How to Treat Dental Surgery Pain

Today's oral surgeons pay close attention to patient pain, but it doesn't hurt to learn more about how to prevent and deal with it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Ice pack
• Prescribed antibiotics or painkillers
• Ibuprofen
• Ice cream or yogurt

Treat Dental Surgery Pain

1. Request local anesthesia during the procedure if possible. Once the procedure is over, your mouth will remain numb, giving you time to fill your painkiller prescription and administer your first dose.
2. Fill all prescription painkillers as soon as possible. Your oral surgeon might treat your pain with a drug as simple as Tylenol with codeine, or something strong like hydrocodone.
3. Swallow your Ibuprofen pill to get the full benefits. Placing it on the gum near the surgical site may actually burn the gum.
4. Apply ice packs to your face over the surgical site to reduce swelling and pain. Ice the area on a 15-minute on-off schedule for the first day after the surgery. Continue as necessary.
5. Open and close your mouth slowly to increase blood flow to the area. The increased circulation will help treat your pain. Be sure not to clench or touch your teeth when closing your mouth during this exercise.
6. Eat soft, cold foods like ice cream or yogurt for the first few days after your surgery. The coolness will soothe your pain and the calories will boost your strength.
7. Take all antibiotics exactly as prescribed to you before and after the surgery. If you don't finish the pills on schedule, or just stop taking them when you feel better, the bacteria that remains may cause another painful infection.
8. Call your doctor if the pain becomes too much. Visit Dental Wisdom's website for ways to describe your pain accurately (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• If you have had a painkiller dependency or do not want to take higher-level painkillers, ask your surgeon for alternatives. Pain from simpler surgeries might be treated with aspirin or Ibuprofen only.
• Avoid giving children Ibuprofen for pain due to the risk of Reyes Syndrome. Ask your surgeon how you can relieve your child's dental pain given specific health concerns.
• Don't be afraid to call your doctor if you think you have injured the surgical site. Your mouth may not heal on its own, and you may need a suture or another surgery to fix the problem.