OST Blog

Preparing for oral surgery is much like preparing for any other outpatient procedure. The steps you take leading up to the operation play a significant role in the safety of your procedure and your recovery experience. It is important that you speak with Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter prior to an oral surgery to find out what you should expect and the ways you can facilitate a quick and complication-free recovery.

Food and Drink

If you will be under anesthesia or IV sedation during your surgery, you will be asked to fast from food and drink in the hours leading up to your procedure. If your surgery is scheduled in the morning, Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter may ask you to avoid eating or drinking after midnight the night before. Otherwise, a fasting period of at least eight to 12 hours must be observed. However, there may be exceptions for people with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes. Talk to our team if you have questions about pre-operative fasting.

Clothing and Hygiene

You should arrive at your appointment dressed comfortably in short-sleeved, loose-fitting shirt. Avoid wearing valuable clothing, and leave all jewelry at home. If you wear a removable dental prosthetic, such as dentures or a bridge, bring a case to store it in during the procedure. You should also avoid wearing contacts or makeup, though you may wish to bring apply lip moisturizer or balm to prevent chapping during the procedure.

Transportation

You will need to arrange transportation to and from your oral surgery at our Virginia Beach, VA office, as you will not be allowed to drive yourself home after the procedure. The person you choose should be a responsible adult who will remain in the office for the duration of your surgical appointment. Depending on the type of anesthetic used during your procedure, you may need someone to stay with you at home in the hours immediately following your appointment.

Recovery

Take steps now to prepare for the days following your procedure. It can take weeks for your mouth to fully heal after surgery, although most swelling subsides within a few days. If you have young children, arrange for someone to care for them during the days immediately following your appointment. Purchase soft foods that are safe to eat after oral surgery, such as yogurt or soup, and freeze an ice pack to help minimize swelling.

Memorial Day is not only a federal holiday in the United States, but it is a day of observance and remembrance of those who died in service. Originally known as Decoration Day, this solemn day has been marked on calendars since the end of the American Civil War as a day to commemorate both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died in the war.

Marking the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, or other tokens has been practiced throughout history, but it wasn't until the mark of the end of the Civil War that a special day was decided upon as the one to spend in remembrance. By 1890, every state in the country was observing Decoration Day. It wasn't until 1967 when the name formally changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day, in order to encompass all fallen American soldiers in all wars and conflicts. In June of 1968, Congress moved the official date of Memorial Day to the last Monday in May in order to create a three day weekend.

Today, while there is certainly an air of remembrance on Memorial Day, it has become more a day of spending time with family, friends, and other loved ones. This day is also heralded as the start of summer, with many schools finishing for the year around this time. Our team at Oral Surgery of Tidewater remembers it as a day to take solace and remembered those lost.

Traditional observances of Memorial Day are still held, and they often involve raising the American Flag then lowering it to a half-staff position until noon, and then raising it once again to its full height afterwards. The flag is lowered to remember those who've lost their lives while in service to their country, and then it is raised to signify our willingness to not let their sacrifice be in vain.

From community parades in the Virginia Beach, VA area, backyard cook-outs, and fireworks to formal ceremonies, Memorial Day is commemorated in many different ways. No matter how you choose to spend this day, take a moment to remember those who've lost their lives in an effort to preserve our freedom.

Health gurus rave about replacing unhealthy food choices with healthy ones in your diet. If you want to maintain your beautiful smile as well as your waistline, choose foods that are good for your teeth and good for losing weight. This article will discuss some of the worst healthy foods for your teeth and gums, and what you can do to continue to enjoy them.

When watching your weight, snacks heavy in sugar and starch are the first target for elimination. You want to trade those empty calories for something with more nutritional value. A healthier snack is fruit and vegetables. When you are substituting empty calories with whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, consider a few implications for your dental health.

The most acidic fruits are grapes, grapefruit, and strawberries. Want to know the number-one worst healthy food for your tooth enamel? Apples! An apple a day may keep the doctor away but you may soon be calling your dentist.

Another healthy food often incorporated into dieting is salads. But consider what you put in those salads. Salad dressings are filled with vinegar and sweeteners. These make a salad very acidic and can change the pH of your mouth from alkaline, which is good for your teeth and gums, to acidic, which puts your smile at risk for erosion and decay.

Last but not least is diet soda. You might be cutting down on the calories but you are still putting your teeth at risk for decay. Though calories are reduced, the acid is not.

You do not need to eliminate any of these foods from your diet. Simply alter what you do after eating these foods to decrease the amount of acid your teeth are exposed to.

During your next visit to Oral Surgery of Tidewater in our Virginia Beach, VA office, we can discuss your diet. We may recommend using certain products to fortify your teeth or change the way you routinely care for your teeth.

Please enjoy the wonderful whole foods that are great for a healthy waistline. A healthy waistline and a healthy smile have a positive influence on your general health. A healthier you is a happier you. The happier you are, the more you smile. Keep your smile brilliant and beautiful with the care your teeth deserve at the practice of Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter.

Fear of going to the dentist is more common than you may think. That’s why Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter and our team want to make your visit as relaxing as possible.

Your anxiety about pain or routine procedures doesn’t have to stop you from visiting our Virginia Beach, VA office; we offer various types of sedation to remove the pain and stress from your dental procedure.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Nitrous oxide combined with local anesthetics ensures both pain relief and reduced anxiety for many patients. It’s useful because the dosage can be regulated during treatment, and patients are usually able to drive shortly after the procedure is completed.

Oral or Injected Sedation

With oral sedation, you may be given a pill or liquid to consume several hours before your treatment. Make sure someone will be available to drive you to your appointment, because you will not be able to drive yourself.

An oral liquid is often given to children before any shots or intravenous anesthesia. An intramuscular injection may be given at the office to provide relaxation benefits for 20 to 30 minutes.

Nitrous Oxide with an Oral Sedative

For patients with higher levels of anxiety, an oral or injected sedative can be offered before nitrous oxide begins. This can also be effective for reducing anxiety about the injection of local anesthetics itself. A liquid medication followed by nitrous oxide is beneficial for children to produce a deep sedation level.

General Anesthesia

This type of anesthesia can be offered as an inhaled gas or intravenous liquid. If no oral sedative is given before the general anesthesia is administered, you should wake up quickly after your procedure.

To reduce your anxiety, we can offer a pill or liquid medication before intravenous sedation starts. Intravenous sedation can also be used at moderate-to-deep sedation levels without complete loss of consciousness.

Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter and our team are happy to go over your sedation or pain prevention options when you visit. We’re here to ensure all your questions are answered and your procedure is a relaxing one.