08/08/2020
Preparing yourself for an oral surgery appointment –
So, you saw your dentist and he/she said you need oral surgery to fix your problem and they will be calling in an oral surgeon to do the job. There are a few things you can do to make the process easy on yourself.
Some general instructions –
1. Stop smoking 1 day before your surgery. This will greatly reduce the chances of infection.
2. Get 8-10 hours of sleep the night before surgery.
3. Have a light meal 2 hours before your appointment. This will help prevent light-headedness.
4. Use the restroom before leaving your house. (Effect of air conditioning)
5. Wear loose comfortable clothing. Please remember to bring a jacket or a sweater if you tend to feel cold. (Remember the air conditioning?)
6. Please put your cell phone in silent mode when you enter the clinic.
Things to bring along with you –
7. All relevant blood tests, x-rays and scans.
8. If you are being treated for any medical disease please bring a list of all the medicines you are taking along with any doctor’s notes if available.
9. It’s a good idea to bring a responsible adult to accompany you home after procedure.
10. If you are a minor, a parent/legal guardian is a must.
Medicines to be used –
11. Take an additional Antibiotic tablet 1 hour before your procedure. (To prevent infection.)
12. Take a painkiller tablet 1 hour before procedure. Doing this reduces pain after surgery. You’ll also need less painkillers later using this approach.
13. Start using Chlorhexidine 0.2 % mouthwash 4 times a day, 1 day before surgery. (Again, to prevent infection.)
14. If you are unusually stressed out, the dentist may ask you to take a sedative tablet on the night prior to, and 1 hour before surgery. It will help calm you down.
So, if you remember to do these things, I’m sure your appointment will go smoothly.
However, please note, the above is general advice. To get more specific advice regarding your particular problem please ask your dentist. As always, take care and have a great day.