Any surgical treatment on your teeth, gums, jaws, or other oral tissues is called oral surgery. This covers jaw procedures, implants, gum grafts, and extractions. A periodontist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon typically performs oral surgery. These are dental experts who have received specialized training in performing oral surgeries.
What do you do after oral surgery?
- Rest after your oral surgery – The day before your oral surgery, rest. Your body does, after all, require recovery! If you want to lie down, keep your head supported by pillows to encourage healthy blood flow to your head and lessen facial and mouth swelling. Additionally, raising your head can lessen excessive bleeding after oral surgery.
- Put some ice on your face – Apply ice to your face throughout the day to minimize swelling. Most dental surgeons advise you to alternate 15 minutes of ice with 15 minutes off.
- Take your medications as directed – Even if you are not yet experiencing pain, take your painkillers as soon as your doctor instructs you to. Pain is easier to prevent than to treat once it has started. Additionally, be careful not to miss a dose, even if it means waking up in the middle of the night to take your painkillers.
- Consume soft food – You can consume soft foods once the bleeding from your oral surgery has ceased. For the first day or two following your oral surgery, make sure you are only eating soft foods or liquids. Soft food examples include soups, yogurt, and mashed potatoes.
- Maintain good oral health – Make sure to maintain oral hygiene. While you won’t want to rinse your mouth for the first 24 hours after your oral surgery, your oral surgeon will probably advise you to do so on day two. You will be told to rinse your mouth four times a day with warm salt water to eliminate any food particles, particularly after eating.
- Buy some vitamins – Consume vitamin A and C-rich foods that are healthful, or take supplements. These vitamins aid in the healing process and will hasten your recovery from oral surgery.
What not to do after oral surgery?
- Never overwork yourself – Avoid pushing yourself too far. Going to the gym or going for a run right now is not a good idea. Don’t lift anything heavy or engage in rigorous exercise for the first several days following your oral surgery. Instead, rest and heal.
- Avoid choosing hot foods or beverages – To avoid accidentally burning your mouth, wait until you are no longer numb before consuming any hot food or beverages.
- Avoid tough or crunchy foods – For the first 6 to 8 weeks after your oral surgery procedure, refrain from eating hard, crunchy foods like popcorn and carrots in the region where your oral surgery was performed.
- Don’t floss or brush – Till your doctor gives the all-clear, refrain from using the surgery region for tooth brushing and flossing when brushing and flossing again, be sure to do so with additional caution and gentleness.
- Avoid smoking for a full day – As much as possible, refrain from smoking, at least for the first day following oral surgery.
- Alcohol abstinence for 24 hours – Alcohol should be avoided for the first 24 hours following oral surgery as it may slow the recovery process. Additionally, avoid consuming alcohol if you take any antibiotics or painkillers that alcohol may interact with.
If you are experiencing tooth, gum, or jaw pain, call your doctor immediately to make an appointment. Consult your Calgary dentist in London Square Dental immediately if you recently had oral surgery and experience pain that does not go away wiw56h medicines.
