2 Tips For Keeping Your Mouth Healthy After A Socket Preservation Procedure

15 July 2016
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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After an extraction, your teeth may shift and your mouth may begin to sink into the weak spots throughout your mouth. In order to prevent this, your dentist may recommend undergoing a socket preservation procedure. The procedure is designed to rebuild your bone and gum where your tooth was extracted. After this procedure, your mouth can take a while to heal since your doctor will need to create several incisions. The health of your mouth after the procedure is complete is important to prevent long-term issues. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can use to ensure that your mouth remains healthy after a socket preservation procedure.

Start Salt Water Rinses A Few Days After surgery

The first few days after the surgery is complete, your dentist will caution you against rinsing your mouth. During these first few days, your surgical site needs to develop a blood clot. The blood clot will protect your mouth from infection while the area heals. Rinsing can disrupt the development of a blood clot. Once the first few days elapse, you should begin using a salt water rinse several times a day. The rinse will get rid of any bacteria and other contaminants. The rinse needs to be used immediately after meals and before heading to bed. These are the times in which bacteria can grow and accumulate quickly. Simply dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a standard cup and use your head to move the rinse throughout your mouth.

Avoid Applying Excessive Pressure to the Surgical Area

It will take your surgical area months to fully heal. During this time, it is important to be mindful of the amount of pressure that is applied to this area. Eating hard foods or sustaining trauma from a high contact sport can cause your surgical site to rupture. This can cause the area to reopen before it has a chance to fully close. As a result, you should modify your lifestyle a bit after surgery. Instead of eating your favorite nuts as a snack, stick to a smoothie. Intense sports should be avoided in order to keep your chances of trauma to a minimum. Once the area fully heals, you will be able to resume your favorite activities without any issues.

Maintaining a healthy mouth after your socket preservation procedure is complete is important to ensure that you heal properly. Therefore, use these tips to ensure that your mouth remains in good condition post-surgery.