Aftercare Advice: What to Do After Your Treatment
The advice we give in the chair, written down for when you're home. If anything worries you, call us on 0141 248 1183; outside our hours, NHS 24 on 111.
General advice for adults. The instructions your own dentist gave you take priority, and medicines should be taken as directed on the packet.
After an Extraction
Bite on the gauze for 20 to 30 minutes, and rest for the day with your head raised
No rinsing, spitting, straws, smoking, alcohol or hot drinks for 24 hours; the clot is what heals the socket
From the next day, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals
Soft food on the other side for a few days; painkillers as directed before the numbness wears off
Swelling and stiffness after a surgical extraction peak at two to three days, then settle
Call us if bleeding won't stop with pressure, or pain gets worse after day three rather than better.
After Implant Surgery
Cold pack on the cheek, ten minutes on and ten off, for the first few hours
Soft, cool food, chewed away from the implant; nothing hot, crunchy or sharp for the first week
No rinsing for 24 hours, then warm salt water after meals; brush gently around the stitches from day two
Don't smoke, and avoid strenuous exercise for two days
After sedation: no driving, alcohol or important decisions for 24 hours, and an adult with you
Call us if swelling is still growing after day three, you have a fever, or anything feels loose. Our surgery day guide has the full timeline.
After a Filling
Wait until the numbness has worn off before eating, so you don't bite your cheek or tongue
A little sensitivity to cold for a week or two is normal
If the filling feels high when you bite, come back; adjusting it takes minutes
Brush and clean between your teeth as normal from the same day
Call us if sensitivity is getting worse rather than better, or the tooth aches on its own.
After Root Canal Treatment
Tenderness on biting for a few days is normal; ordinary painkillers as directed
Avoid chewing hard food on the tooth until it's fully restored, especially with a temporary filling in place
If a temporary filling comes out between visits, call us so the canals stay sealed
Book the crown or onlay promptly if one was recommended; a root-filled back tooth without one can crack
Call us if you have swelling, or pain that's getting worse after a few days.
After a Crown, Bridge or Veneer Is Fitted
With a temporary in place: avoid sticky food, chew on the other side and slide floss out sideways
Once the final restoration is bonded, eat normally after the numbness has gone
Mild sensitivity and a slightly 'different' feel settle within a few days
Clean under a bridge daily with superfloss or an interdental brush; floss gently at veneer edges
Wear a night guard if you grind
Call us if the bite feels high, anything comes loose, or a temporary comes off.
After Composite Bonding
You can eat and drink straight away; the composite is fully set before you leave
For the first couple of days, go easy on coffee, red wine, curry and anything that stains
Don't bite anything hard with the bonded teeth while you get used to them
Non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste, no whitening pastes; slide floss out sideways
We see you about two weeks later to check the bite and polish
Call us if a tooth feels high when you bite, or an edge chips. Our bonding aftercare guide has more.
While Whitening at Home
Wear the trays for the time on your plan, and don't overfill them; wipe away any gel on the gums
Expect some sensitivity; skip a night if it's sharp, and use a sensitive toothpaste
Avoid tea, coffee, red wine and smoking during the course and for a couple of days after
Keep the trays; top-up gel from us every year or so keeps the shade
Call us if the gums are sore or white patches appear on them. Our sensitivity guide explains why it happens.
After Hygiene or Gum Treatment
Gums may bleed a little and teeth feel sensitive for a few days after a deep clean; it passes
Keep going with the interdental brushes and the technique you were shown; that's the treatment, not the visit
After gum treatment under anaesthetic, soft food until the numbness goes and warm salt water rinses for a few days
Book the next visit before you leave; three months is the interval that keeps periodontitis stable
Call us if gums are still sore after a week, or a tooth becomes very sensitive to cold.
Living with Invisalign
Aligners in for 20 to 22 hours a day; out only to eat and to drink anything but water
Brush before they go back in, and clean the aligners with a soft brush and cool water, not hot
A new set feels tight for a day or two; a slight lisp passes within days
Keep the previous set until we say otherwise, in case one is lost or broken
Call us the same day if an aligner is lost, broken or an attachment comes off; we'll tell you which set to wear.
Questions
The things people ring about most.
What is dry socket?+
A painful socket where the blood clot has been lost before the gum has healed, leaving bone exposed, usually three to five days after an extraction. The pain gets worse rather than better, often with a bad taste. Smoking, rinsing hard and sucking on straws are the usual causes. It isn't dangerous but it hurts, so call us: we dress the socket and it settles within days.
What if I lose or break an aligner?+
Call us the same day. Depending on where you are in the sequence, we'll usually ask you to go back to the previous set or move on to the next one a little early, and order a replacement if one is needed. Keep each set of aligners until we tell you otherwise, so there's always a fallback.
Does composite bonding hurt?+
Usually not, and most people don't need an injection, because little or no enamel is removed. You'll feel the teeth being cleaned, isolated and shaped, but it shouldn't hurt. If a small amount of enamel does need smoothing, or a tooth is sensitive, we can numb it first. Most people have no soreness afterwards, and you can eat as normal once the composite is set.
Is gum treatment painful?+
The deep cleaning stages are done under local anaesthetic, so you feel pressure rather than pain. Gums can be tender for a few days afterwards, and some teeth may stay sensitive to cold for a few weeks while the gums heal; ordinary painkillers are enough. Routine hygiene visits need no anaesthetic for most people, and Airflow is gentler than scraping.
Can I eat straight after a filling?+
Composite fillings are set by the light before you leave, so once the numbness has worn off you can eat normally. Wait for the numbness to go first, because it's easy to bite your cheek or tongue without noticing.
Guides
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Not Sure? Call Us
Nothing on this page replaces a quick phone call. If something doesn't feel right after treatment, we'd rather hear from you.