Helping your child after dental treatment

Once your child’s surgical visit is over, here are some tips to help them bounce back quickly.

Giving emotional support

This may be your baby’s first filling or extraction experience. Or it may be their first sedation. How you support your child and manage Post-operative feelings and discomfort will go a long way in shaping future dental care perceptions. Helping is important. Here are some tips;

Fillings and extractions

• Encourage your child to show resistance during challenging visits
• If they have had a large cavity restored or a tooth bridged, they will be reminded that their teeth will not bother them.
• If they are in discomfort, give them the appropriate pain medication and tell them they will feel better soon.
• Distract them with fun activities or relaxation.
• Offer them apple sauce, popsicles, jello and other soft and cold foods. Cold food and drinks are better than hot.

Sedation

• Children can often become disoriented and confused as the sedation wears off. They may be emotional, upset, angry or depressed. Sometimes, they don’t know their discomfort and say it hurts.
• Relax them and tell them this feeling is temporary and will pass soon. When parents are anxious or nervous, children feel more anxious and distressed.
• Please provide them with adequate pain relief.
• One suggestion is to sit them on the floor or carpet in front of the TV or their favourite device. Place pillows and blankets around them. Do not be unattended for at least two hours. Do not try to lay them on the bed or sofa, as they may tumble off.
• Special instructions for dealing with Post-Operative problems

Local anaesthesia/numbing

• Children may react differently to feeling numb on their lips, tongue and cheeks. Some children ignore it, some are curious about it, and others can be troubled. This is all a normal response. Especially with their first restorative visit, it is common for children to chew, suck, or scratch their lips and cheeks as the local anaesthesia wears off slowly. This filling can last for two to three hours.
• Please oversee your children for a few hours so they do not injure numb areas. If your child injures his tongue, cheek or lip, the area may swell and look dangerous. An ice pack or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel over the area can reduce swelling and is most helpful if used within the first 24 hours. Any swelling usually subsides after 48 to 72 hours. In addition, Ibuprofen will help with any swelling or discomfort. Use according to the information written on the bottle.

Sealants

• Your baby’s bite may feel different. All children gradually adjust to the new protective coating on their back teeth. No special care is necessary for this.
• Chewing bubble gum is helpful if it has a sour taste.

Fillings

• Immediately after the appointment, the area around the teeth may feel swollen and painful. We usually use a dental dam to separate the tooth and ensure your child does not swallow any material used. A dental dam clamp may irritate the gum. It will be fine in a day or two.
• Your child may feel that their bite is off for a few days. When the filling is on the baby’s tooth, the baby adjusts to the new filling. If the filling is on a permanent molar, the teen must return a week after the appointment to change his filling. This is common but easily fixed. If needed, contact our office to schedule a repeat visit.

Crowns

• If it’s not too much trouble, stay away from tacky food varieties, such as bubblegum, caramel, and toffee, for about one hour after the arrangement. The dental concrete that holds the crown set up requires about an hour to set completely.
• There may be some soreness and bleeding around the margins of the crown. It will be fine in a couple of days.
• Some children say that the crown feels tight and painful. We ensure a perfect, tight fit so the cap never falls off. This feeling will be corrected within two or three days. And they may feel their bite off. Make sure your growing baby’s bite will adjust.
• Bleeding in the gum line is expected. It will be fine in about two hours.
• You can continue brushing and flossing as usual from the first night
• Like fillings, a crown baby tooth will often fall out naturally when the permanent teeth are ready to come in

Pulpotomy

• Some gentle inconvenience will remain after the methodology is implemented. However, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are, in many cases, to the point of giving help.

Extraction

• After the extraction, forming a blood clot is essential to stop bleeding and start healing. Advise your child to bite on the gauze provided for five to ten minutes after the appointment. You may need to change the gauze before the bleeding stops. If the bleeding continues after you go home, your child should bite on a cold tea bag wrapped in gauze in the area of extraction.
• The tannic acid in tea can stop bleeding.
• After a blood clot forms, it is essential not to disturb it as it helps to heal correctly. Avoid hard, crunchy and sticky foods. This can disrupt the clot and stop the process of healing. Please refrain from vigorous activities for the next 24 hours, as this will increase blood pressure and cause excessive bleeding.
• After the extraction, the baby may experience some minor discomfort or swelling. Ibuprofen is enough to correct the discomfort. Use the product according to the information. Any swelling should subside after 48 to 12 hours. Any ice pack or frozen vegetable wrapped in a towel can be used on the outside of the cheek to reduce swelling; it will be better if used 24 hours before.
• Discontinue any antibiotic prescription as directed by your doctor.