Oftentimes, a person will undergo some dental problems that will require dental surgery. This kind of surgery normally involves procedures don to the teeth and sometimes to the jaw bone. There are many procedures that are considered within the realm of dental surgery.
Even though dental surgery is normal and even necessary in many cases, it doesn’t detract from the fact that this kind of surgery is painful and bloody. Of course, sedatives and anesthesia are given to the patient who undergoes dental surgery but after the procedure, the patient has to follow many measures to ensure that the post-operative wounds heal properly and fast. Here are some protective measures you should follow after you’ve undergone dental surgery.
• Ask your dentist specific instructions before you undergo dental surgery. Ask him to list down what you need to do to take care of your post-operative wound, what food you can eat, what to avoid and also what to do to manage pain or discomfort.
• Rest for at least a couple of days. Don’t work, go to school or go out. Don’t do any kind of strenuous physical activities. You can probably go and have a massage to help relax you but ask your dentist if this also okay.
• Don’t eat anything too hard or too hot. Soft foods and lots of liquid are what you should be ingesting at this point. Drink a lot of water to keep your body hydrated and help you flush out toxins in your body.
• Aside from the pain relievers and antibiotics that your dentist will prescribe, take vitamin supplements as well. There are some vitamins and minerals that will help hasten the healing process and it would be a good idea to take this to help you on the road to recovery. For example, Vitamin C is a great help because it can help in healing your wound and in maintaining your bone’s strength and health.
• Have an ice pack ready whenever you feel discomfort. An ice pack is also a big help if your cheeks swell as a result of the dental surgery. Apply the ice pack to the affected area for about 15 minutes at a time.
• Even though it may look like a good idea, avoid drinking fluids through a straw. This can result in something called dry socket, a very painful sensation that happens when blood clots are dislodged from the post operative wound. Dry socket can also happen if you drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, so avoid these things as well.
• Don’t forget to go to the follow up appointments with your dentist. He can assess if your wounds are healing properly and can give you more advice on how to take care of yourself and even give you more prescriptions for pain management or in treating the wound.
Image from dentalsurgerysydney.net/