Post-Op Care
Oral Care Following Local Anesthetic
If you have ever interacted with a child who has recently experienced the curious effects of a local anesthetic, you quickly realize that it can be difficult to explain exactly what is going on. The child will be curious about the strange sensations that they feel. They will likely feel the urge to suck, chew or play with the area that had been numbed. You should definitely seek to discourage this so that they do not cause additional irritation to the area, which could possibly delay the healing process. In a worst-case scenario, this irritation could lead to increased swelling and trauma.
You will need to monitor your child’s actions for around two hours after any treatment. You will need to be diligent because additional injury can happen in a moment. You will also want to provide a diet that is liquid or soft so that your child does not need to chew his food while the anesthetic is wearing off.
In the Event Your Child Bites Their Lip, Tongue or Cheek
Please be assured that most injuries of this nature will not require further treatment. It is also possible that it will take two weeks for this type of injury to heal. A cold compress (never heat) should be applied to bring about a reduction of swelling. If you see bleeding, you will need to use a clean gauze or cloth to apply pressure that is firm but gentle. In most situations, the bleeding should stop within 15-20 minutes. If bleeding persists beyond that, please call our office in Charlotte, NC or visit the nearest emergency room.
Post-Trauma Oral Care
In the event that your child experiences dental trauma, you will want to focus on keeping the traumatized area as clean as possible. You should be able to reduce the swelling with a cold compress (never use heat). If you see the tooth darkening, this is an indication that the nerve of the tooth may be dying. If a tooth begins to darken, be aware that infection often occurs next. You can often identify infection by the presence of a little bubble on the gums appearing below or above the tooth that has been traumatized. If you see a bubble like this appear, you will want to schedule an appointment at SouthPark Pediatric Dentistry as soon as possible and let our staff determine an appropriate solution for your child.
Oral Care Following Tooth Removal
If it becomes necessary for your child to have an extraction, their mouth will be numb for a while after the treatment. Our staff recommends that you give Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to your child to provide relief from pain while the numbing wears off. Explain to your child that they need to avoid spitting or excessive sucking in order to let the bleeding slow down. You will want to keep the treated area clean. Extra care will be needed while brushing for a couple of weeks after the tooth extraction. During this time, it is normal to see some mild bleeding during brushing.
If you have any questions or concerns, and live in the Charlotte, NC area, please feel free to contact our office! We have a dedicated team standing by eager to help answer any questions that you may have!
