Today your child has received dental care under general anesthesia. The following instructions will assist you in caring for your child after surgery.

DISCOMFORT: It is normal to have a sore throat and nasal stuffiness after general anesthesia. These symptoms should get better in 48 hours or less. If your child has pain, discomfort or slight temperature elevation (less than 101 F), you may give Children's Tylenol according to the directions on the bottle. If the temperature rises above 101F, call your child's private physician or local emergency room.

DIET: only a small amount of clear liquids should be given to the child for the first 3 to 4 hours after surgery. Suggested are such things as popsicles, water, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, clear juices and broth. If clear liquids are tolerated, soft foods such as soup, ice cream and mashed potatoes may be added the day of surgery. A regular diet may be resumed next day. Avoid foods that are too hot or spicy, sticky, or hard. If nausea or vomiting should occur, stop any food or liquids for a couple of hours, then start over with clear liquids and gradually progress to regular foods.

ACTIVITY: you should observe and supervise your child's activity for the rest of the day. Your chills might experience sleepiness or dizziness for several hours following general anesthesia. Your child may return to school or normal activities the day after surgery if there are no problems.

POST-OP CHECK: your child will be scheduled to return to The Dental Ranch for a follow-up appointment. Please call The Dental Ranch at 1 (888) DENT TEX, in the next few days, to schedule the appointment.