How to Prepare For Oral Surgery
Oral surgery can be stressful and scary. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to assuage your worries at home, before you even get to the doctor’s office.
Talk to Your Oral Surgeon Beforehand
It may seem a little obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning. Before you have surgery, talk to the surgeon who will be presiding over the procedure.
- Make absolutely sure that oral surgery is necessary.
- Talk about sedation options. Maybe you will be partly sedated, maybe the surgery can be done with specialized painkillers and no sedation. Perhaps you would rather be sedated so you don’t get bored during the process. Figure out what your options for sedation are and choose what’s best with your surgeon.
- Figure out your financing options. Knowing how the surgery will be paid for will be a huge weight off of your shoulders. It might be covered by insurance, it might be a health savings account. Your oral surgeon’s office can help with payment plans as well.
- Find out what the post-operation directions are. When can you eat solid food again? What painkillers can you take? Will you be given any medication to take afterwards?
- Ask any other questions you may have.
- Voice your safety concerns
- Find out if there are any other directions to follow.
- Make sure you understand each instruction.
Remember to follow any presurgical directions from your oral surgeon. At Dr. Ku Dentistry, we are happy to assist you with any preoperative surgery guidelines, and answer questions you might have. We want our patients to be ready, relaxed, and comfortable during any procedures we perform.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
You might be in the chair for longer than you think, so dress comfortably. Don’t bother with jewelry or accessories, you won’t need anything but yourself for surgery.
Have Soft, Bland Food Ready for Post-Op
It might hurt to eat after surgery, but you still need to eat. Have food that is easy on the teeth, gums, tongue, esophagus, and inside the mouth ready for the days immediately after surgery.
Fast Beforehand
Don’t eat for at least 6-8 hours before surgery. Your surgeon may provide additional advice, and ask you not to eat for even longer.
Get Some Cold Packs Ready
Ice packs can minimize swelling and pain that is common after surgery.
Line Up Something to do After Surgery
You probably won’t feel comfortable moving around very much, so find something sedentary. Binge watch a TV show, see some movies, read a book, or play video games…but find something relaxed and easy to do while you recover. Whatever you have to do after surgery, the main goal is to rest.
Organize a Ride to and from Surgery
You will probably be on some kind of sedation or other drugs for the procedure. Make sure you have someone to take you safely to and from the surgery so you don’t operate a vehicle under the influence.
Make Sure To Brush and Floss
Keep your mouth clean before surgery. This minimizes surgery time, because the oral surgeon won’t have to clear debris out of your mouth during the operation.
Arrive at the Office Early
Arriving early gives you time for any last-minute preparations. This way you can do any paperwork or ask any questions that you haven’t yet.
Reschedule if You are Sick or Injured
If you become sick, it’s a good idea to not have surgery. A compromised immune system will hurt your ability to recover after surgery — not to mention you risk spreading a disease to others at the dental office. If you are injured in another way, it’s still good to reschedule. Let your body focus on one recovery at a time.
For more reading on how to prepare for and recover from surgery better, look here.
Are You Considering Surgery?
If you are considering oral surgery in the Fort Worth area, contact us at Dr. Ku Dentistry. Dr. Ku is an award-winning Texas Dentist with years of experience in dentistry and oral surgery. We would be happy to answer any questions, or assist you in any way to make your procedure go as smoothly as possible.
