After surgery, oral care requires special care and attention. The hardest part of the treatment is over, but for some time you still need to follow a number of rules that will protect your teeth and gums from new inflammations.
- After tooth extraction
- After frenuloplasty
- After implantation
Most often, special postoperative care is required during the postoperative period when installing dental implants. We will talk about it in more detail later, but for now we will list other, rarer, but also important cases when your teeth and gums require special care.
What care is required after tooth extraction
Tooth extraction may be indicated for various reasons. The main ones are excessive tooth decay due to caries and other oral diseases or tooth deformation after injury.
Basic rules after surgery
If you have had a tooth removed, special monitoring of your oral cavity is required in the first days after surgery. For the first few hours (usually the dentist determines the exact amount), it is not advisable to eat food or drink water. Avoid brushing the area where the tooth was removed with a toothbrush the first time you brush your teeth after surgery. For oral hygiene, use a brush with soft bristles. Do not use mouthwash. Follow this rule for two days.
When eating food over the next two days, exclude from your diet hard fruits, too hot or cold foods, as well as tea, coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks. Smokers will have to give up their addiction, if not completely, then at least for two days after tooth extraction.
It often happens that after tooth extraction, the patient experiences swelling of the gums and swelling. There is no need to worry - this is a normal reaction of the gums after surgery. To reduce discomfort, place something fairly cold under your cheek on the side where the tooth was removed. Regular ice will do for this. Hold it on the sore spot for ten minutes, rest for twenty minutes and hold it again for ten minutes. The swelling will go down and will no longer bother you.
Increased physical activity is not recommended during the postoperative period. The fact is that active sports, lifting weights and strength exercises can cause bleeding at the extraction site. When you go to bed, place two pillows under your head at once - you need to keep your head elevated while sleeping.
Taking medications and the healing process
If you feel pain within a few days after tooth extraction, you can take painkillers, but only after the consent of the attending dentist. Analgesics are best for pain relief. If you, on the advice of your doctor, used antibiotics before surgery, then most likely your dentist will recommend that you stop using them gradually. You should not completely stop taking them right on the day of surgery; this can cause a decrease in the body's resistance and rapid proliferation of bacteria.
Finally, remember two particularly important recommendations to follow after surgery. If blood flows from the wound after tooth extraction, then place a tampon on this place, bite firmly and hold for forty-five minutes. Bleeding in itself is not a sign that something is wrong; it is a natural phenomenon, but it can cause a number of inconveniences. The only thing that should alert you is if the bleeding does not stop even after two procedures. Then contact your doctor immediately.
A blood clot should very quickly form in the empty socket at the site of the extracted tooth. It has a positive effect on the healing of the area. Be careful not to touch the clot. Not only is proper oral hygiene, which is described above, important, but it is also undesirable to spit so as not to injure the clot.
How to rinse your mouth if you have a tooth pulled out -
As you already understood, antiseptic mouth rinses are not mandatory. If the tooth was removed in the absence of purulent inflammation, if you have good oral hygiene and there are no untreated carious teeth, you can do without them altogether, simply rinsing your mouth with clean water after eating. Or, if you wish, you can rinse your mouth with regular herbal mouth rinses or fluoride solutions, because. they also have a weak antiseptic effect.
But if the tooth was removed due to inflammation, or you had a complex tooth extraction involving an incision in the gums and sutures, stronger rinses are needed. We will discuss in detail what to rinse after tooth extraction in these cases in the description of the following medications.
1) Chlorhexidine solution 0.05% (instructions) –
This drug has a fairly good antiseptic effect, is sold without a prescription, and its cost is only about 30 rubles. Has a slightly bitter aftertaste. After tooth extraction, rinsing with chlorhexidine should be done 3 times a day (each time the solution should be kept in the mouth for about 1 minute). And we remember that you cannot do active rinsing movements, only weak rinses and baths.
There is also another popular antiseptic, Miramistin, which costs many times more and is slightly inferior in antiseptic effect to chlorhexidine. The only advantage of Miramistin is its antiviral activity, which is important for stomatitis, but not after tooth extraction. In addition, after rinsing the mouth with chlorhexidine, a thin indelible film of chlorhexidine bigluconate is formed on the surface of the oral mucosa, which will continue to exert its antiseptic effect for another 2-3 hours.
