More than 100 million Americans are categorized as having serious oral health issues. One of the most common oral health issues is gum disease. Another serious health issue is the loss of teeth.
If you’ve recently undergone oral surgery, you can count yourself among the other 103 million adults with serious health issues. The goal of oral surgery is to fix these issues.
After the anesthesia wears off and the surgery site heals, recovering from oral surgery largely depends on your commitment to eating and dental hygiene.
Even though you have to be fairly committed to recovery, recovering from oral surgery isn’t a complicated matter. In this brief article, we will outline the ways you can regain your healthy mouth.
1. Follow Post-surgery Instructions Provided By Your Oral Surgeon
After selecting an oral surgeon and undergoing oral surgery, following the instructions provided is the next and the key to a successful recovery. This includes rest and proper care.
The surgeon will typically provide you with instructions to be followed before, during, and after the surgery. It is important to follow these guidelines to minimize any potential side effects or risks of infections associated with the procedure.
2. Use Pain Medication as Prescribed to Manage Discomfort
Taking any prescribed pain medications is a must to help with the discomfort and ease the transition after the surgery. Avoid taking any additional medications unless they have been approved by the doctor as they can affect the outcomes of the prescribed medications.
If you are still experiencing pain even after taking the medication, it is best to reach out to your doctor and make sure that the kind and amount of medication prescribed is ideal for your situation.
3. Keep the Surgical Area Clean
It is important to keep the surgical area clean when recovering from surgery to minimize the chances of infection. Immediately following oral surgery, it is important to rinse the mouth with salt water up to three times a day. Do this for about 20 seconds each time.
Rinsing with salt water is an effective oral care and reduces pain and swelling, and helps clean the surgery site and promote healing.
4. Apply Ice to the Affected Area to Reduce Swelling
Applying ice to a surgical site helps reduce swelling and pain, both of which are common after oral surgery. Ice packs are useful for this but can be combined with a damp cloth or towel.
Ice should be applied to the surgical site for no more than 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Avoid Smoking or Using Straws
One of the most important pieces of advice following oral surgery is to avoid both smoking and the use of straws. Smoking exacerbates swelling and increases the amount of pain experienced.
Additionally, the suction created when using a straw slams the surgical site.
Learn How to Recover from Oral Surgery
Recovering from oral surgery may seem daunting, but the process is manageable with the right approach. With a healthy lifestyle, smart habits, and the help of your dentist, oral surgery recovery will be smooth and successful. Take action now and get started on the process of healing from your oral surgery!
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