Tips for Recovering from Oral Surgery Over the Holidays

Santa, Christmas dinner, opening presents with family, oral surgery – wait, that last one isn’t known to be part of the holiday season, is it? Known or not, sometimes it’s necessary.

While it may be inconvenient, especially when preparing to gather with family and friends, there are ways you can continue to heal successfully while also having fun. Here are tips from your dentist in Waterbury to keep in mind as you spend time with loved ones and recover from oral surgery to achieve a healthier smile.

Avoid Physical Activity

Instead of participating in this year’s family football festivities or going for the annual holiday 5K, take the time off to relax and cheer everyone on from the sidelines. You might even bring a few board or card games, so you, too, can get involved in the fun.

Just because you’re recovering from oral surgery doesn’t mean you have to stay at home like a hermit this holiday season. Spending time with family and friends can make the healing process more manageable, so just be mindful of what you eat, how you play, and when you travel. Before you know it, you’ll be feeling better and preparing to ring in the new year.

Stick to Soft Foods

The contents of your mom’s holiday table may look enticing, but if you’re tempted by anything hard in consistency, walk away. Eating foods that have tough textures can be difficult to chew, causing additional discomfort and potentially impacting your ability to heal. This is also true for spicy foods and those beverages with high acidity levels. Instead, fill up on mashed potatoes, yogurt, eggs, stuffing, soup, or even baked sweet potatoes, and don’t forget to drink lots of water. This will help flush out any toxins or bacteria and keep your mouth from getting dry.

Postpone Travel If Possible

Although oral surgery doesn’t always require that you wait a few days before traveling, it might be better to err on the side of caution before flying in an airplane if you can. The reason is that the air pressure within the plane can make your discomfort level more difficult to manage. However, if you cannot shift your travel dates, make sure to create an ice pack to help reduce swelling and pain and take any prescribed medications to maintain a level of comfort while flying or riding in a car or train.

Oral surgery doesn’t have to turn you into The Grinch this year in terms of staying away from the people you care about. In fact, spending time with loved ones will probably help the healing process progress as you avoid dwelling on any discomfort. Just make smart decisions on what you are eating, your physical exertion, and travel decisions. When you aren’t focused on the time passing during your recovery, you’ll be better before you know it heading into the New Year!

About the Practice

At Waterbury Smiles, we have a two-dentist team of passionate professionals who are in the upper echelon of their field. Our office is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and our staff is knowledgeable on the latest dental trends. We know your life can get busy, so we offer evening hours during most of the week. The timing may not be ideal, but if you need oral surgery, you should make an appointment – holidays or not. For any oral care needs, large or small, we can help. You can schedule an appointment or consultation on our website or by calling (203) 575-9097.