It’s hard to not be excited about this time of the year; with the holiday season in full swing, you’re probably gearing up for plenty of festivities and lots of great food! But if you’ve recently undergone oral surgery in Jupiter, you might be wondering if your holiday plans are in jeopardy because of your recovery—and fortunately, they aren’t! Here are some tips from your dentist to help you enjoy your holidays while you’re healing up from oral surgery.
1. Mind Your Diet
During the healing phase, it might be pretty difficult to chew. You should stick with soft, bland foods that are easy to digest, and also avoid anything spicy or acidic—though these items won’t truly impact your healing, they will still cause additional discomfort. It’s pretty important to maintain good nutrition for proper healing, so drinking plenty of fluids and eating many small, frequent meals can be useful. Some examples of good foods to enjoy are:
- Soups and broths
- Mashed potatoes and stuffing
- Baked yams
- Yogurt
- Eggs
- Apple sauce and other mashed fruits
- Smoothies and milkshakes
2. Sideline Yourself
One of the most important things you can do to ensure a speedy and stress-free recovery is take it easy! Oral surgery is still surgery, and your body will need time to recuperate afterwards. If your family traditions involve tossing the football around after Thanksgiving dinner, you might want to sideline yourself this year; physical exercise or activity can increase your blood flow and potentially cause disruption to the healing sites inside your mouth.
3. Plan Your Travels Accordingly
For most procedures, traveling by air doesn’t present a significant hazard after the first few days. There are certain cases, however, where it might be recommended to wait a while before traveling. If you’re planning to travel by car or train, just give yourself a couple of days of rest prior and you should be fine. Swelling and bruising are common after surgery but shouldn’t be increased by travel after the first few days. To reduce swelling and discomfort, icing the area right after the procedure is key. You can make a cold compress out of an ice pack, a plastic bag filled with ice, or even a frozen bag of vegetables.
If you’re worried that your oral surgery recovery might put a damper on your holiday spirit, following these tips will help you keep a healthy and white smile on your face all season long.
About the Practice
The team at South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is honored to serve patients and families in the Jupiter area. The practice is thrilled to offer a wide range of services including various oral surgical procedures. If you have any questions concerning your recovery from oral surgery or need to arrange a visit, you can contact the practice online or over the phone for assistance: (561) 743-8311.