What Should You Avoid Before Oral Surgery?
People always need oral surgery in Terre Haute, IN, for many reasons, such as getting tooth extractions, dental implants, etc. Dental surgery may seem scary, but it may go way better than you expect, especially if you are well-prepared.
Proper planning is essential since it increases your chances of quick recovery post-surgery. Oral surgery near you will mostly be performed as an outpatient procedure and require general or local anesthesia.
Therefore, you should know what to do and avoid before and after the procedure. In other words, you will need to equip yourself with the proper information for a complication-free procedure and recovery.
Without further ado, let’s examine some things you might need to avoid before undergoing oral surgery.
What to Avoid Before Dental Surgery
Oral surgery shouldn’t put the fear of God in you. Most procedures are straightforward, but you must cooperate with our dentist near you to ensure a smooth procedure. This is what you need to do:
- Avoid Certain Foods and drinks
It is common practice that if you undergo oral surgery, you must avoid eating or drinking for almost eight to 12 hours before your procedure.
The reason is simple. Most, if not all, oral surgeries will need to be performed under anesthesia to ensure that you are comfortable. So, if you eat a couple of hours or less before your oral surgery, there is a high chance that you might vomit. Anesthesia usually causes patients to feel nauseous.
That’s why our dentist insists that you avoid foods and drinks; however, if you have diabetes and need the food, you might need to indulge in a light meal. Ensure you clean your teeth (brush and floss) after meals to avoid infection.
- Avoid Smoking and Drinking Alcohol
As you already know, tobacco is not your friend. It is connected with so many health conditions, diseases, and cancers. However, in this case, you should avoid smoking for at least 12 hours before your oral surgery. Tobacco contains chemicals that might cause complications after the procedure, such as delayed blood clotting and wound sealing.
Alcohol also increases your blood pressure and can cause excessive bleeding during the procedure, which can delay healing.
So, you will be better off avoiding smoking and alcohol for at least 12 hours before undergoing oral surgery.
- Certain Drugs
Our dentist will ask you some questions during your initial visit to get to know you. But this chat is critical since it reveals your medical history, your overall health, and if you are taking any medication.
It would help if you were forthcoming with this information since it can determine how the procedure goes and the outcome of the recovery process. So, if you take any medication, including vitamins, herbal, prescription, dietary supplements, and non-prescription drugs, ensure that you tell our dentist.
Certain drugs could benefit your overall health but may negatively affect you during or after the procedure. There could be certain drug interactions or side effects that may cause certain complications.
For instance, some medications can be prescribed to reduce blood clotting. These blood thinners will inhibit the essential clotting process after oral surgery. Blood clotting is the first step to wound healing. So, there will be increased blood flow, excessive bleeding, and less clotting, which will complicate the procedure.
Extra Tips
Besides the above, you should do more to ensure your surgery goes smoothly. That’s why we have lined up some extra tips that you might need to consider, such as:
- Prepare for Transport After the Procedure
Anesthesia takes a bit of time before the effects wear off. You might need someone to take you home because your coordination might be off.
- Select the Right Clothing
You will need to be comfortable. It would be uncomfortable to undergo oral surgery near you when wearing snug clothes, high shoes, etc.
- Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is always essential. Being well-rested reduces the stress on your mind and body, making your recovery much easier.
The above guidelines are just some things you need to bear in mind. However, our dentist will instruct you to read carefully to ensure you understand everything you need to do. In any case, you can contact us at Staley Family Dentistry if you have any questions.