After Biopsy

Please avoid eating anything until the numbing effect wears off, as you may bite your cheek, tongue or lips causing damage. There may be some discomfort when the anesthesia wears off.

PAIN/ SWELLING/ BLEEDING
You may take over-the-counter Acetaminophen or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (such as Ibuprofen) for pain management. If medication was prescribed, please take as directed. Make sure to get food, or drink, in your stomach before taking any medications, as it may make you feel nauseated if you do not.
Some bleeding/ oozing is to be expected for the first 24 hours. Bleeding is usually minimized by the use of gauze packing and/or sutures. You may or may not leave the office with gauze packing. If you do, keep it in place with firm pressure for 30-45 minutes. You may need to replace, as needed, for another 30-45 minutes if you have significant bleeding. If you can not get the bleeding under control, please contact our office at 814-946-5060. Depending on what sutures were used, they may dissolve after 5-10 days or they may have to be removed by the surgical team. Your care team will let you know which sutures, if any, were used.
Swelling is expected to last up to 48-72 hours following the procedure. You may want keep your head elevated and use ice packs intermittently (20 min on, 20 min off) for the first 24 hours to help abate swelling. After 24 hours, you should start using heat (hot, wet washcloth; hot water bottle; heating pad; or a microwavable pack) while keeping your head elevated. Allow the tissue to remain undisturbed to aid in the healing process.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Limit your physical activity for the first 24-48 hours following your procedure. Overexertion may lead to post-operative bleeding, swelling and associated discomfort.
ORAL HYGIENE
You should maintain normal oral hygiene following your appointment. You can brush your teeth with a soft or extra soft bristle brush, avoiding the treated area as best as you can. Avoid flossing or using an Oral Water Irrigation System (such as a Waterpik™) for a week. You may, or may not, have been prescribed an antiseptic mouth rinse. If you have, you will use that twice daily for 2 weeks. If not, you may rinse with a homemade saline solution (1 tsp salt to 8 oz warm water) 4-6 times a day. Vigorous swishing should be avoided.

DIET
It is important to stay hydrated following your procedure. Depending on how you feel, you may want to stick to cool liquids for the first day and try to progress to firmer foods as time goes on. Avoid sticky, hard, spicy, highly seasoned or acidic foods, as these may irritate the surgical area, causing some discomfort. Foods such as soups, soft cooked pasta, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, yogurt, milkshakes, pudding and jello are great alternatives. You should avoid alcoholic beverages and smoking for 7 days following your surgery.

FOLLOW UP
We will see you in about 2 weeks for a follow up evaluation. At this time, we will go over the lab results. If you have any questions before then, do not hesitate to call our office at 814-946-5060.