Home Care Instructions, Post-Procedure Guidance

Your Recovery Starts at Home

The work we do in the chair is only half the equation. How you care for yourself at home in the hours and days after a procedure determines how quickly you heal, how comfortable you feel, and how long your results last. Below are our detailed post-procedure instructions organized by treatment type. If you ever have questions that are not covered here, call our Harrisonburg office, we are always happy to help.

After Tooth-Colored Fillings

Numbness typically wears off within 1 to 3 hours. Avoid chewing on the treated side until full feeling returns.
Sensitivity to hot, cold, or pressure is normal for a few days to two weeks. Over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen manages discomfort effectively.
Your bite should feel normal. If the filling feels high when you close your teeth, call our office so we can adjust it, this is a quick, comfortable fix.
Brush and floss normally. The filling is fully set before you leave the chair.
Avoid extremely hard or sticky foods on the filling for the first 24 hours.

After Tooth Extractions

Bite gently on the gauze pad placed over the extraction site for 30 to 45 minutes. Change the gauze as needed if bleeding continues.
Do not spit, rinse, use a straw, or smoke for the first 24 hours. These actions can dislodge the blood clot and lead to a painful dry socket.
Apply an ice pack to the outside of your cheek, 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, for the first 6 hours to manage swelling.
Eat soft foods (yogurt, applesauce, mashed potatoes, smoothies without a straw) for the first 2 days. Gradually reintroduce solid foods as comfort allows.
After 24 hours, gently rinse with warm salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of water) 3 to 4 times a day for a week.
Take prescribed pain medication as directed. If you were prescribed antibiotics, complete the entire course.

After Crown or Bridge Placement

If you received a temporary crown, avoid sticky or hard foods on that side. The temporary is secured with a mild cement designed to come off easily at your next visit.
Brush gently around the temporary crown. When flossing, pull the floss out to the side rather than snapping it up, this keeps the temporary in place.
If a temporary crown loosens or comes off, call our office right away. Keep the crown in a safe place and try to gently slide it back on with a small amount of denture adhesive until we can see you.
After a permanent crown is cemented, mild sensitivity to temperature is normal for a few days.
Brush and floss your permanent crown just like your natural teeth. Crowns can still develop decay at the margin where the crown meets the tooth.

After Deep Cleaning (Scaling and Root Planing)

Soreness, tenderness, and slight bleeding from the gums are normal for 3 to 5 days after the procedure.
Brush gently with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Do not skip brushing, keeping the area clean is critical to healing.
Rinse with the prescribed antimicrobial mouthwash (or warm salt water) twice daily for at least a week.
Avoid spicy, crunchy, or acidic foods for 48 hours, as they can irritate the treated gum tissue.
Sensitivity to cold is common for a few weeks as the roots are temporarily exposed. Use a desensitizing toothpaste (like Sensodyne) to manage this.
Attend your follow-up appointment, usually 4 to 6 weeks after the deep cleaning, so we can measure your healing and adjust your maintenance schedule.

When to Call Our Office

Bleeding that does not stop after 30 minutes of firm pressure
Severe pain that is not controlled by prescribed or over-the-counter medication
Swelling that worsens after 48 hours or extends to the eye, neck, or floor of the mouth
Fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit
Numbness that persists beyond 6 hours after the procedure
A temporary crown that comes off or a filling that feels loose

Emergency Phone

(540) 280-0179

Call during office hours (Mon-Fri, 8 AM-5 PM). For after-hours emergencies, leave a voicemail and our on-call team will return your call promptly.

Home Care Instructions