What to do when recovering from oral surgery Rest the day of oral surgery, take your medications as directed, keep your mouth clean, don't strain yourself, don't eat hard or crunchy foods, don't smoke for 24 hours. Whether you're having a wisdom tooth extracted or having an extraction for other reasons, we've put together a definitive guide to what to do and shouldn't do with regard to aftercare after tooth extraction. Let's take a look at what's next. We detected that you are using an older version of Internet Explorer.
Update IE 11 or a later version. Take it easy for at least 24 hours after oral surgery, preferably around 72 hours. Any pain, swelling, bleeding, or pain you experience will improve if you let your body focus on healing. You may also feel sleepy after surgery.
Resting helps you avoid the risk of accidents or injuries when you're not alert. If your oral surgeon prescribes pain relievers, antibiotics, or anti-nausea medications, take them as directed. Most discomfort should peak within 48 to 72 hours and gradually improve. So remember that you may feel more pain on the second or third day after surgery than on the day of surgery; this is normal, don't let that alarm you.
Take the medicine with food to minimize nausea or other uncomfortable side effects. Avoid sucking with a straw, rinsing your mouth aggressively, and spitting for the first 72 hours after oral surgery to prevent blood clots from breaking loose. Rinse gently in the following days. Also, avoid touching the area with your finger, toothbrush, dental floss, or anything else, as it could cause irritation.
Smoking restricts blood flow, slows the healing process and affects the overall success of oral surgery. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) recommends avoiding smoking during the healing process. Whether you need wisdom teeth extracted, restorative treatment, or a tooth extracted to make way for orthodontic treatment, Trillium Dental offers superior professional dental care at an affordable price.
