A variety of oral surgeries are successfully conducted on an array of dental complications. However, there is one situation when such surgery is moot: A tooth must be extracted. Infections, impacted teeth, cracked enamel, gum diseases, and bone loss are a few reasons why your dentist in Greenville, SC may decide to pull a tooth and protect your mouth from further harm. Preparation for the placement of braces can also require extraction. Whatever your dental condition is, however, you are fully responsible for your own recovery.
Gum tissue normally heals between three and four weeks, while bone can take up to six months to fully recover from oral surgery. When in recovery, you’re at risk of complications, so make sure that you follow your dentist’s recommendations and avoid activities that might lead to problems.
Take Prescribed Medications
Your dentist won’t prescribe drugs if they’re unnecessary. So, whatever you’re given, take it at the right time and dosage. If there’s no prescription and you’re worried about the pain, ask your dentist whether you can take over-the-counter painkillers. Take the painkiller even if you’re not yet feeling any pain, for it is less excruciating to prevent the discomfort than try to rid it.
Follow a Diet of Soft, Liquid Food
Because the surgical site is still open and sensitive, you need to protect it from any kind of contact. Hard-to-chew food can create stress on the affected area. It is best to stick to a liquid and soft-food diet for the first few days. Avoid eating hot food immediately after the surgery because your mouth will still be numb, causing you to accidentally burn your tongue or mouth without even feeling it.
Avoid Brushing the Surgical Site
Brushing your teeth is necessary after a Greenville oral surgery, but you can actually abandon the practice for the first day or two after surgery. Having any form of contact with the surgical site could remove stitches and blood clots that help facilitate the healing process, resulting in bleeding. It’s better to rinse your mouth with saltwater to keep it clean, rather than brush your teeth.
Oral surgery should be taken seriously because any complications arising from it can put your entire health at risk. Following these recovery tips, however, can help you recover quickly and with limited pain. Beyond that, be sure to get some rest. Your body will need it.
Sources:
Reasons for Tooth Extraction and 8 Tips for Recovery, angieslist.com
Healing after Extractions and Oral Surgery, dentalfearcentral.org
