How to Know When to Call the Doctor After Dental Surgery

Sometimes patients who undergo dental surgery do not heal easily. Older patients and those with clotting disorders most often find themselves calling a doctor after surgery. Even young healthy patients might need medical help during recovery. It might be hard to know when to call your surgeon, but it's usually better to be safe than sorry.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pain medication or Ibuprofen
• Gauze or a tea bag

When To Call the Doctor After Dental Surgery

1. Call a doctor if the surgical site doesn't stop bleeding. Make sure your gauze or moist tea bag is on the surgical site and not between your teeth. If you don't stop bleeding, replace the gauze or tea bag. Call your doctor immediately if bleeding does not cease.
2. Consider calling your surgeon if you feel sharp edges in your mouth that bother you. The edges are usually sutures or the bony walls that supported your tooth. While this is not serious, it's okay to call your surgeon if you are concerned.
3. Contact your doctor after surgery if you are diabetic. Most people should not eat solid food immediately after surgery, but patients with diabetes have different needs. Know your doctor's number and program it in your cell phone.
4. Call your surgeon immediately if you feel a throbbing, persistent pain in your jaw a few days after a tooth extraction. You may have dry socket, a condition that occurs if the blood clot in your mouth has been lost.
5. Contact your surgeon if you have a bad reaction to your pain medication. Try taking the medication with food first, but if that doesn't work, get a new prescription from your surgeon. Try taking Ibuprofen instead when prescription medications seem to be too strong for your body.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your surgeon's phone number with your other healthcare contacts in your address book in case your primary care doctor needs this information.
• Follow your surgeon's instructions carefully to avoid complications. Many problems can be avoided by eating and drinking what your doctor recommends.
• Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol after your dental surgery. Both habits can endanger your mouth after surgery and can slow down your healing process internally.
• If you are experiencing severe bleeding, immeasurable pain or another extreme symptom, go to the emergency room if you cannot reach your surgeon or general practitioner.