Dental problems typically range from mild to severe. The less severe ones, like teeth discolouration, can be fixed without surgery. This means the recovery phase will not be a concern, as non-surgical procedures usually have little to no downtime.
However, when it comes to more serious issues like wisdom tooth removal, jaw misalignment, tooth extractions, dental implants, and some others, you may need surgery to fix them.
In such cases, a successful procedure is not the end of the journey; you still need to get past the recovery phase, and more importantly, do it right. After all, proper post-operative care is essential for healing, alleviating pain, and averting complications.
If you recently had oral surgery or are still contemplating it and you are wondering how you can speed up your recovery and make it painless, then this article is just for you.
Here, we will give you some helpful recovery tips that will make your post-surgery experience smoother and more comfortable.
8 Essential Recovery Tips for Oral Surgery
How you handle the healing process is just as crucial as the surgery itself. In this blog post, we are going to share with you, eight essential tips that, if you carefully follow them, can make your recovery process as easy and painless as possible.
Follow Your Dentist’s Instruction
Before and after your oral surgery, if there is one person you should take oral health advice from, it is your dentist.
Dentists are not only trained to perform surgery in the mouth. They also provide the most reliable post-surgery care tips.
Depending on your specific oral problems, your dentist may recommend that you stop brushing or using mouthwash in the meantime, especially if your mouth is extra sensitive after surgery. They may even advise against brushing the tender spot and instead focus on cleaning the rest of your teeth instead.
To help reduce swelling and prevent infection after the surgery, they may even suggest that you start using salt water to rinse your mouth (you can add baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, or honey to it)
The bottom line? Listen to your dentist always and follow all their directives. After all, they know what your mouth needs to heal properly without any complications.
Rest and Avoid Intense Activities
If you are a career person or you do a lot of physical activities, please resist the urge to return to your normal routine right away after surgery. The reason is fairly straightforward.
When you partake in strenuous activities, blood flow and pressure increase in your mouth. This causes the surgical area to heal more slowly than expected.
To prevent a relapse in recovery, take time off the grind and prioritize your health. Your smile will thank you!
Use Ice Packs to Reduce Pain and Swelling
It is absolutely normal to experience bruises or swelling on your face in the first few days after the surgery. But don’t worry, there’s a quick and easy way to fix this.
- Simply get a clean cloth or towel and wrap it around an ice pack.
- After that, place the ice pack on your jaw for about 15-20 minutes.
- You should take a 15-minute break and repeat the process over and over again until the pain subdues to a considerable level.
If you have undergone surgery on both sides of your mouth, it is recommended to alternate between the two sides using a single ice pack.
Keep in Mind: If, after repeating this, the swelling doesn’t stop after 48 hours, it could be infected. In that case, get in touch with your dentist ASAP!
For more information, you should check out our article explaining how you can treat dental infections.
Maintain a Diet of Soft Foods
After surgery, you might need to prioritize softer foods over hard, crunchy, and chewy ones, even if you don’t enjoy them. Typical examples of these soft foods include soups, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, yogurt, applesauce, and the like.
Soft or gentle foods are advisable for folks who recently had a dental procedure because they won’t irritate the surgical spot or disrupt the blood clot.
Remember, this food option is only temporary until you heal properly. So, hang in there and stick to those gentle foods for now!
Stay Hydrated, But Steer Clear Of Cigarettes And Alcohol
If you want to make a quick recovery after your surgery, you need to always stay hydrated.
Aside from the general health benefits, if you drink water consistently after your oral surgery, you are essentially washing away dirt that has built up on the surgical site. That aside, staying hydrated will also keep your mouth from drying out.
However, not every liquid is good for your body during recovery. Water? It’s the absolute MVP. But you see alcoholic drinks? They are a big no-no in your recovery phase.
You should also do away with any types of tobacco products. Like alcohol, they can slow down your healing process.
Keep An Eye Out For Infection Symptoms
After being discharged from the clinic, the duty falls on you to monitor your condition.
Ideally, before you leave the clinic, your dentist would tell you what to look out for. Things like negative reactions to the anesthetic, difficulty breathing or swallowing, fever, and swelling that have lasted 48 hours are some typical red flags to be mindful of.
