If you have an upcoming dental surgery, you want your mouth to heal as fast as possible. There are several things you can do to promote rapid healing. We’ve put together 7 tips for a healthy recovery following your dental surgery.
1. Get Some Rest After Your Dental Surgery
You should plan for being able to rest for the 24 hours following the procedure. Take at least one day off work and don’t engage in strenuous activities for at least one week after the surgery. After the area has healed, you can then resume your normal activities.
2. Protect the Dental Surgery Site
For several hours following your dental surgery, you should protect the area. Don’t disturb it so that a good blood clot will form. That helps promote faster healing. Toward that end, you might also reduce your food and beverage consumption so that nothing will irritate the surgical site.
3. Use a Cold Compress for Inflammation
Using a cold compress on the affected area will help reduce inflammation and protect you from further bruising. It will also help reduce any discomfort you may have following your dental surgery. You can press the cold compression on the affected area as directed by your oral surgeon.
4. Drink Lots of Water Following Dental Surgery
Staying hydrated is very important for reducing your healing period. Drink lots of water, but don’t drink hot beverages for 24 hours following your surgery. Also, you’ll want to avoid carbonated and caffeinated beverages during this time.
5. Keep It Soft
It’s also a good idea to stick to soft foods during your recovery period. Hard or chewy foods could easily disrupt the site of your dental surgery. Additionally, it helps to stay away from spicy foods and foods that are prepared hot. Just keep it soft and bland to speed up the healing period.
6. Good Oral Care Routine
It is vital that you maintain a good oral healthcare routine following dental surgery. You don’t want to rinse your mouth for at least 24 hours after the surgery, and you should use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth. You might need to avoid brushing the site of the surgery for a day or two, but if your dentist says you can brush it, be very gentle. After 24 hours have passed, you can rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water after meals for the next week.
7. Painkillers
You should follow the advice of your dentist regarding pain management. For some procedures, over-the-counter pain medications like Ibuprofen or Tylenol will work just fine. If your case is more severe, your dentist can prescribe the appropriate painkillers.
Final Thoughts
Anytime you’ve had dental surgery, you want to heal fast and get back to normal as soon as possible. These 7 tips will help speed up the healing process and reduce your recovery period.
If you have any questions about dental surgery, Dr. Benjamin Duval at Duval Periodontics will be happy to answer them. Just give our office a call today!
