Dr. LaLande, childrens dentist Las Vegas, provides useful information what you should do and expect following common dental procedures.

Extractions

After a tooth extraction, have your child bite down on gauze for 30 to 45 minutes. This will help the blood form a clot and aid the healing process. You may have to replace the gauze if the blood is not clotting. Also, should the clot not form you may try to have your child bite down on a tea bag, wrapped in gauze. Tea contains an ingredient that helps blood clotting.

Once the clot forms, make sure not to disturb it in any way. Excessive rinsing and sucking on straws may dislodge the clot, requiring more healing. If the clot dislodges, your child may feel a throbbing pain due to the bone being exposed. Dr. LaLande, childrens dentist Las Vegas, suggests applying an ice pack, or a bag of frozen peas, to the swollen area, which will help keep swelling to a minimum. Typically, swelling will reduce significantly after two days.
Return to the normal dental hygiene schedule after 24 hours, including flossing and brushing your child’s teeth at least once a day. Having a clean mouth speeds healing up. Should your child experience any severe pain, swelling lasting more than 2 days, or an adverse reaction to the prescriptions, please contact our office as soon as possible.

Fillings

When you leave our, after a filling appointment, the lips, tongue, and cheek may feel numb for several hours, if an anesthetic was used. Sometimes we forget that the area is numb and drink hot liquids. It is best to avoid hot beverages and food until feeling has returned to the area. Children can also bite their tongue or lips during this time following the filling.

Feeling sensitive to hot and cold, after a filling appointment, is normal. The area around the injection may also feel sore. Over the counter pain relievers like Tylenol will help the feeling of soreness.

Fluoride Application

After a routine cleaning, fluoride is applied topically to teeth as either a foam or varnish. For the best effect, make sure that your child does not eat or drink for 30 minutes after the fluoride is placed on the teeth. Dr. LaLande, childrens dentist Las Vegas, also wants you to know that you shouldn’t let your child drink milk for the rest of the day because calcium decreases the effectiveness of the fluoride.

If you have other questions, or simply are interested in scheduling an appointment, feel free to contact us at 702-254-8858. The specialists at our childrens dentist Las Vegas dental office would love to answer any further questions you may have regarding the dental health of your children.