General instructions after treatment

While you are numb

• Numbness from local anaesthetic lasts two to four hours, sometimes longer in the lower jaw.
• Do not eat until sensation has fully returned. Biting a numb lip, cheek or tongue is the most common avoidable injury after treatment.
• Avoid hot drinks until the numbness has gone.
• Take particular care with children, who are more likely to bite the lip while it is numb.

After fillings and bonding

• Composite is set fully before you leave and can be used straight away, once the numbness has gone.
• Sensitivity to cold and to biting for a few days is common, particularly where the filling was deep.
• Avoid biting very hard foods directly onto a new restoration for the first day.
• If the bite feels high, or one tooth touches first, arrange an adjustment. It rarely settles on its own and it causes ongoing sensitivity.

After crowns, veneers and onlays

• With a temporary crown in place, avoid sticky and hard foods, and clean around it by sliding floss out sideways rather than lifting it up.
• If a temporary comes off, keep it and contact the practice; the tooth can move within days.
• After the final restoration is fitted, avoid chewing anything hard on it for 24 hours while the cement reaches full strength.
• Gums around a new margin often feel tender for a few days. Keep cleaning the area gently rather than avoiding it.

After a hygiene appointment

• Gums may be tender and may bleed slightly for a day or two. Continue to clean thoroughly; bleeding reduces as inflammation settles.
• Sensitivity can increase briefly where deposits have been removed from exposed root surfaces. A desensitising toothpaste helps.
• Where gums were inflamed, spaces may appear between teeth as swelling reduces. This is healed tissue rather than a new problem.

Pain relief

Take paracetamol or, where it is suitable for you, ibuprofen, following the packet instructions and any advice specific to your medical history. Take the first dose before the anaesthetic wears off rather than waiting for discomfort to start. Avoid placing tablets directly against the gum.