How to Care for Your Mouth After Oral Surgery

Oral surgery serves a variety of dental benefits, including restoring damaged or missing teeth. To ensure your smile heals properly, it’s important to take extra care following your oral procedure. Use these oral surgery after-care tips to protect your dental health and ensure your smile heals to its fullest potential.

Take Prescribed Medication

To soothe any feelings of discomfort following your oral procedure, it’s essential to take your prescribed medication. If your dentist instructed you to take medication during your oral surgery recovery, he has identified a reason that medical intervention was necessary. Whether you need to protect yourself from infection or reduce painful symptoms, take your oral medication as instructed by your family dentist.

Begin Teeth Cleaning Gradually

Whether you've received dental implants or you had wisdom teeth extracted, your mouth will be sensitive for several days following your dental procedure. It’s important that you continue eating while recovering from your surgery and it’s equally as important that you protect your teeth from bacteria and food particles. Be sure to gently rinse (don’t swallow!) your mouth with warm salt water (a half teaspoon in a glass of water) to dislodge any sugar particles from the surface of your teeth. Continue gently rinsing your mouth out after every meal until your dentist approves your use of a toothbrush. Post extraction it is also very important to discontinue the use of straws until the socket has healed, usually about two weeks.

Adjust Your Diet

To accommodate your sensitive teeth, you’ll need to adjust your diet during the days or even weeks after your oral surgery. Depending on the involvement of your procedure, your dentist may recommend that you abide by a liquid diet for a few days. Keep your body filled with fluids to ensure you receive the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals. Despite your teeth’s sensitivity, it’s important to provide your body with energy to heal properly.

Attend Follow-Up Appointments

The best way to ensure you are healing properly from your oral surgery is to attend your scheduled follow-up appointment. Your dentist will schedule an appointment with you several days after your procedure date to examine your initial healing status. Maintain any other follow-up appointments and ask your dentist about any sensitive areas or strange growths.

Do you have questions about your upcoming oral surgery? Call the expert dentists at Dr. Alina Bergan D.D.S. at (800 223-0801 for information about oral surgery procedures or general dental care.