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Preparing For Oral Surgery

Dental Anxiety 1 Midlothian, VA Dentist | Biggers Family Dentistry

Oral surgery can be intimidating and even scary for some people. But at Biggers Family Dentistry, we help make the entire process easier. With a little preparation and understanding, oral surgery can be a lot less stressful for you.

You can read more about preparing for oral surgery below and call us with any questions. We’re more than happy to help!

What To Do The Day Before Your Oral Surgery

The better you prepare before your oral surgery , the less stressed you’ll feel the day of. There’s actually quite a few things you can do ahead of time to make your surgery and recovery that much easier.

First, make sure you arrange a ride to and from our Midlothian, VA dental office, if necessary. For a tooth extraction, you may decide to use oral sedation and it can take a little time for the side effects to wear off. In that case, you’ll want someone to drive you home.

You should also make any childcare arrangements ahead of time. If you normally watch your little ones during the time you’ll be in surgery or recovering, it may be helpful to have someone watch your children for you.

You’ll also want to plan ahead when it comes to meals. If you’re having a tooth removed, you’ll likely have to stick to foods that are soft and easy to chew for at least the rest of the day after your procedure. Stock your fridge with the right kinds of foods so you aren’t left searching for something you can eat.

The Day Of Your Surgery

The day of your procedure, you’ll want to dress comfortably. We typically suggest a short-sleeve shirt and comfortable, loose-fitting pants. You should take off any jewelry you’re wearing and avoid wearing body spray, cologne, or perfume.

Plan on getting to our office about 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment. That way you have extra time in case you run into traffic or another problem on your way. It also gives you time to fill out any last-minute paperwork.

When it’s time for your appointment, we will make sure you’re completely comfortable with beginning the procedure.

Sedation Options At Biggers Family Dentistry

At our Midlothian, VA dental office, we offer two types of dental sedation to keep you comfortable: nitrous oxide and oral sedation.

Nitrous oxide is one of the most commonly used ways to relieve dental anxiety and help patients relax. For this option, you’ll wear a small mask that allows you to breathe in the nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, to make you feel more comfortable. Nitrous oxide is even safe enough to give to children.

Oral sedation provides a deeper level of relaxation. This type of sedation is taken in pill form about an hour before your procedure so that you already feel relaxed by the time to get to our office.

Oral sedation will make you feel drowsy enough that you’ll need a ride home from our office so be sure to arrange that ahead of time.

Recovering From Oral Surgery

Recovering from oral surgery doesn’t have to be an exhausting task. The key is to take it easy. Plan to spend the day relaxing on your couch or in bed with your favorite books or magazines. You can even have a movie day while the effects of the sedation wear off!

You’ll likely want to stick to soft foods and avoid sucking through a straw. You should also avoid smoking for at least 24 hours after oral surgery. A sucking motion can cause a dry socket which further complicates things.

Take any medication as prescribed and use an ice pack on the area for 15 minutes at a time to control any swelling you may experience.

Learn More About The Oral Surgery Process Today

Knowing what to expect and planning ahead make any process much easier. We understand oral surgery can be intimidating but we want to help make the entire process run as smoothly as possible. To learn more about preparing for oral surgery, call Biggers Family Dentistry at (804) 621-2199. You can also contact us online .