Five Techniques for Managing Pain after Oral Surgery
Oral surgery is an outpatient procedure occurring in dentist’s offices. Depending on the type of anesthesia used during the process, you may or may not be able to drive yourself back home. Therefore in some instances, you might need help from family members or friends to return home after undergoing a surgical procedure in your mouth.
Oral surgery doesn’t require an overnight stay at the dentist’s office or hospital. However, it doesn’t indicate that you can skimp on your recovery. Your oral surgeon provides after-care instructions after your procedure which you must follow diligently. The instructions help promote healing and prevent complications. If you haven’t received post-operative instructions from your dentist, this article provides some easy methods for you to manage pain and recover quickly after oral surgery. Please continue reading to benefit from the suggestions provided.
1. Rest Essential after Oral Surgical Procedures
Following the procedure you underwent, give your body some time to recover. Do not get into your regular activities immediately after the procedure for fear of dislodging the blood clot. Instead, take the day off or, better still, a couple of days off to recover from the surgery. Do not substitute exercises as a method to remain active but give your body the rest it deserves because it prevents the development of a dry socket in the extraction site if you accidentally manage to dislodge the blood clot. A dry socket is painful and requires treatment from dentists, which might prove a hassle soon after your surgical process.
The dentist in Phoenix, AZ, prescribes or recommends painkillers you must take to alleviate the pain that you will likely experience. Take the medications as suggested without exceeding the dosage or skipping the pills because not taking them makes you feel uncomfortable.
Swelling on your cheeks is expected after any oral procedure. However, you can alleviate the swelling using ice packs on your cheeks for short periods of 20 minutes each. Please do not place the ice packs continuously on your cheeks because they might damage tissue.
2. Do not Choose Hot Foods or Drinks
Your mouth remains numb after your operation as a result of the anesthesia you receive during the procedure. Do not try to consume hot foods or drinks until the numbing medication entirely wears off. When recovering from an oral surgical procedure, you don’t need to compound the discomfort with a burnt tongue or your mouth’s roof.
3. Stay Away from Hard and Crunchy Foods
For approximately 6 to 8 weeks following your surgical procedure, do not try to have hard or crunchy foods like popcorn, carrots, or candies near the extraction site. Trying to challenge these instructions can lead to the dislodging of the blood clot, which you must avoid at all costs.
4. Avoid smoking for 24 Hours
If you are a smoker, avoid smoking for at least 24 hours after undergoing an oral procedure. Better still, quit smoking altogether because it helps improve your overall health. If you request help from your oral surgeon, they can provide several tips to help you with smoking cessation.
5. General Care
Besides the above, you can rinse your mouth the day following the procedure using warm salt water at least four times a day. Saltwater helps remove any food debris from your mouth after you have eaten.
The Phoenix dentist suggests you have healthy foods rich in vitamins C And A or take supplements. The vitamins encourage healing and help you recover quickly from your oral procedure.
Oral procedures make it challenging for you to brush and floss in the surgical area because of the pain and discomfort. Therefore you must wait until your dentist clears you to resume the activity. However, when you continue brushing and flossing, you must do so gently to ensure you don’t irritate the extraction site. In addition, do not consume alcohol 24 hours after the procedure because it interferes with the healing process. In fact, you must refrain from drinking alcohol when using any pain medications or antibiotics that may interact with alcohol.
Following the after-care instructions provided by the Phoenix dentist and using the tips mentioned in this article helps you recover faster and painlessly to resume your normal activities in about a week and more without complications.
If you must have a wisdom tooth or two removed requiring an oral surgical procedure, we suggest you schedule an appointment with All Smiles Dental Care to undergo the operation.