What to Expect After Oral Surgery

Everyone recovers from oral surgery differently. Some patients experience pain, swelling, and bleeding that is only mild, while others feel extremely sore and fatigued. Depending on the extent of your oral surgery, you should be feeling better in a few days to a week. To help make your recovery even smoother, here’s some information about what to expect after oral surgery.

Rest & Recovery

The number one thing you should do after oral surgery is focus on resting and recovering. You’ll probably feel a little tired and out of it so listen to your body and take it easy! Sit and sleep elevated with an extra pillow. Avoid quick movements, vigorous physical activity, bending, or lifting anything heavy. Please consult with our team if you have questions about when it’s safe to return to specific activities.

What to Eat After Oral Surgery

You can expect your surgical site to feel sore after oral surgery. To protect it, stick to soft foods that don’t require much chewing. Applesauce, bananas, yogurt, scrambled eggs, smoothies, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and soups are great options for the first few days after surgery. Avoid seedy, hard, and crunchy foods that can irritate your surgical site. As you start to feel better, you can gradually add more solid foods back into the mix. Additionally, avoid using straws as the suction can dislodge the delicate blood clot that is important for healing.

Caring for Your Surgical Site

Our River City Dental team will provide you with detailed instructions on caring for your surgical site after oral surgery. In general, you’ll want to keep the area clean without irritating it. If you’re feeling sore or experiencing swelling, you can apply a cold compress for up to 20 minutes at a time. We’ll also let you know if you should be taking any medications as you recover from oral surgery.

To ask our team any questions about an upcoming oral surgery procedure or to schedule an appointment at River City Dental, please contact us today!

CONTACT US