AFTER CARE
Instructions for Fluoride
Our office has applied fluoride varnish to your child’s teeth today. The varnish has a sticky texture and needs to remain on the teeth for as long as possible.
Please follow these instructions for maximum effectiveness of fluoride:
– Wait to eat or drink for 30 minutes
– Avoid brushing tonight
– Do not give fluoride vitamins for 24 hours
Instructions for Extractions
Have your child bite on the gauze until the bleeding has stopped (approximately ½ hour). The gauze should be replaced as necessary. Some mild bleeding and oozing is to be expected. You might notice some blood on the child’s pillow after the first night’s sleep.
The area of the extracted tooth will be numb for 1 ½ hours, therefore your child should not eat until the numb sensation is gone to avoid biting the lip/cheek/tongue and to avoid recurrence of bleeding.
Your child should brush his/her teeth gently tonight avoiding excessive brushing near the extraction area. Tomorrow he/she should brush as he/she usually would.
Do not allow your child to rinse and spit today.
Avoid drinking through a straw for the first day.
A soft diet is recommended.
Give Children’s Motrin for pain as necessary. Follow dosage instructions on package.
If excessive or prolonged bleeding occurs please contact the doctor immediately.
If the doctor has placed sutures, they normally dissolve on their own in approximately 1 week.
If any questions and/or problems arise, please call the office at (516) 753-5437.
Instructions for Traumatic Injuries
Apply ice to face on and off every 20 minutes for the first day.
Soft, bland diet for one week. For example, yogurt, soup, apple sauce or any favorite food that can be cut into small pieces or put into a blender. No salty foods.
Brush all teeth gently in order to avoid infection. Run brush under hot water to soften bristles.
Give Children’s Motrin every 6-8 hours for pain as necessary.
Watch all front teeth for gray discoloration, gum boils, looseness or pain. Call the office for an immediate appointment if any of these arise.
Apply blue mouthwash (Peridex/Chlorhexidine Gluconate) to affected area 2 times per day in the morning and evening for 3-5 days.
* The nerve in a traumatized tooth may die as soon as two weeks after a fall or as late as 1-2 years after the injury. Therefore, each tooth should be watched carefully. A traumatized tooth may require root canal and needs to be followed by our office every 3-6 months.
Instructions for Fixed Space Maintainers
Your child has had a space maintainer placed today.
This appliance is meant to hold space so the permanent (adult) teeth will come into the mouth in the proper position. In order for the appliance to work properly, please follow these instructions carefully:
The appliance should stay cemented firmly in place. Should it become loose, dislodged or broken, call the office immediately for an appointment. If possible, save the appliance and bring it with you on the day of the appointment.
Do not allow your child to eat sticky foods or candy (i.e. gummy bears, taffy, licorice, caramels, now and laters, gum etc.) because these may cause the appliance to become dislodged and it may be lost or swallowed.
You must bring your child to the office every three months to have the appliance checked. Please mark this on your calendar and make sure you call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Since the appliance must be removed at the appropriate time, it is important that all scheduled appointments are kept as recommended by the doctor.
If any questions or problems arise, please call the office at (516) 753-KIDS.
Instructions for Fixed Space Maintainers
Your child has had a removable orthodontic appliance placed.
In order for the appliance to work properly, please follow these instructions carefully:
The appliance should be worn at all times even when eating. (If taken out during eating, there is a good chance it could be thrown away.)
Chewy, sticky foods/candies should be avoided.
During the first week some problems in speech may be noted but will improve over time. Eating may be difficult; a soft diet is recommended until the child gets used to the appliance.
The appliance should be removed twice a day (a.m. and p.m.) to be cleaned. Clean it with water, a toothbrush and toothpaste and replace immediately after brushing teeth.
If the appliance becomes broken or loose, call the office immediately for an appointment.
The appliance should be checked at least every 3 months. Please be sure that you have arranged for follow up appointments as recommended by the Doctor.
If the appliance cannot be worn for any reason, it must be placed in a container of water and the Doctor should be informed of the problem.
Please be aware there is a replacement fee for lost appliances.
If any questions and/or problems arise, please call the office at (516) 753-5437.
Instructions for Composite Crowns
Although composite crowns (“strip crowns”) are very esthetic and useful restorations, you must realize that these are very fragile and are in no way as strong as natural tooth structure.
Proper care of these crowns is very important!
Avoid giving your child hard foods or candies which may chip or break these restorations (ie. carrots, bagels, lollipops, apples, Now and Later candies, etc.). Also any gummy, sticky candies can weaken these as well (i.e. Gummy Bears, Fruit Roll-Ups).
Extra care must be taken to brush these teeth at least 2 times each day to avoid decay forming underneath them. Use a soft child’s toothbrush and brush gently by the gums.
These restorations may stain over time, therefore avoid dark juices or berries.
Due to the fragile nature as mentioned before, even when all precautions are taken, these crowns may fracture. If a problem should arise, please call the office immediately.
Instructions for Composite (White) Fillings
The fillings your child had completed today are esthetically pleasing; however they can be fragile and require meticulous oral hygiene to enhance the life of the filling.
Our recommendations for the best oral hygiene are as follows:
Use of a Sonicare toothbrush at least 2 times a day with a fluoride toothpaste
ACT Rinse 2 times a day (it may be brushed onto teeth if you are concerned that the child may swallow it)
Floss at night after brushing
Avoid gummy, sticky, chewy candies and lollipops!Water down all juice and preferably drink mostly water!
Remember to return every 4 to 6 months to our office for a professional cleaning and fluoride treatment.
With good care, your child’s fillings will last a long time. Without good oral hygiene including flossing, cavities can develop around the edges of a filling, causing a filling to fall out or need to be replaced. If a filling needs to be replaced, you may incur a charge.
Instructions for Laser Tie Release/Frenectomy
Keep ice on lip for first 15 minutes after procedure. Minimal swelling of lip may occur.
Maintain regular brushing, flossing and rinsing starting tomorrow morning being careful of the surgical site.
Rinse with cold water several times a day for the first 24 hours.
After the first 24 hours, STRETCH the upper lip upward and downward vigorously 3 x a day (10-15 reps).
**This is to prevent reattachment and is EXTREMELY important!**
Child should place tongue in area of surgical site and exercise the lip (push the lip outward with tongue) as much as possible during the day.
Give Motrin every 8 hours for 2 full days to help with inflammation and any mild pain.
Avoid any crunchy hard foods that may scrape surgical site for 3 days.
If you have any concerns, please call office immediately (516) 753-5437
Return in 7-10 days for follow up.
** Surgical site may look raw, however there is generally very little associated pain. Motrin and rinsing with cool water should alleviate any discomfort.
**You will not be hurting you child by doing lip stretches; it is very important to really STRETCH the lip after the first 24 hours .
**If any bleeding occurs, place firm pressure on the site with gauze for a full 5 minutes.