2) Soda-salt baths –
It is preferable to do rinses and baths with soda or salt only if, in addition to tooth extraction, you have had a gumboil (purulent gum abscess) opened. After making the incision, the doctor additionally inserts a glove rubber drain into it so that the edges of the incision do not stick together and purulent exudate flows out of the wound. Soda-salt baths will allow you to better draw out purulent exudate from the wound. They can be done 4-5 times a day.
But keep in mind that if you have drainage, you still shouldn’t do active rinsing movements, because... in addition to the loss of a blood clot from the socket of an extracted tooth, this can also lead to the loss of drainage from the wound. In addition to salt baths, in this case it is also recommended to periodically rinse your mouth with chlorhexidine solution 2-3 times a day.
3) Rinse aid “Parodontax Extra 0.2%” –
This rinse contains a higher concentration of the antiseptic Chlorhexidine - 0.2%, which will mean a significantly more pronounced antiseptic effect than regular chlorhexidine with a 0.05% concentration. This drug makes sense to use if you had a traumatic, complex removal with sutures or additionally opened a purulent abscess on the gum.
Rinses (baths) with this drug are carried out only 2 times a day, and it can be used for no more than 10 days. Although after a simple simple removal, antiseptic rinses are usually necessary for only 3-4 days, and after a complex removal - for 7-8 days. The cost of the drug is from 230 rubles per 300 ml bottle.
4) Rinse aid “PRESIDENT Antibacterial” –
This rinse also contains 0.2% chlorhexidine, but in addition it has high concentrations of anti-inflammatory components (mallow, chamomile and echinacea extracts). Accordingly, this drug will be good after a difficult removal with sutures or after opening a gum abscess. It will quickly relieve inflammation and speed up wound healing. A 250 ml bottle costs from 200 rubles.
5) “Stomatofit” (in the form of a solution) –
This is a concentrated solution of medicinal plants, which is diluted with water before use. It contains a high concentration of extracts of chamomile, sage leaves, oak bark, calamus root, common thyme, peppermint, and arnica. It has a good anti-inflammatory and weak antiseptic effect. Will speed up healing.
Lip frenuloplasty
Another operation that requires surgical intervention is plastic surgery of the frenulum of the upper lip. It is carried out on the recommendation of an orthodontist (for example, if the patient needs to correct the bite in the future using a plate or braces) or a speech therapist (if the frenulum interferes with articulation).
The labial frenulum is responsible for additional attachment of the upper or lower lip to the jaw bones. Most often the upper frenulum undergoes surgery. This operation does not take long and does not have any negative physiological or aesthetic impact on the patient’s health and appearance.
Rules of care after frenuloplasty
If you have undergone this minor operation, then you need to know about the rules of oral care for the first time after the operation.
Two to three hours after the operation, you can apply cold to the lip. It is strictly forbidden to consume hot food on the day of the operation. Brushing your teeth in the next 24 hours is also undesirable, as is rinsing your mouth. Every other day, you can rinse your mouth with chamomile infusion.
Avoid contact of the operated surface with the tongue and dirty hands. Do not touch the wound. If you feel itching and burning at the operated site, you can take a pain reliever. But remember that taking aspirin is strictly prohibited, since it affects blood clotting.
Useful tips for preventing inflammation and bleeding gums
On the upper jaw, new teeth take about five to six months to take root; on the lower jaw, it takes about two to four months. The healing time of the bone and gums depends on the quality of the implant, the health of the patient and the condition of the jaw.
To ensure the process is painless and you don’t have any problems in the future, follow these recommendations:
- Visit your dentist periodically (at least twice a year).
- Try to quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes to a minimum.
- Carefully care for the implant, remember that it is less strong than your natural teeth.
- At the first signs of gum inflammation, consult a specialist.
Have a beautiful and healthy smile!
Implantation: rules of care after surgery
Dental implantation is another type of surgical intervention, after which careful care of teeth and gums is required. Even if the most modern medical equipment was used during the operation and the implants consist of the latest materials, the patient needs to know a number of standard recommendations.
Care immediately after dental implantation
After the operation, begin applying ice to the cheek on which the intervention took place. This can be done several times with a break of twenty minutes. It is enough to hold the ice on your cheek for seven to ten minutes.
