Aftercare

• Clean your mouth guard by washing it with a soft bristled brush, soap and cool (not boiling or warm) water.
• Before storing away, soak your mouth guard in retainer brite for 20 minutes.
• Keep your mouthguard in a well-ventilated area when not in use. We provide plastic storage boxes free with your mouth guard. 
• Heat can have a negative effect on a mouth guard, so do not leave it in hot locations or put it in the dishwasher. 
• Do not over flex or bend your mouth guard when storing.
• Replace your mouth guard when it becomes unhygienic, worn, or damaged.

Home Whitening Process

1. Brush your teeth thoroughly and floss as normal. Rinse thoroughly.
2. Sensitivity - Use Evoseal desensitiser swabs as necessary.
   a. Hold swab with coloured ring end up.
   b. Snap the coloured ring tip gently to one side. The liquid will flow to the bottom of the cotton tip.
   c. Apply saturated end to each sensitive tooth (avoiding the gums) with a gently rubbing motion
   and hold lip away from teeth to let the teeth air dry for 20 seconds. d. Repeat application a couple
   more times if necessary.
3. Attach the tip to the syringe containing the 10% tooth whitening gel (Week 1) and extrude a little
   of the contents of the syringe into the deepest part on the teeth to be bleached in a small blob for
   each tooth. A single graduation of the syringe will be sufficient for both arches.
   SEE ILLUSTRATION ON THE TOP EDGE OF HOME KIT BOX.
4. TIP – To get the best results you should have a dry mouth before placing the bleaching trays in
   your mouth at night. To do this you should suck the saliva to the back of their mouth with their
   lips closed and then swallow 2‐3 times.
5. Seat the tray over the teeth and press down firmly pushing backwards for an excellent seal.
   While doing the treatment at home a small amount of excess gel escaping from the margin of the
   tray shows that you have the right amount of gel in the tray. If there is too much excess you are
   putting too much in. If this happens remove the excess gel with a cotton bud or finger.
   DO NOT RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER TO REMOVE EXCESS GEL.
6. The tray should be worn ALL NIGHT for seven nights.
7. In the morning remove the tray and wipe the residual gel from the teeth. Rinse mouth vigorously.
   Rinse out the tray under running cold water, agitating with a cotton bud. Store traysin the container
   provided. Make sure you don’t squash or distort your trays or the treatment will not work.
8. For the next seven nights use the second 16% syringe. (Week 2).
9. Do not eat or drink while wearing the bleaching trays.
10. The whitening syringes should not be exposed to heat or sunlight.

During the course of your whitening treatment, there are a few things to bear in mind to enable you to achieve the best possible results. 

• After each application of gel to your tray, remove the mixing tip from the syringe and replace it with the plastic cap. This stops air getting to the gel and deactivating it. 
• Keep the gel in a cool, dry place. 
• Avoid citrus foods and juices, as this may contribute to sensitivity.   During and shortly after the whitening process (ideally 48 hours), try minimising the intake of tobacco, coffee, fizzy drinks and red wines, as these substances can contribute to re-staining
• Your custom made kit contains 2 tubes of whitening gel. The gel should be applied for an hour a day, for 10-15 days.
• Do not overload the whitening trays with gel as overflow may cause some gum irritation. The best size of gel is roughly the size of a lentil per tooth.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while wearing the whitening trays. The trays are custom-made to fit your teeth precisely. Such activities may distort the trays. You can, however, talk, work or relax as normal.
• If gums appear to be slightly white following treatments, this is a result of soft tissue dehydration. Although this is a temporary harmless side effect, it is a sign that too much gel is being used. For subsequent treatments, apply less gel.
• To get the best result quickly, treatment days should not be interrupted. However, if you miss or skip a day, the treatment days should be extended to compensate.
• It is not uncommon to find darker colour residues in the trays where you have old silver fillings. You may also see some gel bubbles within the trays as you are wearing them. This is part of the whitening process.
• The neck of the tooth (area next to the gum) may take slightly longer to lighten. It will appear slightly darker than the other parts of the tooth at the end of your treatment, which is how it naturally looks. 

POST TREATMENT: 

• Once the session is complete, remove the tray. Rinse mouth well and brush any excess gel from teeth and gums. 
• Rinse trays with cool water, using a cotton swab or toothbrush to remove any residual gel. Dry. Do not use hot water as it may distort trays. 
•   Place trays in the tray case and store in a cool dry place. 

