Before Anesthesia Instructions
If you are scheduled for oral surgery with sedation or general anesthesia, the hours leading up to your appointment matter as much as the procedure itself. Read these instructions in full, then call the office if anything is unclear.
Why the Before Anesthesia Instructions Exist
These Before Anesthesia Instructions are not a formality. They exist because anesthesia relaxes the muscles that normally keep your stomach contents out of your airway, and food or liquid in the stomach at the wrong moment is the single most avoidable risk of the day. Following the fasting window, the medication guidance, and the escort requirement is how you keep your appointment on the calendar and keep the procedure safe.
Dr. Ralph M. Eichstaedt has been performing oral and maxillofacial surgery since 1990, with training at Washington University and Barnes Hospital in St. Louis and a fellowship in tumor and reconstructive surgery at the University of Miami under the renowned oral and maxillofacial surgeon Robert Marx, DDS. He is the sole surgeon in this office, and he administers or directs the anesthesia for every case. The instructions below reflect how he prepares patients for that day.
If you were referred for wisdom teeth, an implant, a graft, or an extraction, your general dentist or orthodontist likely told you which anesthesia option was recommended. If you are not sure whether your case involves local anesthesia, oral sedation, IV sedation, or general anesthesia, call the office before the day of surgery. The rules differ by anesthesia type, and following the wrong set can delay your treatment.
Fasting Rules Before IV Sedation and General Anesthesia
For IV sedation and general anesthesia, do not eat solid food for at least 8 hours before your scheduled arrival time. That includes gum, mints, hard candy, milk, protein shakes, smoothies, coffee with cream, and orange juice with pulp. Anything with fat, fiber, or particles counts as solid food and resets the clock.
Approved clear liquids (water, apple juice without pulp, black coffee or tea without milk, clear broth, Gatorade or Pedialyte) are allowed up to 2 hours before arrival. After that, nothing by mouth. If you take morning medications, take them with the smallest sip of water needed to swallow the pill, and tell the office at check-in.
If you eat or drink outside these windows, call the office as soon as you realize it. Do not skip the call and show up hoping no one will ask. Aspirating stomach contents under anesthesia is a serious event, and the honest answer lets us either reschedule or adjust the plan. There is no penalty for telling us. There is a real risk in staying quiet.
What Changes If You Are Having Oral Sedation or Local Only
For a procedure done under local anesthesia alone, you may eat a light meal beforehand. A numb lip and cheek are easier to manage on a settled stomach than an empty one, and you will not be sedated. You can drive yourself to and from the appointment.
For oral sedation (a pill taken before or at the office), the fasting rule is the same as IV sedation: no solid food for 8 hours, clear liquids up to 2 hours before, then nothing. Oral sedation makes you drowsy and impairs your judgment for the rest of the day even though you stay technically awake, so you still need a responsible adult to drive you home and stay with you.
If you are unsure which category your appointment falls under, our team confirms the anesthesia plan when we schedule. You can also review the options on our Dental Anesthesia in Belleair Bluffs, FL page, or read more about IV Sedation in Belleair Bluffs, FL and Oral Sedation in Belleair Bluffs, FL specifically.
Medications, Supplements, and Substances to Address Before Surgery
Bring a current list of every prescription medication, over-the-counter product, and supplement you take. Include dose and frequency. This is the single most useful thing you can hand us at check-in, and it prevents most day-of surprises.
Blood pressure, seizure, thyroid, and reflux medications are generally taken the morning of surgery with a small sip of water. Blood thinners (warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto, Plavix, daily aspirin) require specific direction from Dr. Eichstaedt and often coordination with your prescribing physician, so do not stop them on your own. Diabetic medications and insulin usually need to be adjusted because you will not be eating; call us in advance for a plan.
Several over-the-counter supplements thin the blood or interact with anesthesia and should be paused ahead of the procedure when possible: fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo, garlic tablets, ginseng, and St. John’s Wort. Mention any herbal product you take, even if you consider it minor. Also disclose alcohol use, cannabis use (edible or inhaled), and any recreational substances in the days leading up to surgery. This is a medical question, not a moral one. Cannabis in particular changes anesthetic dosing, and we need accurate information to keep you safe.
If you smoke or vape, stop for at least 24 hours before the appointment and plan to avoid nicotine for at least 72 hours after. Nicotine narrows blood vessels, irritates the airway, and slows healing at the surgical site. If you develop a cold, fever, sore throat, or cough within a few days of surgery, call us. A recent respiratory illness can change whether general anesthesia is safe that day.
What to Wear, What to Bring, and Who Drives You Home
Wear loose, comfortable clothing with sleeves that push up easily above the elbow so we can place an IV and monitors. Skip nail polish on at least one hand (the pulse oximeter reads through the fingernail), remove jewelry and body piercings before you arrive, and leave contact lenses at home in favor of glasses. If you wear a removable dental appliance, hearing aid, or CPAP, bring a case for it. If you have a pacemaker, defibrillator, or other implanted device, tell us at check-in.
Brush your teeth normally the morning of the procedure and rinse with water. Do not swallow mouthwash. A responsible adult over 18 must drive you home and stay with you for the rest of the day after any sedation or general anesthesia. Rideshare drivers do not meet this requirement because they are not authorized to accept a sedated patient or receive discharge instructions. Plan the ride before you arrive, not after.
Most major PPO dental plans and several supplemental plans are accepted here, and Sunbit payment options are available for balances not covered by insurance. For coverage specifics on your anesthesia and surgical fees, see Oral Surgery Insurance and Payment Options or ask our front desk to run your benefits before the appointment.
Arriving Ready Keeps Your Surgery on the Calendar
The reason we send instructions in advance, and the reason we ask you to read them twice, is simple. A patient who arrives fasted, with an escort, with a medication list, and with recent illnesses disclosed is a patient we can treat safely and on time. A patient who ate breakfast or drove themselves is a patient we have to reschedule, which pushes back your recovery and, for referral cases, delays the restorative work your general dentist has already planned.
Feeling nervous about being asleep or sedated for surgery is normal, and it is worth naming rather than pushing through. Tell us when you check in. Dr. Eichstaedt talks through the anesthesia plan before anything starts, including what you will feel as the medication takes effect and what to expect as you wake up. Many patients describe the transition as no different than a long, uneventful nap. There will be some swelling in the days that follow, and we will send you home with written post-operative instructions and a follow-up plan.
If this is your first appointment with an oral surgeon, Your First Visit to an Oral Surgeon covers what to expect from the intake and consultation.
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Questions Before Your Anesthesia Appointment
Call Belleair Oral Surgery & Implants if any part of these instructions is unclear, if your medication list has changed, or if you have felt sick in the days before surgery. It is easier to answer the question now than to reschedule at check-in.