Periodontal surgery is not a walk in the park. How can it be? Someone is prodding, cutting, and generally doing things to your gums that are not natural and frankly, pretty invasive. Anesthetics make the procedure comfortable, but what happens afterward? You have concerns. Will I be in pain? What is the recovery time? How will recovery affect my daily activities? The answer to all of these is: recovery from dental surgery is fairly easy. There are things you can do to ensure that you’ll be up and running in no time flat.
Pre-Gum Graft Recovery Tips
- Make sure that you are giving yourself enough sleep the day before the procedure.
- Arrange for a comfortable ride to and from the periodontist office before your surgical procedure.
- Discuss with your dentist the types of gum grafts available – gingival graft, connective tissue graft, and pedicle graft – and why they suggest one over the other.
Post-Surgery Recovery Tips Gum graft surgery recovery time varies from to person. A lot of times it depends on how well you took care of your gums beforehand. These five tips and a bonus tip will help speed recovery.
- Pain Medication. Whether you choose gum grafting surgery or a painless grafting alternative for your gum recession, you will probably have some swelling post-procedure, which is generally controlled with ice packs over the first 24 hours. Have on hand over-the-counter pain medications along with any prescribed by your dentist.
- Avoid Exertion. The periodontist might want you to stay at the office for an hour so they can make sure there are no issues with your new gum grafts. When home, bending or heavy lifting is discouraged as putting undue pressure on affected areas and increases the likelihood split stitches and bleeding.
- Stick to a Liquid Diet for Two Weeks Minimum. Hard food that requires a lot of chewing is detrimental to the gum tissue’s ability to handle them. There is always the danger that hard foods will gouge at your stitches and be harder to remove without brushing.
- Rinse with Antimicrobial Mouth Wash as Directed by Your Dentist. A good mouthwash not only flushes food materials away from your stitches but also coats kills bacterial and prevents infection.
- Take Vitamin Before and After Surgery. Take the recommended doses of healing inducing Vitamins A and C. The emphasis should be on foods high in vitamins and nutrients. As any dental professional will tell you, when it comes to keeping your gums healthy, diet is a major factor. Also, avoid hot foods and iced drinks. Both will irritate your gums and inhibit healing.
Your recovery will largely depend on your adherence to instructions. If you think you can live life as usual after surgery your recovery time will likely suffer. At Think Oral Implants and Periodontics, we will support you through surgery and recovery. We are there for you from start to finish. Call for a consultation now at (610) 550-3333. Think Oral Implants and Periodontics, office located at 250 W. Lancaster Ave., Suite 215, Paoli, PA 1930
