Our Guide to Recovering from Oral Surgery: The Do’s and Don’ts

There’s no denying that oral surgery can be one of the most challenging things to deal with, especially if it’s your first time going through it.

Oral surgery is an outpatient procedure that is performed in your dentist’s office. Depending on the type of treatment you got, you’d be able to go home with little-to-no downtime. However, just because oral surgery isn’t as heavy as big medical surgeries, it doesn’t mean that you should skimp on recovery.

In this article, our expert emergency dentists will give you a rundown of things to do and what to avoid after getting oral surgery. This way, you’ll get to recover fully faster, and you’ll get to maximize the treatment.

The Do’s of Oral Surgery Recovery

  • Follow Your Emergency Dentist’s Instructions: While this may be pretty straightforward, you’d be surprised to know that several patients don’t follow instructions. Furthermore, if you don’t adhere to the instructions that your emergency dentist has given you, you’ll put yourself at risk of further complications.
  • Reset After Your Surgery: When you’ve gotten your oral surgery, you’ll often get to resume your normal diet fast enough. However, this doesn’t mean that you should immediately start eating solid foods. It’s important to give your oral surgery time to heal and the swelling time to go down before you eat solid foods.
  • Apply Ice and Take Your Meds: You should know that it’s vital to keep the area that’s been treated from swelling. Applying ice to the area treated can help reduce the swelling on your face. A further step that you can take to help with swelling is to take the medication prescribed to you.
  • Maintain Pristine Oral Hygiene: It’s important to maintain proper oral hygiene, especially when you’ve undergone oral surgery. Ensure that you rinse and wash your mouth with a prescription mouthwash that your emergency dentist has given you. Also, you can use a gentle toothbrush and toothpaste to keep your mouth as healthy as possible.

The Don’ts of Oral Surgery Recovery

  • Don’t Ignore Your Dentist’s Orders: If your emergency dentist has told you to keep a certain diet or to avoid certain foods, then it’s important to follow those orders. Ignoring orders from your oral surgery can put your oral health at risk.
  • Don’t Over Exert Yourself: You should know that you’re expected to rest after you’ve gotten your oral surgery. After all, you had surgery on your face! It’s important that you give your body time to recover. If you don’t, you may end up with a relapse that can be more difficult to treat.
  • Be Mindful of What You Eat and Drink: If a certain food or drink is not recommended to you, then refrain from it. You should also avoid large meals. While it’s okay to eat a meal two hours after taking pain medication, it’s important to avoid large meals.

The Bottom Line: Proper Recovery Can Help You Avoid Further Dental Complications and Issues

At the end of the day, recovery is the most important part of getting oral surgery. The longer you take to recover and heal, the better. After all, you can avoid another relapse or a more serious medical complication by taking the time to recover properly.

Remember that proper recovery can help you avoid further dental complications and issues. This way, you’ll be able to live a healthier, more active life. Of course, it’s crucial that you get your oral surgery done by emergency dentists you trust, so you can guarantee a smooth and complication-free surgery.

How Can We Help You?

Are you looking for an emergency dentist in Utah? If so, Smart Dental Care is here to help. 

Our team of dental experts is committed to providing you with dental services, leaving you feeling great and confident about your smile. Some of our services include emergency dentistry, extractions and wisdom teeth, crowns, root canals, family dentistry, implants, cosmetic dentistry, and more. 

Chat with us today to learn more about how we can help you!