Nobody enjoys going to the dentist, and fewer still enjoy having to undergo dental surgery. Unfortunately however, for people who haven’t looked after their teeth well enough, or even those that have who have stumbled upon a dental problem, surgery is very often a necessary evil, which can help to improve your oral health. Looking over the Dr Kami Hoss site recently, I saw some interesting comments and questions about how one can best recover from dental surgery, and I wanted to clear a few things up, and give you some great tips on how you can best look after yourself following a dental procedure.
Ensuring that you care well for yourself during recovery, will make a large difference in terms of how successful the procedure turns out, and here is how to do it.
Relaxing
It is vital that you ensure that you have nothing to do in the initial 1-2 days following your procedure. In order to best look after yourself and avoid any further damage to your teeth or gums, you should ensure that you avoid any dangerous situations. If you are able to, avoid driving or doing anything that requires a great amount of effort. There is a strong possibility that you will have been sedated ahead of you procedure and as this wears off, you must ensure that you are relaxing.
Avoid Brushing
Whilst brushing is of course a great tool to keep your mouth clean and germ free, it is not a smart idea to do so during your recovery. Brushing your teeth, even those that have not been affected by the procedure, can be incredibly painful and actually do more harm than good. Avoid brushing for at least 3 or 4 days after your surgery.
Keeping Cool
Because of the sensitivity of your teeth and gums, it is more than likely that any dental procedure will leave your mouth, and especially the affected area, very sore and swollen. In order to help you to reduce this swelling as quickly as possible, it is worth placing an ice pack over the part of your mouth which is swollen. An ice pack will not only help to reduce the swelling but it can also greatly help to reduce any pain which you may have.
Medication
It is likely that you will need some medicinal help when it comes to managing the pain after your dental surgery, and so you should plan ahead to ensure that you have plenty in stock. Sometimes a dentist will prescribe drugs such as acetaminophen to help you reduce the pain, alternatively you could be alright with over-the-counter meds such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you have suffered a reaction in the past to any of these medicines, be sure to tell your dentist so that they can look for alternatives for you. Use pain meds in the first 3 or 4 days to help you to recover well.
