Oral Surgery and Sedation Pre-operative Instructions

1. Preparing for surgery with sedation: For surgery with sedation, you must not eat or drink anything for at least six hours prior to surgery (except to take critical medications with sips of water) and you must arrange for a licensed driver to stay and drive you home afterward.

2. Current medications: Certain medications should be continued even when you are not eating or drinking in preparation for surgery such as antibiotics, blood pressure and thyroid medications, medications for mood, anxiety and depression, with small sips of water as directed by your doctor. Please ask if you are not sure.

3. Pain medications: It is a good idea to have ibuprofen (same as Motrin and Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) for postoperative pain control available at home for immediate use after surgery. Please be sure you are medically able to take these medications and ask if you are not sure. Dosing will be discussed after your surgery.

4. Ice Packs: Please have ice packs at home ready for use after surgery. You will be directed how to use these after your surgery.

5. Clothing & Attire: To ensure your safety, multiple monitors will be used. You will also have a nasal-mask for supplemental oxygen. In order to facilitate this, please wear comfortable loose fitting clothing (short sleeves or a T-shirt). Any clothing/garment that may interfere with the visibility of your skin or monitoring or restrict access to your mouth, face, head, neck or chest may pose a risk with the recognition and management of complications such as an allergic reaction and therefore are not recommended for your own safety. If you have questions, please ask.

6. Facial hair and nail polish: Facial hair can prevent masks that provide oxygen from fitting securely and can also obscure visibility of the skin preventing recognition of signs of an allergic reaction and other ailments, and may also get caught on instruments or materials used during your surgery. We therefore recommend shaving prior to surgery for your own safety. Nail polish interferes with monitoring which is critically important during a sedation. Please remove all nail polish prior to your surgery for your own safety.

7. Contact lenses: Avoid wearing contact lenses if you are having surgery with sedation.

8. Smoking: The toxins in cigarette smoke are very irritating to the airway which increases the risk for complications during sedation. Please do not smoke before or after your surgery. Smoking is also extremely detrimental to healing and increases the risk of complications including dry socket, infection, delayed healing, and elevated pain after surgery.

9. Changes in health or medications: Please notify the office/doctor of any changes in your health or medications. If you become ill prior to your surgery, please call.