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If you are having oral surgery, you are also very likely to receive anesthesia during the process. Recovering from the procedure itself involves not just the physical healing of your mouth, but also safely recovering from the effects of the anesthesia.
After your oral surgery, you may be sleepy or disoriented. You will need a designated driver to drive you home. Prepare this person ahead-of-time with information regarding your surgery recovery. They will receive any last-minute instructions from your dentist, as you might not be in the right frame of mind to receive and retain the information.
When you arrive home, you must take it easy and rest. Wearing loose-fitting, comfortable clothing to your procedure will not only allow your dentist to more easily place necessary medical monitors, but it will allow you to go home and directly into bed. Sleep and rest are the best things for your body to recover from the surgery and the effects of the anesthesia. The first 48 hours are the most crucial. Do not plan to exercise or do any heavy lifting.
Pain medication is often prescribed after oral surgery. Take it only as prescribed and do not drive while on the medication. Do not plan to do any important tasks (like answering work emails or talking on the phone to your child’s teacher) until you know how the pain medicine affects you. You may need to spend your time watching TV or dozing on the sofa while you are taking the medicine. All patients react differently to medicine, so be careful until you know how your particular medicines affect you.
When you feel ready to eat, stick to soft, room-temperature foods. Tepid soups and yogurts are advised. Eating hot foods while still under the effects of anesthesia can be dangerous, as you might not feel how hot the food really is and suffer serious burns. Avoid hard or crunchy foods for 4-6 weeks. Do not consume alcohol for at least 24 hours after surgery or while taking pain medication. Drinking from a straw can lead to painful abscesses, so avoid this for at least 48 hours.
Following these guidelines for oral surgery aftercare will help ensure that you have a successful and comfortable recovery, and that you’ll be back to your normal routine even faster.
Dr. Smith offers oral surgery at his sedation dentistry dental office in Fresno CA
