What to Consider After Oral and Dental Surgery

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Treatments: Various post-operative discomforts may arise following procedures, and more diligent post-operative care is required to prevent or minimize them. These discomforts may include pain at the surgical site, bleeding, facial swelling, skin discoloration/bruising, impaired wound healing, and difficulty opening the mouth (trismus). The occurrence of these symptoms and the overall healing timeline depend on the specific procedure performed, your general health status, the medications you use, and how closely you adhere to the post-operative recommendations.

• Pain: Take the recommended pain relievers exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Mild to moderate pain is normal during the first few days following surgery and should gradually decrease over time. In the event of severe, worsening, or unmanageable pain, contact your doctor.
• Bleeding: Mild, slight oozing is normal. Because this blood mixes with saliva, it may appear more excessive than it actually is. If you experience persistent, heavy, or dark continuous bleeding, contact your doctor immediately.
• Swelling: Swelling typically reaches its peak by the end of the 2nd post-operative day. Apply ice (cold compresses) externally to the surgical area during the first 24 hours. Never apply ice directly to bare skin; always wrap it in a napkin, cloth, or thin towel. Apply the ice pack in cycles of 15 minutes on, followed by 5-minute breaks. Applying cold packs as much as possible throughout the first day will keep post-operative swelling to a minimum. After the first 48 hours, strictly discontinue all ice applications.

“Alongside swelling, localized skin discoloration such as erythema (redness) or bruising (ecchymosis) may develop in this area. These are normal physiological responses and will resolve naturally over time.”

• Difficulty Opening and Closing the Mouth: If you experience muscle stiffness or pain when opening and closing your jaw, you may apply a slightly damp, warm towel externally to your masticatory muscles starting from the 3rd day. Applying warm compresses for 30 minutes twice daily, combined with gentle jaw opening and closing exercises, will help alleviate tightness.

“Consuming a soft-food diet as much as possible is preferred, as it facilitates comfortable chewing and swallowing.”