WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER MY GUM RECESSION COVERAGE?
Activity
It is recommended that you restrict activities and rest the day of and the day after surgery. Typically, patients return to work, school, etc the following day. For approximately 2 weeks, it is in your best interest to not participate in any physical activity, to not touch the area of the graft, and to not to pull your lip down to look at the area.
Medications
You may experience some discomfort when the local anaesthetic wears off. Depending on the procedure, you may be provided with a prescription to deal with post-operative discomfort. Take all medications with a full glass of water to avoid stomach pain & cramps. Take medications as prescribed. This will help in your comfort, aid in healing, and help your surgery to be successful.
Important: Do not combine alcohol, tranquillizers, or sleeping pills with medication(s).
Swelling
In some cases swelling may occur and increase over the first few days. This is a normal response. To control swelling, on the day of surgery, an ice pack can be applied gently to the face on the side of surgery (15 minutes on, 15 minutes off). This is most effective if used immediately following surgery. The day after surgery, a warm moist cloth or heating pad may be applied to the area to control swelling (again 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off).
Bleeding
Some oozing from the roof of your mouth is normal for the first twenty-four (24) hours after surgery. If slight bleeding is noted, apply moderate pressure with gauze to the area for 20 minutes. If this does not work try a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. If bleeding can not be controlled, call the office at 85889868
Diet
Eating should be avoided immediately after surgery. Hot, spicy, hard, brittle or abrasive foods should be avoided. Please do not chew on the side where you surgery was performed. A balanced diet is always desirable, but especially so when your body is undergoing any healing process. Soft foods such as eggs, milk (milkshakes), soup (warm not hot), are recommended for the first few days following surgery. Avoid the use of a straw.
Oral Hygiene
Do not brush your teeth in the area where surgery was performed. Brush your other teeth as normal. If Eludril Rinse has been prescribed, begin rinsing on the day of the surgery. Rinse twice a day for two weeks.
Additional Notes
Following surgery your body will begin to heal by forming a clot. This clot must stay in place during healing. Therefore we request that you refrain from spitting, smoking, or sucking through a straw. These activities can dislodge the clot and cause bleeding.