Recovering From Dental Surgery: Do’s and Dont’s

Dental surgery could be required for a multitude of reasons.

From tooth removal to implants, there are various reasons you may need dental surgery. However, it’s likely that your surgery will be a pain free ordeal. Dealing with the aftercare is where people might be a bit lost.

For the first two days it is likely that you’ll be tender. Over the counter pain relief should be fine to ease that discomfort. However, avoid aspirin as it thins the blood and will make your mouth bleed. Whatever you take, the first step is to take it as soon as possible after your surgery. It’s much easier to prevent pain than to get rid of it entirely.

We thought we’d compile some do’s and don’ts for after your dental surgery to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible.

What you should do after dental surgery.

Relax on the day of your surgery. If you want to lie down, and for the first night following surgery, keep your head propped up with pillows if possible to limit excess swelling and bleeding.

Apply ice packs to your face for 15 minutes on and then 15 minutes off to reduce swelling.

You can eat soft foods after the bleeding stops. Keep to liquids or soft foods for the first day or two. You could try soups, yogurts, fruit milkshakes, smoothies and mashed potatoes.

If you’ve been given antibiotics, take them as prescribed. Be sure to finish the course.

Keep your mouth clean. While you may be advised not to rinse for the first 24 hours, after this initial period you should gently rinse four times a day using warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water). Be sure to rinse after every meal and snack, making sure that the water removes any bits of food around the surgical area.

Follow a balanced diet. In particular, eat foods rich in vitamins A and C, which contribute to the healing process. A vitamin C supplement may also be helpful. A good intake of Vitamin C is the ideal way to ensure a quick recovery from dental surgery.

What you shouldn’t do after dental surgery.

Don’t over do it. Don’t bend over or do heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for two to three days after surgery.

Avoid hot food or drinks until the numbing wears off. You wont be able to feel the heat of what you’re consuming. Therefore, you could have a pretty nasty burn and not even know it!

Don’t chew hard or crunchy foods, such as carrots or popcorn, in the area of the surgery for six to eight weeks.

Don’t brush or floss teeth in the surgical area until advised to do so by your dentist. Then, be sure to do so carefully.

Don’t smoke for as long as possible after surgery, but at the very least for the rest of the day. Smoking could interfere with the healing process and the sucking motion can dislodge blood clots that are forming as part of the healing process.

Avoid alcohol for 24 hours, as it can delay the healing process. It also thins the blood and could have a similar impact to aspirin.

If you’re reading this because you’ll be going for a procedure soon, we hope we’ve helped and we hope it all goes well!

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