SENSITIVITY:

• This is a recognised side effect for some people, but can be easily controlled by brushing your teeth with Sensodyne or placing some in your whitening trays and wearing the trays overnight.
• GC Tooth Mousse can also be very effective if used in your whitening trays.

Getting used to your new dentures and the best ways to care for them

Learning to wear new dentures successfully takes practice. Lower dentures are the hardest to get used to because of the tongue and floor of the mouth lifting and there is less surface area for the denture to suction onto. 

We have many years of experience at making dentures at The Courtyard Clinic so here is our top advice:

Your initial adjustment period

• Leave your dentures in for the first 24hrs
• Feelings of fullness and increased salivation will decrease with time
• Expect sore spots to develop during this initial period, please come in when necessary for adjustment
• Read aloud to help the mouth get used to the new dentures

Eating with your new dentures

• New denture teeth are often bigger than what you are used to which slightly reduces the amount of chewing space available between the top and bottom teeth so put smaller pieces of food in to begin with
• Cut your food up and eat at the back to begin with
• Biting foods with the front teeth requires skill and may dislodge dentures at first
• Avoid sticky foods whenever possible
• Use Fixodent if this helps to aid retention
• Remove your dentures after a meal and rinse your mouth and denture with water 

Talking with new dentures

• Adjusting takes time, be patient
• Some oral and facial muscles will need to be re-educated thus helping stabiles the new denture/s
• The feeling of ‘fullness’ and ‘crowing’ will reduce with time

Denture Aftercare Advice:  Do’s and Don’ts

• Do leave your dentures in for the first 24hr hours 
• Don’t persevere with sore spots or ulcers, come to see us
• Don’t leave your dentures in at night while you sleep to ensure good oral hygiene and to let your gums recover from daily denture wear

Cleaning your mouth and your dentures

• Cleanse and massage your dentures and gums daily with a soft toothbrush.
• Soak your dentures in strident once a week. Ensure you follow the manufacturer preparation instructions
• If you get any infections under your dentures or sores at the side of your mouth appearing do come in as you may have a fungal infection that needs treatment.
• Wash dentures with a sink filled will water or a bowl filled with water in case it accidentally drops whilst cleaning 

When is it time for a new set of dentures or a denture repair?

• Worn areas, holes or cracks
• Ill-fitting
• Poor retention
• Badly colour faded and staining
• Poor hygiene
• Worn down teeth
• Broken teeth

How often should I have my dentures checked?

Even if you wear full dentures it is important you come in for your checkups to evaluate that your dentures are fit for purpose and the soft tissues in your mouth are healthy. Infections can occur under dentures and oral cancer is also a risk for everyone, so we advised regular screening for this. 

Bring your dentures into your hygiene appointments so we can clean them and if necessary, we can send them away for deep professional cleaning if they are in a particularly poor condition. 

At The Courtyard Clinic, we have Airflow hygiene which is designed to clean dental appliances and the soft tissues under dentures so ensure you keep seeing the hygienist regularly. 

• For the first 24 hours, try to avoid eating hot food/drink, don’t smoke, don’t drink any alcohol, and try not to disturb any blood clot which might have formed.
• Don’t rinse your mouth for 24 hours after extraction. After that, rinse gently with warm salty water – half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water is enough.
• Brush your teeth as normal to keep your mouth as clean as possible, just avoid the socket where your tooth was taken out.
• You may feel some small pieces of bone work their way out of the socket – don’t worry, this is perfectly normal.
• There may be some swelling and a bit of discomfort in the first two to three days. If you need to, take some ordinary painkillers – ibuprofen or paracetamol will be fine if you can take these medications.
• If you feel pain a few days after the tooth has been removed, it might be where the blood clot has broken down leaving an empty hole in the gum. This is called a ‘dry socket’ and will need to be looked at by your dentist. Simply call the clinic on 01932 582 949 for further treatment. 
• If you experience a bleed after treatment we will have given you some gauze to place onto the area where the tooth has been removed – if not, a clean cloth handkerchief will do just as well (but not a paper tissue).Roll it into a small firm pad large enough to fit over the gap (probably around 1cm by 3cm). Bite down on it firmly for 10 to 15 minutes. Take the pad off and check whether the bleeding has stopped. If not, apply a fresh pad and contact your dentist

