Managing Dental Pain: Pre- and Post-Surgery Tips
A toothache or other pain can be a sign of something serious
5 minute read
If you’re suffering from dental pain, such as a toothache, sore gums or a painful jaw, ignoring the symptoms or relying on temporary pain relief could lead to the problem growing worse.
A dentist can discuss more effective long-term solutions for relieving your dental pain, and the treatments themselves can be provided alongside a local anaesthesia and other pain management techniques, including dental sedation.
Read these dental pain management tips for each phase of your treatment or book an appointment with our dentists in Kelmscott to find out how we can help manage pain.
Are dental procedures painful?
Whether it’s root canal therapy to treat an infection, removing a wisdom tooth or placing a dental implant, many dental procedures offer long-term relief from pain and other symptoms of oral health problems. However, some people may worry about the treatments themselves being painful, and may delay or avoid seeing a dentist as a result of dental fear.
Rather than going away, ignored problems tend to get worse over time, and may need a more complex or intensive series of treatments further down the line when they have progressed. Avoiding dental care also means prolonging your pain and suffering. Dentists always take steps to relieve pain during procedures and can discuss pain management strategies for a smooth recovery.
If you are feeling nervous or have dental anxiety, our compassionate team at Kelmscott Dental can discuss pain relief and sedation options such as sleep dentistry to help you feel calm and make sure you get the important care you need in a supportive and comfortable environment. Call us today on (08) 9495 7999 to find out more.
Preparing for dental surgery: reducing pain while you wait for your procedure
If your dentist has diagnosed a problem that needs treatment, they will be able to suggest some medications or home remedies that could help ease your pain before your scheduled appointment date. They can also offer advice about preparing yourself mentally for the procedure.
Preparing Mentally
Managing your symptoms
- Pain medication: Your dentist may recommend taking over-the-counter or prescription pain relief medication, taking care to follow the instructions.
- Antibiotics: If your dentist thinks you might have an infection, they may prescribe antibiotics or a chlorhexidine mouthwash.
- Anti-inflammatory medication: May be recommended to reduce swelling and associated discomfort.
- Natural remedies: Some traditional remedies such as rinsing your mouth with salt water regularly or using an ice pack or cold compress could also help to relieve pain and other discomfort temporarily.
Dietary and lifestyle adjustments
- Dietary changes: If you have a damaged or weakened tooth, your dentist will recommend avoiding hard and sticky foods that could make your symptoms worse. You should also limit sugar in your diet to avoid feeding bacteria in your mouth.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water and avoid substances like caffeine, tobacco and alcohol that can dry out the mouth and reduce saliva.
- Relaxation techniques: If you feel nervous about your dental surgery, your dentist may discuss some exercises such as meditation, guided imagery, breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation to help you feel more relaxed.
- Stress management: Trying to avoid or manage stress could also help you feel less anxiety and could reduce your perception of pain and discomfort.
Sedation requirements
There may be additional instructions to follow if sedation will be used during your treatment, such as:
- Taking prescribed oral sedatives an hour before your surgery
- Following your dentist’s guidance on food restrictions if general anaesthesia will be used
- Not driving yourself to or from the surgery if you’ll be using IV sedation or general anaesthesia
During the procedure
When you visit our clinic on the day of your dental treatment, our caring team will give you a warm welcome and help you to feel as relaxed as possible.
Reducing pain with modern technology
Advances in dental technology are continuing to improve the patient experience by making procedures more accurate, faster, safer and more comfortable. Your dentist will explain what each stage of your procedure involves so you know what to expect.
Anaesthesia and sleep dentistry
Most dental procedures are carried out under local anaesthesia. This is an injection that numbs the part of your mouth being treated so you won’t feel any pain. If you need more help to feel relaxed, or you have resistance to anaesthesia, we offer other sedation options including:
- Numbing gel as an alternative or addition to a local anaesthetic injection
- Oral sedatives
- Intravenous (IV) sedation provided at the practice
- General anaesthesia, provided by a qualified anaesthetist in day surgery
Helping you feel calm
- Communication with your dentist: It’s important that you feel comfortable with your dentist. If you’re concerned that you might feel pain or need to take a break during the procedure, you and your dentist can agree on hand signals or other non-verbal gestures ahead of time.
- Distraction techniques: You’re welcome to wear headphones and listen to music during your procedure. We can also offer a choice of media to watch on our ceiling-mounted TV.
- Occupy your hands: Some people find it helpful to squeeze a stress ball or other object.
- Relaxation exercises: Practising meditation, breathing exercises or other relaxation techniques before your visit could help you to relax on the day.
- Bring a friend: Inviting a friend or family member to attend with you could provide some emotional support.
Post-surgery pain and recovery
Some dental procedures involve mild pain or discomfort afterwards, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours, but this is normally easy to manage and will fade in time. Your dentist will explain what to expect and how to manage these symptoms and avoid other complications during your recovery.
Dental pain management tips post-surgery
- Managing acute pain: Pain medication recommended by your dentist can help relieve immediate pain and swelling in the days after treatment. They may suggest over-the-counter painkillers or prescribe stronger medication, depending on the case.
- Heat and cold therapy: Your dentist can advise you about how to use a warm or cold compress to help relieve pain and reduce swelling as your mouth heals.
- Oral hygiene care: It’s important to keep your mouth clean and free from bacteria to avoid irritation and infection. Take care to brush and rinse gently and avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes.
Foods to eat and avoid after dental surgery
Your dentist may advise following a soft diet for a few days to a week after surgery. Foods such as soups, stews and mashed vegetables can ease the strain on your teeth and jaw, helping your mouth to heal and avoiding making pain and discomfort worse. Hard, crunchy and spicy foods should be avoided during this time.
It’s important to drink plenty of water to help cleanse your mouth and keep you hydrated
Lifestyle adjustments for a smooth recovery
Getting plenty of rest and avoiding too much physical activity in the days after your dental surgery will help the healing process. Whether you need to take time off work depends on the procedure and type of sedation used.
Our emotional wellbeing affects our healing time and perception of physical pain, so you should continue to try avoiding stressful or anxious situations or to manage these feelings effectively.
Warning signs to look out for
While some pain, swelling and bleeding are to be expected immediately after dental surgery, these symptoms should go away in time with proper care as your mouth recovers. If they take longer than a few days to subside, or you develop unexpected symptoms, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible for urgent care advice or to arrange an emergency appointment.
At Kelmscott Dental, we reserve several emergency appointments each day to treat patients.
Possible signs of infections and other complications after dental surgery can include:
- Sudden tooth pain or sensitivity
- Pain in the ear, head or neck
- Swelling of the gum, face or jaw
- Bleeding that doesn’t stop
- Discharge from the mouth
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
- Difficulty moving your jaw
- High temperature or fever
Follow-up appointments
Your dental journey isn’t over after surgery. Your dentist will likely schedule one or more follow-up visits in the weeks or months ahead so they can check that you’re healing well, monitor your oral health and help you with any problems or concerns you may have.
It’s also important that you continue to have a twice-yearly check-up and dental hygiene appointment so your dentist can check for any signs of problems and remove any built-up plaque from your teeth to lower your oral health risks.
Don’t suffer with dental pain
If you’re struggling with a painful tooth or other signs of a problem, our dentists at Kelmscott Dental can help to relieve your pain and restore your oral health. To find out more about our treatments and our approaches to dental anxiety and pain management, book an appointment with our friendly team today.
Call us now on (08) 9495 7999 or contact us with any questions and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. We welcome patients from all nearby areas in Perth, including Armadale and Gosnells.
