Oral surgery is used to treat a variety of injuries, diseases, and removals affecting your gums, teeth, and jawbone. Depending on the type of surgery, you may be able to even drive yourself home after surgery. However, just because oral surgery doesn’t require a long stay doesn’t mean you can skip out on recovery. It’s crucial to follow all steps given by your oral surgeon to ensure a successful recovery. Below are 3 tips for a healthy recovery from oral surgery:

  1. Rest

Rest the day of your oral surgery (and the days after depending on the type of surgery). Your body needs time to recover. With more intensive surgeries, such as wisdom teeth removal, your body will need several days to fully recover. Lie down and keep your head propped with pillows to reduce swelling in your mouth or face and apply ice in 15 minute intervals as needed.

  1. Take Pain Medication

Take your pain medication as instructed by your oral surgeon, even if you don’t immediately feel pain. It’s easy to prevent pain from happening if you take your medication before the pain occurs.

  1. Keep a Clean Mouth

Your oral surgeon will likely instruct you to not rinse your mouth the first 24 hours after your surgery. When you are able, rinse your mouth with salt water to remove any of the soft food particles and prevent infection.

Always remember to not do anything your oral surgeon hasn’t instructed you to. Over exertion is common the first few hours after surgery in which rest is highly needed. You should also refrain from eating hard foods and smoking or drinking alcohol in the first 24 hours.

If you have any questions or are interested in oral surgery, contact the Center for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery today for a free consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.