INSTRUCTIONS

Here For You Before, During & After Your Procedure

Important Steps & Guidelines

Before Anesthesia

Prior to your appointment involving anesthesia, please ensure you are following the steps and guidelines outlined below. This allows us to ensure your anesthesia is successful and we are able to perform your procedure efficiently and effectively. If you have any questions about the instructions below, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.

  • Do not eat or drink anything, including water, gum or lozenges for at least 8 hours prior to surgery. You may brush your teeth and take necessary medications with a sip of water if approved by your doctor. 

  • Do not smoke for at least 12 hours prior to your surgery. Ideally, cut down on or quit smoking entirely prior to the day of surgery for the best results. 

  • Make sure you have a trusted, responsible adult to accompany you to the office, remain in-office during the procedure, and drive you home afterwards. 

  • Do not drive a vehicle or operate any machinery for 24 hours after anesthesia. 

  • Please wear loose-fitting clothing to your procedure that can easily be rolled up past the elbow. We also ask that you wear flat or low-heeled shoes. 

  • Contact lenses, jewelry and dentures must be removed prior to the surgery. 

  • Do not wear lipstick, excessive makeup or nail polish on the day of surgery. 

  • If you have an illness or condition such as a cold, sore throat, stomach bug or upset bowels prior to surgery, please notify the office before your appointment. 

  • If you take routine oral medications, please contact the office prior to your surgery date for personalized instructions. 

  • If you eat within the 8 hours before your surgery or do not have a responsible party to remain with you during the procedure, your appointment will be rescheduled until those arrangements have been made.

Ensuring A Healthy & Speedy Recovery

Post-Operation Instructions

After an operation of any kind, it’s important to follow the proper instructions to ensure a healthy and speedy recovery. When you are recovering from any procedure at Oyster Point Oral And Facial Surgery, consult with our team for your specific instructions. However, the following information can be used as a general guideline for post-operative recovery at our practice.

Keep any pressure gauze firmly in place for 1-2 hours. To eat or drink, first remove the gauze and then immediately replace it when finished. After that initial 1-2 hour time frame, remove and discard the gauze. To minimize bleeding, do not drink through a straw or smoke for at least 24 hours.

If your doctor has prescribed any medications and/or antibiotics as part of your post-operative recovery plan, they should be taken as soon as you get home unless otherwise stated. The antibiotics, if prescribed, should be continued until there are none left. Narcotic pain medications, on the other hand, are often only necessary for the first 12-24 hours after surgery. Afterwards, Ibuprofen or Motrin taken every 3-4 hours may suffice, though narcotics can be continued as prescribed if they continue to be necessary.

It’s important to continue nourishing your body after any kind of procedure. Unless otherwise instructed, it is often more comfortable to limit yourself to cold, soft foods for the first day or so after surgery, though you should transition back to a regular diet as soon as possible. Don’t miss meals!

Even after surgery, remember to maintain proper oral hygiene habits to keep the area clean. On the day after your surgery, begin rinsing your mouth out every few hours with warm salt water. If you are able to brush your teeth without difficulty, do so.

Unless instructed otherwise by your doctor, you may choose to apply intermittent ice packs to the affected area for the first 12-24 hours after surgery. If dissolvable sutures were placed in the surgery site, anticipate that they will dissolve within 7-10 days.

Common Problems

For a variety of procedures, there is a shared selection of common problems that may occasionally arise. If you experience any of these issues, first try the home remedies and then, if necessary, contact your doctor for instruction or intervention. Common problems include bleeding, nausea and vomiting, facial swelling, muscle soreness and discoloration of the skin.

Bleeding

For a number of hours after surgery, you can expect some slight amount of blood around the surgery site. When mixed with the saliva in your mouth, there may appear to be more blood than there actually is. If you do notice significant or continuous bleeding, rinse your mouth out gently with fresh water and place a fresh gauze pad directly over the surgery site. If bleeding persists, repeat the pressure with gauze for an additional 45 minutes. 

Discoloration

In some cases, swelling of the face is followed by skin discoloration. The development of black, blue, green or yellow discoloration on the skin is due to blood spreading beneath the tissue, similar to a bruise. This is a normal occurance for those recovering from a surgical procedure, which may occur 2-3 days after the operation. This discoloration may go away faster if you apply moist heat to the affected area intermittently.

Nausea And Vomiting

Any unease in your stomach after surgery is likely due to swallowing blood or sensitivity to the medications used during and after surgery. To settle the stomach, drink a glass of milk or eat some bland food. If nausea continues, narcotic pain medications should be discontinued unless absolutely necessary for pain control.

Facial Swelling

Some patients are more likely to have facial swelling following oral surgery. Applying ice packs over the swollen areas will often reduce the size of the swelling. Any swelling will often be most significant 36-72 hours after surgery and should slowly decrease over the next few days.

Muscle Soreness

Stiffness of the jaw muscles is a common side effect of facial surgery and may cause some difficulty when opening your mouth for a few days post-operation. This soreness will diminish and heal itself over time.

Location

11842 Rock Landing Drive
Suite 105
Newport News, VA 23606

Hours

Monday – Thursday
8:30 am– 5 pm

Friday
8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Contact

Call Us:
757-596-1200