If you’re needing to see an emergency dentist to receive a procedure, one of your initial thoughts may be the dental aftercare. In some cases it could be to proceed as normal with standard brushing and flossing techniques, in others, painkillers and avoiding specific food and drink may be necessary.
Preparing for your appointment
To encourage a smoother visit, there are a few specific areas which we recommend reviewing ahead of your scheduled appointment.
Brushing your teeth
Similar to getting your car washed to see issues with the paintwork, brushing your teeth before an appointment will help the dentist identify and investigate issues.
General oral cleaning techniques
Normal day-to-day brushing, flossing and mouthwash can greatly improve the longevity and health of your teeth and gums. In doing so, dental appointments may appear less often. If or when an emergency visit is needed these daily steps will ensure your oral health is optimal to target and correct the reason for the emergency visit.
Smoking
It is known that smoking can have an effect on your teeth and gums. If you do smoke and need dental assistance, we recommend not to smoke at least 2 to 3 hours ahead of your appointment to reduce any chemicals left over within your mouth.
Types of aftercare recovery
The level of work needed during your visit will greatly affect the amount of dental aftercare which is required.
Standard cleaning
If the procedure was relatively standard and not too invasive, we would recommend normal brushing techniques to clear plaque buildup as you would on a day-to-day basis. Particularly sensitive areas may require some light-pressure brushing with attention to detail to reduce buildup to as little as possible.
Painkillers
Where longer-lasting pain could be experienced, occasionally painkillers will either be recommended or prescribed.
Food and drink intake
Typically, after the completion of larger procedures, avoiding certain food or drinks will be recommended by our professionals for a specific length of time. This is normally mentioned when chewing could cause pain to the affected area. Food or drink avoidance is also recommended if a local anaesthetic has been used along with a numbing agent. Once the numbed area is back to normal, food and drink intake can be reintroduced.
Advice from your dentist
We want to make sure the level of care you receive is at a high standard and get you back to your normal daily routine as quickly as possible. Our professionals have years of experience to know the ideal form of dental aftercare required to do so.
The level of dental aftercare recommended by our professionals will completely depend on the amount of work which may need to be carried out during your emergency appointment.
Caring for your teeth in the long term
After the emergency procedure and healing process, we highly recommend continuing the amount of dental aftercare carried out and implementing it into your daily routine. Doing so should greatly improve the feel of your teeth, reduce plaque buildup and prolong longevity.
Optimal teeth brushing
Correct and frequent teeth brushing ensures healthy teeth and gums. Previously, we have put together some dental advice surrounding the key techniques and forms of optimal teeth brushing.
Flossing and mouthwash
Flossing and mouthwash are also important to the health of your teeth and gums. We have also covered the ins-and-outs of mouthwash in our array of recent dental advice. Take a look at the advice today and pick up some new techniques and habits.
Get in touch
For more information about dental aftercare or to get booked in with your nearest 247 emergency dentist, feel free to get in touch via 03301 759995.