Family Friendly & Specialty Dentists in London, UK
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Your complete guide to post-operative care, ensuring proper healing and recovery after oral surgery procedures.
These actions will help control bleeding, reduce swelling, and promote proper healing.
These activities can dislodge blood clots, increase bleeding, or delay healing.
After oral surgery, proper nutrition is crucial while protecting the surgical sites. Here's what to eat and avoid.
These foods minimize bleeding and protect blood clots.
These items can dislodge blood clots or irritate wounds.
Soft foods that require minimal chewing.
These foods risk disrupting healing sites.
Gradually introduce more substantial foods.
Continue avoiding until fully healed.
| Care Aspect | Details | Frequency | Tools/Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Hygiene | Gently brush surgical areas, use prescribed mouth rinse, maintain regular cleaning of other teeth, and follow specific cleaning instructions for extraction sites. | Daily | Soft toothbrush, saltwater rinse, prescribed mouthwash |
| Follow-up Care | Attend scheduled post-operative visits, have stitches removed if needed, get surgical sites checked, and discuss any healing concerns. | As scheduled | Post-op appointments |
| Activity Guidelines | Gradually return to normal activities, avoid strenuous exercise initially, protect surgical sites during sports, and maintain good sleep habits. | First month | Sports mouthguard when needed |
| Complication Prevention | Monitor for dry socket symptoms, excessive bleeding, infection signs, and unusual pain or swelling. Avoid tobacco and maintain good nutrition. | During healing | Emergency contact information |
| Product | Brands | What it Takes Care of | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterile Gauze Pads | Johnson & Johnson, CVS Health | Bleeding control | Apply pressure to surgical sites to control bleeding. |
| Ice Pack/Cold Compress | TheraPearl, Ace | Swelling reduction | Helps reduce post-operative swelling and discomfort. |
| Salt for Rinses | Morton, ARM & HAMMER | Wound cleaning | Mix with warm water for gentle cleaning solution. |
| Prescription Mouthwash | Peridex, PerioGard | Infection prevention | Antimicrobial rinse prescribed by your surgeon. |
| Pain Medication | Tylenol, Advil | Pain management | Over-the-counter or prescribed pain relief. |
| Extra-Soft Toothbrush | Oral-B Sensitive, Colgate Post-Surgery | Gentle cleaning | For careful cleaning around surgical sites. |
| Gel Ice Pack | Therapearl Face Mask, Frost Packs | Facial comfort | Contoured ice pack for facial application. |
| Nutritional Supplements | Ensure, Boost | Recovery support | Liquid nutrition during soft food diet phase. |
| Oral Gel | Orajel, Anbesol | Local pain relief | Topical pain relief for sore spots. |
| Wedge Pillow | Bed Wedge, AllSett Health | Head elevation | Keeps head elevated while sleeping. |
| Irrigation Syringe | Monoject, BD | Site cleaning | For gentle cleaning of extraction sites. |
| Tea Bags | Black Tea (any brand) | Clot protection | Moistened tea bags can help with bleeding. |
Swelling typically peaks within 48-72 hours after surgery and then gradually subsides. Using ice packs for the first 24 hours and switching to warm compresses afterward can help manage swelling. Most swelling resolves within a week, though complete resolution may take up to 2 weeks.
Dry socket occurs when the blood clot at the extraction site becomes dislodged, exposing bone and nerves. Prevent it by avoiding straws, smoking, and vigorous rinsing for the first 24-48 hours. Also, follow all post-operative instructions carefully, especially regarding oral hygiene and diet. If you experience intense pain 3-4 days after surgery, contact your surgeon immediately.
You can brush your teeth the day after surgery, but avoid the surgical sites. Use a soft-bristled brush and be very gentle around the surgical areas. After 24 hours, you can start salt water rinses. Normal brushing can resume in the surgical areas after about a week, or as advised by your surgeon.
Some oozing is normal for the first 24 hours. If bleeding persists, place fresh gauze and bite firmly for 30-60 minutes. If heavy bleeding continues after multiple attempts with gauze, or if bleeding restarts after 24 hours, contact your surgeon. Avoid exercise, spitting, and strenuous activity as these can increase bleeding.
Avoid strenuous physical activity for at least 3-4 days after surgery. Light walking is okay, but avoid activities that increase blood pressure or heart rate as this can lead to bleeding. Weight lifting and intense cardio should be avoided for at least a week. Always get clearance from your surgeon before resuming exercise.
It's normal for stitches to loosen or come out after a few days. Most stitches used in oral surgery are dissolvable and will come out on their own within 7-10 days. If non-dissolvable stitches were used, they will be removed at your follow-up appointment. If an entire stitch comes out within 48 hours of surgery, contact your surgeon.
Take prescribed pain medication as directed. For mild discomfort, over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help. Ice packs applied to the face (15 minutes on, 15 off) help reduce pain and swelling in the first 24 hours. After that, warm compresses can provide comfort. If pain increases after 3-4 days, contact your surgeon.
Soft tissue healing typically takes 2-3 weeks, but complete bone healing can take several months. Most patients return to normal activities within 1-2 weeks. However, the extraction sites will continue to remodel and fill in over time. Follow all post-operative instructions and attend scheduled follow-up appointments to ensure proper healing.
