Saltwater is a natural disinfectant. Rinsing with saltwater can help ease gum inflammation and keep your mouth clean. For the first 24 hours after surgery, you won't want to rinse your mouth with anything.
If you feel you must loosen food debris, you may rinse gently with weak salt water. Begin to brush the NON-SURGICAL areas the day following surgery, remembering to rinse very gently. You may begin to brush the surgical area two days after surgery.
Salt water can help to remove the plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums. Salt has healing properties that can treat and heal inflamed or swollen gums caused by gum disease. Even though salt water is extremely effective in helping to treat gum disease, salt water cannot cure gum disease.
Rinse only with AO Rinse for the first week, and then switch to PeridexTM for the following week. Do not rinse vigorously. Simply allow the rinse to wash over the graft site for 30 seconds and then let the fluid come out of the side of your mouth.
No straw for the next 2-3 days! 3rd day until 2 weeks after surgery: A very soft food diet should only be eaten (Pasta, soups, eggs, fish, cooked soft vegetables, oatmeal, rice, beans etc.) Avoid any hard, spicy, crusty, coffee or acidic foods. Chewing should be done on the side opposite the surgical site.
After 24 Hours.
You may return to normal daily routine, but avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting, or exercise programs which elevate your heart rate for 1 week following surgery.
After brushing and flossing, you can use a salt rinse three to four times a week. But don't use a salt rinse more often than this - too much sodium could have negative effects on your tooth enamel, like eventual erosion⁴.
Doing too many salt rinses can cause gum irritation, bleeding, and enamel erosion.
When done rinsing, spit out the salt water. Repeat the rinsing 2 to 3 times a day. Overuse of rinsing with salt water can damage the enamel and lead to more problems.
The gum tissue will undergo changes for the next 1-2 weeks. The graft color may change from pink to white. This is NORMAL. Then the color will change to red and then back to pink as the swelling decreases.
When the soft tissues shrink, and there is less swelling, you will know that healing has begun. The gum tissues gradually start to bind to the root surface and the nearby bone surface. New vessels will also begin to form, and the tissues will receive an adequate blood supply.
The bleeding usually stops on its own, but light pressure with moist gauze or a black tea bag can be applied if necessary. The gum graft is held in place with very delicate sutures and takes 5-7 days to attach firmly.
The salt water rinse helps with the swelling and the pain. It can reduce the inflammation that occurs after surgery. It also helps manage any pain that can result from the swelling. The salt water rinse can also help remove any bacteria and debris that builds up in the mouth.
If your gum graft failed, you'll probably notice a large patch of white tissue that has come off of your tooth. Its lack of color means that the gum graft lost blood supply and is dying.
Proper healing after oral surgery procedures such as teeth extractions, wisdom teeth, or dental implants requires strict adherence to postoperative instructions. One key instruction is to rinse with salt water for at least 10-14 days following oral surgery.
Making a Salt Water Mouth Rinse
Add ½ a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water. Rinse your mouth every two to three hours for the first few days after surgery, then use it three to four times a day thereafter. You can use the rinse to: Soothe and heal mouth sores.
Mouthwash vs Saltwater
It ultimately boils down to what you need to use an oral rinsing solution for. Saltwater rinse is often recommended for soothing oral pain as mentioned above and it is excellent at killing bacteria because the said bacteria cannot live in salt (hence why it can be used for meat preservation).
Unless you've had oral surgery, it's generally recommended to use a salt water rinse after brushing and flossing your teeth. This is because brushing your teeth helps remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth and along the gums, while the salt water rinse helps reduce inflammation in your gums and other soft tissues.
Salt water, which is also an alkaline water, is rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium. These minerals can help reduce inflammation, protect our skin and heal any scrapes, cuts or sores. Salt water can also help enhance the flow of lymph fluid, which can reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Rinsing with warm saltwater can help relieve tooth pain and offer many other benefits. But what kind of salt is best for a mouth rinse? Table salt can help in a pinch, but Himalayan salt is the far superior choice. Himalayan salt actually has properties that you won't find in table salt.
Expect the 3rd or 4th day after the surgery to be the worst in swelling. Do not be alarmed if you have swelling at this time, it is normal. By the 5th day, the swelling should be down. For bruising and swelling you may go to any health food store (i.e. Whole Foods) and get some Arnica Montana.
Gum graft failure often happens when gum tissue in between the teeth has also receded. Long-term root coverage can be hard to achieve.
Keeping your head elevated above your heart will also help. Most swelling can occur in the morning and up to 3 days after surgery. Avoid sleeping / laying on the side that surgery was performed. Two days after surgery, moist heat will help resolve minor swelling.