Dos and Don'ts of Oral Surgery
Posted on 3/22/2021 by Tessa Smith-Greisch |
 Your dentist, orthodontist, or maxillofacial surgeon may recommend getting oral surgery if you have the following conditions or problems:
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Bad bite (over bite, under bite, cross bite)
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Oral Cancer
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Oral Cysts
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facial injury
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Missing teeth
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Overcrowding of teeth
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Pain in wisdom tooth |
Minor oral surgeries like dental implants, tooth extractions, and cyst removals can be performed by experienced dentists but to perform major corrective and cosmetic surgeries like in the case of misalignment of jawbones, facial reconstruction after an accident, or surgeries done to remove oral cancers, you must approach a specialized maxillofacial surgeon.
All oral surgeries have some basic do's and don'ts, which are as follows:
The Do's of Oral Surgery
You must take care of your oral hygiene after the oral surgery to avoid bacterial infections in the open wounds. Your surgeon will give you a list of guidelines to follow while practicing oral hygiene to ensure that without affecting the recovery time and hurting yourself, you are able to follow diligent oral care and hygiene routine. Generally speaking, your surgeon will tell you not to brush on the area that has been operated. However, you can wipe it clean will gauze to avoid bacterial infections.
Your surgeon will also give you a dietary plan to follow. This plan will consist of the foods and drinks that you must avoid and also the ones that are beneficial for the healing process. For example, you will be told to stay away from hot drinks and foods, spicy foods, and foods that are acidic in nature (citrus fruits, tomatoes, soft drinks, etc.).
Moreover, you will be told to stick to liquid and semi-liquid food so that biting and chewing hard foods does not open your stitches or affect your recovery time.
You will also be prescribed a few pain-relieving medicines to help you manage the pain and discomfort that follows. Typically, the pain lasts for up to 4 weeks or more. During this time, you must take your topical pain-relieving medications regularly and speak to your surgeon if you experience bleeding or can see signs of infection at the surgical site.
The Don'ts of Oral Surgery
You must not eat food for up to 24 hours after the oral surgery. Your surgeon will also tell you to quit smoking post-surgery if you are a smoker because if the surgery was performed to remove oral cancer, there is a high possibility that smoking was the cause of it.
You should not touch the surgical area or use any kind of cleaning liquid/ paste on it. You must refrain from using mouthwashes and toothpaste immediately after the surgery. Consult your surgeon about the best methods for maintaining your oral hygiene, post-surgery.
You must avoid putting pressure on the surgical site. To remedy this, avoid eating solid food that requires a lot of biting and chewing. Stick to liquid foods for a few days, like soups, and gradually move to semi-solid foods like stew and runny oatmeal.
It is recommended that you follow the aftercare plan that your surgeon has given to you and make regular appointments with your surgeon for follow up visits.
If you are considering getting an oral surgery for your dental problem, then visit us at Madison Oral Surgery & Dental Implants and speak to and .
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