Rockwall Oral Surgery

10 Tips for Preparing for Oral Surgery

Oral surgery can seem like a stressful thing to prepare for, but here at Rockwall Oral Surgery we want to make it as stress-free as possible for you! We put together a list of 10 tips to help you prepare for oral surgery so you can come in the morning of your surgery completely prepared and stress-free!

1. Pay attention to the pre-op instructions or have a loved one be in charge of the pre-op instructions since you may not be in the focused frame of mind to remember them. These can include details like what type of foods are okay to eat leading up to surgery, and whether any medication use should be stopped prior to the procedure.
2. Pick up prescriptions before your procedure if at all possible. Make sure we have the correct pharmacy on file in advance. 
3. Ensure you have a plan to have a loved one bring you to and from the procedure and you know how long it will take. Have a family member or close friend either at the surgical center the entire time, or arrive there with plenty of time to drive you home. You will not be permitted to drive after having the anesthesia.
4. Talk with us ahead of time about the types of foods you’ll be permitted to eat following your procedure. Take a trip to the grocery store and do a bit of meal prep before your procedure so that you don’t have to struggle with pain and hunger trying to make meals as you recover.
5. Make sure to follow our instructions regarding fasting prior to your procedure. Any procedure that requires anesthesia will require fasting, and this will often include abstaining from water.
6. Wear comfortable clothing to the procedure. Sometimes swelling can occur even in places unrelated to the surgery site. You don’t want to wear any tight or uncomfortable clothing. 
7. If you typically use tobacco products, it is important to stop smoking for at least 24 hours prior to your surgical procedure. You also need to plan on not smoking for at least 24 hours after, preferably longer- especially with tooth extractions.
8. At a minimum, you should try to arrive 20 minutes early.
9. The night before your procedure, make sure you get plenty of quality sleep. Rest is important to recovery.
10. Ask questions before the procedure. You will likely be a little too ‘out of it’ after the procedure to remember to ask any after or to remember the answer to any questions you do ask afterwards. 

We hope these 10 tips help ease your mind as you prepare for your procedure. Please know we will be with you every step of the way as you go through your procedure and if you have any questions at all you can call our office at (469) 264-8921.