Getting Gum Surgery? Follow These Recovery Tips

If you are getting surgery to treat your gum disease, there will be a bit of a recovery period after your procedure. While the recovery can be challenging, there are a few ways to make it bearable. Consider these tips that will help lead to a smooth recovery from gum disease surgery.

Have Your Special Recovery Foods Ready

Your surgery will require that you limit the foods you eat once you are back at home. Unfortunately, your recovery state will not make you want to run out to the grocery store to go get them. You should consider making your grocery trip for soft foods prior to your surgery. If you do not know what you should be eating, ask your dentist prior to your surgery so you do not have to shop after it.

Stick to soft foods that will not require you to chew. Soup without any large chunks of meat will be a good option that is easy to warm up. Apple sauce is another food that is easy to serve and swallow. For pastas, mac and cheese is an easy meal to make that doesn't require much cooking skill. Don't forget the deserts either, since jello, pudding, and milkshakes don't require chewing either.

Get Ice Packs Ready

Chances are that you will experience swelling in your face after your surgery is finished. The best way to deal with the swelling is with cold temperatures, not with heat. Buy some reusable ice packs and have them in your freezer and ready to go. You will want a couple so that you can easily rotate them out as you need one, always having one ready to go.

Swelling will be problematic for those couple days following the surgery, but it will eventually go away on its own.

Use a Soft Toothbrush

You'll need to brush very carefully after your surgery. If you have a firm toothbrush, consider switching to a soft toothbrush with gentle bristles. When brushing your teeth, try to avoid places where you had grafts placed on your gums, and avoid parts of the gums that are bleeding or are very tender. You can also clean your mouth by using a mouthwash, which will help kill bacteria and avoid an infection.

These tips will give you a great start towards a successful recovery after surgery for your gum disease. For more tips, be sure to ask your dentist about what else you should be doing. Contact a clinic, like Centre Family Dentistry, for more info.