Preoperative Care for General Oral Surgery

• If you are scheduled to have intravenous (IV) sedation: You may not have anything to eat or drink for 6 hours before your appointment. For morning surgery, no food or liquids after midnight the night before surgery.  A responsible adult (18+) must bring the patient to the office, remain in the office during the procedure and be able to drive the patient home. 

• If you are scheduled to have nitrous oxide analgesia (N2O): You may not have anything to eat or drink (including water) for 3 hours before the appointment unless otherwise directed.

• Take all of your regular medications with a minimal amount of water unless you are instructed to do otherwise by a doctor in this office or your primary medical doctor.

• No smoking for at least 12 hours before surgery. Ideally, cut down or stop smoking as soon as possible before the day of surgery.

• A responsible adult must accompany the patient to the office, remain in the office during the procedure, and drive the patient home.

• Plan to rest for the remainder of the surgery day. The patient should not drive a vehicle, operate any machinery, or make important decisions for 24 hours following intravenous anesthesia.

• Please wear loose-fitting clothing with sleeves that can be rolled up past the elbow and low-heeled shoes.

• Contact lenses, jewelry, and dentures must be removed before surgery.

• Do not wear lipstick, excessive makeup, or nail polish on the day of surgery.

• The use of alcohol or recreational drugs can have an adverse effect on the anesthesia medications that we use. Please discontinue the use of such for at least 5 days before your procedure.

• If you have an illness such as a cold, sore throat, or stomach or bowel upset, please notify the office.

• If, for some reason, you are unable to keep your surgery appointment, we request 48 hours’ notice of cancellation.

*Women, please note: Some antibiotics may interfere with the effectiveness of your birth control pills. Please check with your pharmacist.*

**We have after-hours call coverage on the office number at all times to discuss any emergencies, questions or concerns during your pre- or post-operative care.**