Comfort and care instructions

Caring for yourself after dental treatment in Lehi

What you do at home in the days after treatment shapes how fast you bounce back. These tips are general. The written steps from your dentist always come first.

Call (385) 452-6985 Insurance and payment

How should I care for my mouth after a procedure?

Take it easy, stick with soft meals and clean around the treated spot with a light touch. A few days of tenderness or sensitivity is normal for many people. If anything here differs from your written instructions, go with those, since they match your treatment.

Let the numbness fade before your first meal
Tenderness usually settles within a few days
Phone us if pain, swelling or bleeding gets worse

After any procedure

Numb lips and tongue. Numbing can linger for a few hours. Hold off on meals and hot drinks until feeling comes back, so you do not chew your cheek or scald your mouth.
Tender gums. The gums, and the spot where the shot went in, can be sore for a few days. Once your dentist gives the go-ahead, rinsing with warm salt water may feel soothing.
Managing pain. Use pain medicine the way your dentist advises. If you were given a prescription, follow the label closely and check with your pharmacist about how it mixes with your other medicines.

Phone our office at (385) 452-6985 whenever something seems off. If swelling spreads toward the eye or neck, a high fever, or trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Care tips by treatment

Fillings, crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays

Teeth may react to cold, heat, sugar or chewing for a while. This often calms down over days or weeks.
A bite that hits too soon or feels lopsided is worth a call. It is a quick fix, so there is no reason to put up with it.
Wearing a temporary crown? Avoid gum, caramel and hard candy, and pull floss out sideways rather than lifting it up.

Root canals

Expect the tooth to feel achy or bruised for several days while it settles.
Do your chewing on the opposite side until the permanent filling or crown goes on, since the tooth is more fragile until then.
The temporary filling may feel a little rough. Phone us if it seems to have come out completely.

Extractions and bone grafts

Bite down on moist gauze to control bleeding. A little seepage that first night is expected.
Avoid straws, cigarettes and hard spitting for several days, since each one can pull the clot loose and cause dry socket.
On day one, hold a cold pack to your face in on and off rounds. Warmth may ease a stiff jaw later in the week.
Choose soft foods, drink lots of fluids and give hard workouts a couple of days off.
Clean your other teeth gently but leave the site alone at first. Wait for the okay before rinsing.

Dental implants

Bleeding, swelling and food choices follow the extraction tips above.
Keep pressure and chewing off the implant until your dentist clears it.
Come to each follow-up so healing can be checked.

When to call us

Phone (385) 452-6985 for any of these:

Gauze that is still soaking through after a few hours of firm, steady pressure
Pain or swelling that climbs after day three instead of easing
A sharp or pounding ache in a treated tooth
Fever, pus or a foul taste near the site
A temporary crown or filling that feels loose, or a bite that is still off

Never sure if something is normal? Phoning to ask is always okay. Before your next treatment, take a look at our pre-op care page.

Cost and insurance

Your cost depends on the care you need and your dental plan. After your exam, we give you an estimate and go over what your insurance is likely to cover before any treatment starts. We work with most major dental plans and accept CareCredit.

See insurance and payment options

FAQ

Questions about post-operative care

What foods are easy after oral surgery?

Pick soft foods served cool or lukewarm, such as applesauce, broth, mashed potatoes, eggs and smoothies you eat with a spoon. Leave crunchy, spicy or very hot foods and alcohol for later, once your dentist says the site has healed enough.

My new filling feels sensitive. Is that okay?

Often, yes. Sensitivity after a crown or filling is common and tends to fade. Give us a call if it is getting worse, sticks around for weeks or your bite does not feel right.

What are the signs of infection?

Pain or swelling that builds after the first few days, a fever, pus or a bad taste that lingers can all be signs. Phone us if you notice any of them.

When can I brush near the treated spot?

Brushing the rest of your mouth is usually fine that same day. Around an extraction or implant, wait for the okay from your dentist, then use a soft brush and gentle strokes.

How long is recovery?

That varies with the treatment. A filling may leave you sore for a few days. Gums and bone after surgery can need weeks or months to heal fully. Ask your dentist for a timeline that fits your care.

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