Home Care Instructions for Your Child

General Information

• Watch your child carefully for the first 24 hours post-treatment.  He/she may feel tired and sleepy, which is normal.
• Avoid rough play or activities like sports for 24-48 hours after treatment, especially if your child has had many teeth removed.
• Follow the doctor’s recommendations for returning to school and resuming medications.
• It is normal for the child to have a low-grade fever (around 100.1-100.3F/37.5-38C) after the procedure.  However, if the temperature is higher than that, please contact the dentist or the child’s pediatrician, or go to an emergency room immediately.
• It is also common for the child to have a sore throat after the procedure, which should disappear in a couple of days.
• Your child’s lips and face may also show a mild swelling after the procedure; it will go away in a few hours.  If the doctor recommends it, you can place an ice pack or chopped ice wrapped in a plastic bag and towel on the area for a few minutes.

Oral Hygiene

• Wipe the gums and teeth with a clean wet gauze or cloth for the 12 hours after surgery.
• After the first 12 hours, brush gently twice a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste containing fluoride.
• Brush well around the gums where the crowns/caps are.  If the crowns are sivler, they should be shiny at all times.  Food can be retained at the gum line around the crowns and cause gum inflammation and bleeding, which can lead to discomfort and pain in the area.

Eating and Drinking

• Your child may have some nausea or vomiting after the procedure due to long hours with an empty stomach and the medicines used during the procedure.
• Keep your child hydrated, avoiding fruit juices, sugary drinks or soda pop.
• In the first 12 hours after surgery, give the child cold drinks and soft foods like smoothies, Jello, yogurt, ice cream/popsicles, pudding, mashed potatoes, soup, mac and cheese.  Avoid carbonated beverages and straws if teeth are removed.
• Avoid heavy or greasy foods like hamburgers, pizza, fries, hot dogs or large meals.  Your child may start vomiting or feeling unwell if given a heavy meal right after surgery.
• If your child cannot keep any food or liquid down, please contact our office, or go to the emergency room.

Bleeding

• If your child underwent general anesthesia, your child had a tube placed in the nose to deliver the medicine.  A small nosebleed and crusty blood in the nose are not uncommon after this procedure.
• If your child had any teeth removed, he/she may have mild bleeding during the day or even during the night.
• Avoid giving the child straws or carbonated beverages.
• Avoid letting the child spit or rinse, as this may increase bleeding.
• You can place a clean cloth or gauze over the area that is bleeding and have your child bite firmly for 15-30 minutes.  Biting on a clean, moist tea bag is also useful.
• If you feel your child is bleeding a lot or for a long time, please contact us or go to the nearest emergency room.

Pain

• You may give your child Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin (ibuprofen).  You can also alternate those two medications, as they are different and work differently to achieve a similar result.
• Please follow your doctor’s or dentist’s instructions about the weight-dependent dose and frequency of use.

Numbness

• Your child may be numb for 2-6 hours after the procedure, especially if he or she had teeth removed.
• Watch your child carefully so he or she does not pinch, scratch, rub or bite the area that is numb.
• If this happens, a large and painful sore may form in the area.  This sore looks swollen, red, and can scare parents.  Do not apply any numbing medication as it can make it worse (the child may bite the area again), but you may give ibuprofen or tylenol to relieve the discomfort.

Follow-up Appointment

• The procedure today is not a cure for his or her dental problems.
• It is important to follow the diet and oral hygiene recommendations the dentist gives you at all times.
• If the dentist scheduled a follow-up appointment, it is important to bring your child back.
• We need to check how your child is healing and how the teeth are doing.
• We will be able to answer any questions you may have during that appointment.
• We will also review oral hygiene, diet, and make a six month return appointment for a cleaning, x-rays and a fluoride treatment.

Home Care Instructions for Your Child Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington and Barrington Hills IL | (847) 865-4278