After Placement of Dental Implants
Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There may be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gingival (gum) tissue.
Bleeding
Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24-48 hours. Excessive bleeding (your mouth fills up rapidly with blood) can be controlled by biting on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 1 hour. If bleeding continues please call for further instructions.
Swelling
Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. The night of surgery, if Peridex Oral Rinse is prescibed, use it before bed. The day after surgery, the Peridex should be used twice daily, after breakfast and before bed. Be sure to rinse for at least 30 seconds then spit it out. Warm salt-water rinses (teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) should be used at least 4-5 times a day, as well, especially after meals. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. Be gentle initially with brushing the surgical areas.
Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. Maximum swelling will occur 36 to 48 hours after the surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag, or a plastic bag, or towel filled with ice on the cheek in the area of surgery. Apply the ice continuously, as much as possible, for the first 48 hours.
Diet
Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Soft food and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.
Antibiotics
Be sure to take the prescribed antibiotics until they're gone as it is important to kill all the bacterial present to avoid infection.
Activity
Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Keep in mind that you are probably not taking normal nourishment. This may weaken you and further limit your ability to exercise.
Wearing your Prosthesis
Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery and for at least ten days. Possibly for up to two weeks but this is decided by your surgeon. Please discuss this issue with your surgeon.