After the dental implantation procedure, you can wipe the wounded area with a cotton swab soaked in water and salt. You can add just a little iodine to the water. If you are bleeding heavily, apply a sterile gauze pad to the wound for twenty minutes. Remember that bleeding after implantation, as well as after tooth extraction, is normal if it does not last too long.
If you experience pain, you can use painkillers prescribed by your doctor, but not earlier than an hour and a half after the operation.
Care for several days after implantation
When you brush your teeth, in the first few days try not to touch the sore spot with the bristles. To treat the implant, use water with a little salt dissolved in it. In food, exclude the consumption of hard fruits, tea, coffee, carbonated sweet and mineral waters, alcoholic beverages, and hot food. This ban lasts two to three days, the ban on eating hot food lasts for a day.
When to ask for help
Woman holding her cheek because of tooth pain
Consult your dentist if bleeding is prolonged.
You should call your dentist as soon as possible if you notice any symptoms that suggest your gums have become infected after surgery.
Symptoms of infection include:
- bleeding lasting more than 20 minutes
- unexpected pain, swelling and bruising
- fever and pus
Coming out of anesthesia
Most types of oral surgery are performed using anesthesia. A person can “recover” from anesthesia for several hours after the operation. Then the patient experiences ailments such as fatigue, drowsiness, and poor concentration. There are several ways to get rid of side effects of anesthesia.
- The first way is to move as much as possible, but without excessive physical activity, which can cause bleeding.
- The second way is to drink plenty of fluids, but only a few hours after the operation. It is necessary to drink ordinary mineral and always still water.
Carrying out surgical operations in the oral cavity requires subsequent special care of teeth and gums. The postoperative period will become much shorter if the listed recommendations are followed. If you experience any serious complications, prolonged bleeding, or if you cannot “bring down” the increased temperature, then this is a reason to immediately contact your dentist. Only he can help you and provide additional recommendations.
Are there any complications?
Complications from gum graft surgery are minimal and uncommon.
However, it is possible that people may experience the following:
- bleeding gums
- swollen gums
- the teeth seem to wobble (although this should only be temporary)
- too sensitive teeth
- gaps between teeth
- infection
Sometimes the graft tissue may not attach properly to the graft site. This is very rare, but if it occurs, further surgery may be required.
Some people don't like the way their smile looks after surgery. In these situations, the periodontist can reshape the gums to help change the way they look.
What substances are needed after the intervention?
The process of bone tissue restoration is complex and requires a continuous supply of certain substances to the body. Vitamin D3, calcium and ascorbic acid are especially important for regeneration. Dentists often prescribe complex preparations containing calcium and vitamin D3 to stimulate bone repair. However, we should not forget that these valuable biologically active substances can also be obtained from food. The diet of a person who has undergone bone grafting must include milk, fermented milk products, and cheeses. Regular walks in the fresh air are also important, since vitamin D3 can be obtained naturally under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
Vitamin C is also an important regulator of recovery processes in the body. The intake of this substance in the required doses is necessary to maintain immunity and prevent infectious complications in the postoperative period. This vitamin also has antioxidant properties, which is very important in the presence of an inflammatory process. It should be noted that a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid is necessary for healthy teeth and gums. With a lack of this substance, there is increased bleeding and problems with the gums, which can subsequently lead to premature loss of healthy teeth.
In addition to the need for calcium, vitamin C and D3, other vitamins are also needed for full recovery. Therefore, your daily diet should include a sufficient amount of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. In some cases, the dentist may additionally prescribe multivitamins.
How to eat in the first days after surgery
Since bone grafting is an expensive procedure, it is very important to behave correctly after the operation. Nutrition in the first week after the intervention should be easily digestible and varied. You cannot eat for the first 2-3 hours after the procedure; at this time, the effect of local anesthesia completely wears off and discomfort begins to manifest itself. To eliminate discomfort, you need to apply ice wrapped in thick cloth to the cheek on the side of the intervention.
In order not to irritate or injure the gums in the first days after surgery, it is better to give preference to vegetable, meat, fish broths (choose lean varieties of meat, fish or poultry), and puree soups. Garnish and meat dishes must first be passed through a blender so that they acquire a delicate consistency that will not irritate the oral mucosa. It is important not to use large amounts of salt for cooking, and also completely eliminate spices and other flavor enhancers. Also, food should be at room temperature; it is not recommended to eat too hot or cold foods.
