A Guide for Enjoying the Holidays After Oral Surgery

The holidays often represent a good opportunity to have oral surgery performed; since you’re likely to be taking time off of work around this time of year anyway, you may find it easier to make room in your schedule for the recovery period. Of course, you don’t want the procedure to stop you from getting the most out of the season. As such, your periodontist is here with some tips for enjoying the holidays while recovering from oral surgery.

Give Yourself Plenty of Rest After the Procedure

To make sure the healing process goes as smoothly as possible, you should plan on resting for at least 24 hours after your oral surgery. Increased blood flow can make swelling worse, so you should plan on refraining from doing anything strenuous for a couple of days. As long as you get the rest you need, it shouldn’t be too long before you’re able to return to your normal activities.

Be Smart When Traveling

Are you going somewhere for the holidays? You should be able to take a long trip by car or train after allowing yourself a couple of days to recover from your surgery. If you’re planning on flying, you may need to wait a bit longer; your periodontist can give you an idea of when it will be safe to board an airplane. While traveling, be sure to take whatever steps you need to in order to keep your discomfort under control until you reach your destination.

Plan on Eating Soft or Liquid Foods

After oral surgery, you will need to plan on eating only soft or liquid foods until your mouth has sufficiently recovered. If there are any holiday meals planned before the healing process is complete, you should make sure that there are plenty of foods that won’t be too hard on your mouth. Some great holiday-appropriate options include mashed potatoes, stuffing, baked yams, soup, and applesauce.

Come Up with Activities That You Can Participate In

When spending time with your family during the holidays, you should devise some activities that you can enjoy even while you’re waiting for your mouth to heal. Board games and card games are often fun options.

By following the tips above, you can still enjoy yourself during the holidays while also taking proper care of your mouth while it’s healing. Talk to your periodontist to see if they have any further advice for making sure everything goes according to plan after your oral surgery.

About the Author

Dr. Jonathan Ross regularly attends the annual meetings of the Southern Academy of Periodontology and the American Academy of Periodontology. At his Mayfield Heights practice, Ross Periodontics, he can help his patients achieve healthier smiles with a variety of procedures, including dental implant placement and other types of oral surgery. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Ross, visit his website or call (440) 461-6008.