Oral surgeries like a tooth extraction are invasive and require maximum aftercare to prevent infections. Poor oral care and injuries are some of the reasons why signs of infection after oral surgery are occurring all of a sudden. In this article, we are going to share how to know if you are infected and the best ways in keeping yourself safe from infections.
Kinds Of Oral Surgeries
Looking after our oral health is the primary goal of every dentist. This is the reason why they offer plenty of services to cater to everyone’s needs. For example, they train to be highly skilled when it comes to performing oral surgeries. Note that oral surgeries differ and vary to each patient, making it an extensive procedure that needs utmost patience. It’s a good idea to do some research about the average price of surgeries like dental implants to stay away from those clinics that offers ridiculous offers.
Here are the different kinds of oral surgeries that are commonly performed in dental office:
- gum grafting
- impacted wisdom tooth
- maxillofacial surgery
- tooth extraction
- root canal
- tooth implants
- restoring or repairing jaw and teeth after an accident
These surgeries would require you to rest and take precautionary measures to ensure a fast and safe recovery.
Signs Of Infection After Oral Surgery
Sadly, in rare cases, the bacterial infection takes place following oral surgery. It’s important to know the signs of infection after a tooth extraction or other procedures to know if you need to give your dentist a call.
Listed below are the signs of oral infection:
- Chronic pain despite the medication.
- Swollen gums, jaw, or face
- Pus or redness in the treated area
- High and persistent fever
- Trouble eating, biting, chewing
- Excessive bleeding for a day
- Difficulty opening mouth
These warning signs must be taken seriously as they could be life-threatening if the bacteria spread out to other parts of the body. People with a weak immune system will most likely need an antibiotic prescription.
Signs of infection after an oral surgery typically take place because patients do not follow the aftercare procedures given by dentists. For example, the most common reason why infection happens after oral surgery is due to smoking right after the procedure.
Aftercare Procedures For Oral Surgery
To prevent bacterial infection from occurring after your oral surgery, here are the important things to remember as explained in the Riverlands Dental clinic site:
Take plenty of rest. Make sure that you get enough sleep and rest before going back to your regular day-to-day life. This will make the recovery quicker.- Apply an ice pack to the treated area. It’s normal for the treatment site to get swollen after the surgery, but it should subside in a few days. Use an ice pack to reduce swelling.
- Eat soft foods only. Hard foods will force you to chew under pressure so try to eat foods that do not require biting and chewing very much.
- Take your medication. Your dentist will most likely prescribe medication to ease the pain and reduce swelling.
- Practice oral care. Keep your mouth and teeth clean all the time.
- Brush your teeth gently. Avoid harshly brushing your teeth to avoid complications in the treated site.
- Eat nutritious foods. The best way to recovery safely is by getting enough nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are very helpful in the healing process after any kind of surgery.
The secret to recovering safely is by adhering to the instructions of your dentist. Moreover, doing so will make your healing process faster as well.
Things To Avoid
Meanwhile, there are things that need to be avoided as well such as follows:
- Do not engage in extreme physical activities and avoid lifting heavy objects.
- Avoid hot foods and beverages until the anesthesia wears off.
- Stay away from hard-to-chew as well as crunchy foods.
- Don’t drink alcohol and avoid smoking until the treated site is fully healed.
If you still feel symptoms of infections, you can contact Southport Park Dental today.