If you notice any of these things are happening to you, try to get in touch with your dentist immediately for quick diagnosis and treatment.
Take Pain Medications
After the surgery, the pain should only persist for about 2 to 3 days. However, if you can’t wait it out, you may ask your dentist to give you some pain relief medications to manage the pain and swelling.
Your dentist may prescribe pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, to help stop the pain and swelling.
Maintain Open Communication with Your Dentist
Since human teeth and gums are prone to various issues, it’s important that treatment extends beyond surgery and continues even after you have fully recovered.
Make it a point to attend all post-surgery follow-up appointments with your dentist. This allows your dentist to monitor your healing progress and address any concerns before they escalate into more serious problems.
When to Seek Help
Humans heal at different paces, so differences in recovery time and minor discomfort are normal. But if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may need to contact your dentist as soon as possible.
Pain Persists or Worsens After 48 hours
Under normal circumstances, post-surgical pain should only last for 2 days (3 days in the worst cases).
However, if you notice that your face is still swollen days after the procedure, then the surgical site may have been infected. Pay your dentist a visit and have it checked out!
Nonstop Bleeding After Pressing
It’s not uncommon to experience some bleeding after applying pressure to the surgical site.
When this happens, you can apply clean gauze to the surgical site for approximately fifteen minutes to halt bleeding, To clot the blood, you may also raise your head or apply pressure with an ice pack close to the affected area.
However, if none of these stops the bleeding, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Difficulty Breathing and Swallowing
If you are struggling to breathe after your procedure, it could be that the surgical site has swollen and is now blocking the airway. It could also be that you’re experiencing an allergic reaction to the anesthesia.
The solution? Contact your oral surgeon or emergency medical services immediately.
FAQs
- How can I mentally prepare for the recovery period after oral surgery? Beyond physical exercise, recovery from oral surgery also requires mental training as well. To keep your mind occupied while your body heals, you can think about doing mental exercises like reading, watching movies, or practicing meditation.
- What habits ensure a smooth recovery? The answer is straightforward: consume more water and softer foods instead of hard, spicy, or crunchy ones. You should quit smoking and drinking for the time being as well.
- How do I know if the recovery is not progressing as it should? Besides the constant pain and swelling, symptoms like prolonged numbness, unusual tastes, or persistent bleeding may also indicate that the recovery is not going as planned. When you notice any of these, get in touch with your dentist quickly.
- After oral surgery, how can I avoid developing dry socket? To avoid developing dry socket after oral surgery, refrain from smoking, using straws, and vigorous spitting for at least a week. This will help prevent dislodging the blood clot.
- What kinds of oral issues can warrant surgery to fix? If you lose your tooth and you want to implant an artificial one, oral surgery will be required to place the artificial tooth roots in the mouth.
Aside from this, if you are dealing with gum diseases, tooth decay, severe jaw misalignments such as overbite, underbite, open bite, and the like, surgical intervention may be needed.
DentSpa Can Improve Your Oral Surgery Recovery Experience
Oral surgery recovery doesn’t have to be daunting. By following the tips in this article, you’ll be able to manage the pain, reduce swelling, and speed up your healing process.
But then, these tips are no substitute for direct dental assistance.
Selected as Europe’s top dental clinic for 2024, DentSpa is capable of ensuring your oral surgery is successful. Our team of decorated, skilled, and experienced dental professionals can also provide the post-surgery support you need to heal quickly, painlessly, and without complications.
At DentSpa, we prioritize your peace of mind during every procedure. That’s why our team is made up of competent dentists whose skills, experiences, and qualifications are not just impressive, but also reassuring.
With this team on the case, you can rest, assured that after your oral surgery, you’ll still be able to eat and talk comfortably. This makes your recovery process more enjoyable than it usually is.
What’s more? We’ll also be with you every step of the way, monitoring and guiding you through the recovery process.
What are you waiting for? Schedule your appointment with us today and let our experts provide you with oral surgery that’s not only successful and comfortable, but also enhances your healing experience post-surgery.