close with your child 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.

Care After Extractions

• Do not scratch, chew, suck, or rub the lips, tongue, or cheek while they feel numb or asleep. The child should be watched closely so he/she does not injure his/her lip, tongue, or cheek before the anesthesia wears off.
• Do not rinse the mouth for several hours.
• Do not spit excessively.
• Do not drink a carbonated beverage (Coke, Sprite, etc.) for the remainder of the day.
• Do not drink through a straw.
• Keep 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 fifteen minutes. This can also be accomplished with a tea bag wrapped in a tissue. 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, as directed for the age of the child. If a medicine was prescribed, then follow the directions on the bottle.

Care After Fillings/Crowns/Pulp Therapy

• Slight to moderate discomfort and swelling may be present and expected after restorative treatment. Use Children’s Tylenol as directed for pain relief. If pain/swelling becomes severe, or continues after 24-48 hours, please let us know.
• It is important to keep the restored area clean, especially after crown placement. Brush the restored area thoroughly but gently to minimize bacteria and promote healing.

Care After Space Maintainer Placement

• Slight discomfort and swelling may be present and expected after space maintainer placement. Use Children’s Tylenol as directed for pain relief. If pain/swelling becomes severe, or continues after 24-48 hours, please let us know.
• It is important to keep the restored area clean, especially after crown placement. Brush the restored area thoroughly but gently to minimize bacteria and promote healing.
• Avoid eating/chewing hard and sticky food that may displace the spacer, or food with high sugar and acid content that may dissolve the cement around the spacer. If the spacer becomes loose please safe the spacer and contact us as soon as possible.

Care After Dental Trauma

• Please keep the traumatized area as-clean-as possible. A soft wash cloth often works well during healing to aid the process.
• Watch for darkening of traumatized teeth. This could be an indication of a dying nerve (pulp).
• If the swelling should re-occur, 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 the office so the patient can be seen as early 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.

Care After Sealant Placement

Sealants decrease the risk of decay by keeping out plaque and food. They form a thin coating over pits and fissures over the biting surface of the tooth. Areas in between teeth cannot be coated, so good oral hygiene and nutrition are very important in protecting these unsealed portions of the teeth from decay. Regular flossing and brushing also helps prevent gum disease.

Ice and hard candy should not be eaten because they will fracture the sealant. Dr. Lee recommends regular dental check ups to ensure that your child’s sealants remain in place.

Sealants have been recognized by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry as an effective tool in the prevention of tooth decay. They can successfully protect the chewing surfaces of your child's teeth if placed and maintained properly. By visiting Dr. Lee’s office regularly for check ups, using fluoride, brushing and flossing daily, and limiting the amount of sugar-rich foods consumed, you can help maintain your child’s dental health. Coupled with sealants, this program lessens and potentially eliminates the risk of decay.