1. No food or drink should be taken for at least two hours before the dental sedation appointment unless told otherwise by your dentist.
2. All patients must be accompanied to the surgery by a responsible person age 18 or over. In the case of a patient under 16 years, the accompanying person should be a patient or guardian.
3. The accompanying person must be available to sit with the recovering patient if necessary and to escort the patient home.
4. No patient receiving intravenous sedation should drive a vehicle, operate machinery, ride pillion on a motor bike, consume alcohol or undertake any responsible matters for 24hours of following the procedure.
5. It is important to take your routine medicine at the usual times.
6. If you are taking any new medicine or tablets since your last visit, you must inform the dentist.
7. After the first 24 hours RINSE OUT WITH HOT SALT WATER MOUTHWASHES as often and as thoroughly as possible. Continue for AT LEAST one week. 
8. Some swelling is normal following surgery – use the ice packs provided and supplement with ice packs at home for the first eight hours after surgery.
9. Take analgesics (nurofen and paracetamol) as needed.

If you have any worries or concerns do not hesitate to contact us.

1. If sutures were placed inside the mouth, they will dissolve or be removed in one to two weeks. If they become unraveled soon after the procedure please call the practice for advice, as you may need to come back in for re-stitching.
2. Avoid sucking through a straw/ rinsing or spitting vigorously/ touching the wound for 24 hours.
3. Avoid exercise/alcohol for 24 hours.
4. Take any medication you normally take as usual.
5. Place ice packs on the side of your face that feels swollen if you see necessary.
6. Brush your teeth and gums gently as normal except be gentle in area where procedure was performed.
7. Oozing from the biopsy site overnight is normal. You may use gauze packs and gently bite down for 30 minutes to control bleeding. Any serious bleeding you can’t control please get in contact with the practice/in an emergency go to ANE.
8. Diet: Start with nourishing liquids and soft foods and gradually return to your normal diet as tolerated. Avoid extreme hot foods, foods with sharp edges or foods that may lodge in the biopsy area. 
9. Good oral hygiene after biopsy is essential. Make every effort to clean your teeth within your range of comfort. The day after your biopsy, begin gently rinsing your mouth with salt water (A teaspoon of salt dissolved in a mug of warm water) every 4 hours and after food to help cleanse the area.
10. Do not smoke or use tobacco products for at least 24 hours, the longer you stop the better the healing potential will be.
11. Take pain control as require, following instructions on the package.

Sometimes the after effects of surgery are quite minimal, so not all of the instructions may apply. Common sense will often dictate what you should do. However, when in doubt follow these guidelines or call the practice for clarification.

1. The sedation may produce temporary amnesia, which rarely lasts more than a few hours.
2. A responsible adult will be required to escort you home after the procedure, either by car or taxi. This person will also receive instructions about your aftercare, and should ideally remain with you until the next day. Guidelines do not allow us to send you home on your own.
3. Please continue to take your regular medication as usual afterwards.
4. Please do not take alcohol for the remainder of the day.
5. Avoid breastfeeding for 24 hours afterwards.
6. It can take up to 24 hours for the sedative drugs to be eliminated from your body and for you to fully recover from the effects of sedation (drowsiness, loss of memory, lack of awareness and coordination, etc). Therefore, please do not:
   • drive a vehicle (insurance will be void), or cycle
   • use electrical equipment, cook, or operate machinery
   • care for children or dependant adults
   • make important decisions, sign important documents
   • use alcohol, sleeping tablets, tobacco or recreational drugs
   • perform any complicated tasks . go to work
7. We do not anticipate you having any complications, but should you become concerned about anything, however trivial, please contact your sedationist or our office.

•   Although some of the root canal procedures we perform at The Courtyard Clinic can be completed in 1 appointment, root canal therapy often takes several appointments. Please come back for further procedures if instructed, even if any pain you had completely subsides. 
•  Since anaesthetic has been used, parts of your mouth may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid chewing or hot and cold drinks until the numbness has worn off.
• Between appointments, a temporary filling is placed to protect the tooth. It is common (and not a problem) for a small portion of your temporary filling to wear away or break off. If the entire filling falls out, please call the clinic and set up a time to come in and have it replaced.
• It is normal to experience some discomfort for several days after a root canal procedure. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as directed, even if all signs and symptoms of infection are gone.
• Taking ibuprofen before the numbness wears off can greatly reduce post-operative pain.
• To protect the tooth and keep the temporary filling in place, avoid eating hard or sticky food (such as gum), and try to chew on the other side of your mouth.
• Continue to brush and floss normally. Usually, the last step in a root canal is the placement of a crown and permanent filling in the tooth. A crown will protect the tooth from breaking in the future.
• If you have signs of swelling or increasing pain, or if you have any further questions or concerns, please contact the practice.