Caring for Yourself after Oral Surgery
After undergoing a surgical procedure in your mouth, be it for wisdom tooth removal, getting dental implants, or any other process on your teeth and gums, you want to ensure you take proper care of your mouth to recover quickly and easily. Oral surgeries are standard and performed for various reasons. However, caring for yourself is essential, and you receive post operative instructions on how to manage your mouth after your procedure.
This article focuses on how to care for your mouth and yourself after oral surgery to help you recover comfortably.
How to Manage Your Recovery after any Oral Surgical Procedure
Get Plenty of Rest
After your surgical procedure, consider spending the rest of the day in bed resting. You will likely experience some drowsiness if the dentist near you provides sedatives. Therefore you mustn’t try to operate vehicles or machinery that requires concentration. You must also avoid strenuous activities like exercising or bending forward to lift anything because it might dislodge the blood clots. When preparing to sleep at night, prop your head with vegetables to keep it elevated.
Follow Post-Operative Instructions
Your oral surgeon will likely recommend not brushing or using mouthwash for dental care as your mouth could be sensitive to the surgical procedure. They might also recommend that you avoid the tender spots and clean the rest of your mouth. You will undoubtedly receive recommendations to rinse your mouth with warm salt water to prevent infections. You must ensure you follow the instructions diligently to keep your mouth clean and free from conditions.
Ice Your Face
You might confront swelling and bruising of your face, which is standard after a surgical procedure. You can overcome the problem by using ice packs on your cheeks, using them for 15 minutes, and removing them for 15 minutes. You can repeat the procedure throughout the day, ensuring you don’t leave the ice pack on your cheeks for over 15 minutes because it can cause tissue damage. The swelling on your face should subside within 48 to 72 hours. Unfortunately, if it worsens or you have a fever, it might indicate an infection. In such cases, call your dentist or oral surgeon right away.
Prevent Bleeding
During the initial 24 hours after surgery, you might experience bleeding from your mouth. You can use a gauze pad folded over the surgical site to prevent bleeding. Unfortunately, the bleeding continues for over 24 hours and is excessive, making you change the gauze pad often you need help from your dentist or oral surgeon.
Safeguard the Blood Clot
The blood clot forms in your mouth to help heal the wound during the surgical process. Therefore, you must safeguard the blood clot as best possible to ensure you don’t confront complications by dislodging it and dealing with a dry socket. To ensure you succeed in preserving the blood clot, you must avoid drinking with a straw, avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks, and refrain from smoking or at least 72 hours post-surgery.
Take Your Pain Killers
You will undoubtedly require help to manage pain after your surgical procedure. Your dentist provides a prescription to help you manage the discomfort. In some cases, you can manage the pain using over-the-counter painkillers or the prescribed medicines. However, the ache should subside within two days hours.
Watch Your Diet
After undergoing an oral surgical procedure, you find it comforting to have cool soft foods. Instant oatmeal, yogurt, and applesauce are excellent options that support your recovery. However, you must refrain from having scorching, freezing, chewy, and spicy foods because they can irritate the surgical site.
Look out for Infections
While you might not have precise information about infections, you can keep an eye out on them, looking for fever lasting for over 48 hours and challenges swallowing or breathing. You might also have allergic reactions to the anesthetic you received during your surgery. Kindly contact your dentist for advice without wasting time.
Follow-Up Appointments
Do not consider avoiding the follow-up appointments recommended by the dental professionals to ensure your recovery is proceeding well. You must follow the instructions of the dental clinic to avoid complications and extend your recovery. You might think the medical professionals are asking you for too much after a surgical procedure. However, the professionals have your best interests in mind making it essential for you to follow the instructions to the word.
If you must undergo any oral surgical procedure, The Art of Smile Dental Clinic routinely performs such procedures. Please schedule an appointment with them for the help you need with the surgery and your recovery.