A: You may resume brushing and flossing all teeth except the surgical area 24 hours after surgery. Avoid brushing the surgical area until your stitches are removed or have dissolved depending on the type of stitches placed for your procedure.
Gingival Grafts: starting the day AFTER surgery
Brush the chewing surfaces only with the toothbrush and toothpaste provided. Do not brush the surgery sites! At least 2 times day, use medicated mouthrinse.
Oral Hygiene
The day after surgery, the rinse should be used twice a day, after breakfast and before bed. Be sure to rinse for at least 30 seconds then expectorate. Warm salt water rinses (teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) can be used 4-5 times a day best after meals.
Every person heals differently. But on average, gum graft recovery takes one week to two weeks. If you had multiple areas treated at once, recovery might take a little longer. Your periodontist can tell you what to expect.
Brushing: You may brush the CHEWING surfaces of your teeth beginning the day AFTER surgery. PLEASE do NOT brush your gum tissue in the areas of surgery at all for the first week.
In most cases the dressing is left in the mouth for a period of 7-14 days and may be changed once or more by the doctor during this time. Try to keep the dressing in placed until your next appointment. If the dressing becomes loose or comes off, do not try to push it back.
Do not look at the surgery site after leaving here. Some areas may remain sore for 5 to 6 days. The grafts may be a whitish or grayish appearance for 4 to 6 days after surgery, but this is normal until full blood circulation is restored.
DO NOT manipulate any stitches at the GUM GRAFT SITE. These stitches are resorbable and will dissolve in 4 to 7 days. The HARVEST SITE will have either a liquid band-aid or resorbable stitches. The liquid band-aid will chip away over the next 1-2 weeks.
Usually, you can tell you have a failed gum graft because you will have a large white patch of white tissue that has come off the tooth. Sometimes it may even look like the gum graft is falling off.
Hard foods – chewing may dislodge the gum graft. Chewy foods – even vegetables. Although they are healthy, they may require more chewing than is recommended as you heal from your surgery. Hot foods –they will burn your gums, increasing sensitivity and pain.
AVOID PEROXIDE, ALCOHOL, CARBONATED BEVERAGES, AND DRINKING THROUGH A STRAW. After 24 Hours. You may have soft foods, such as cooked vegetables, fish, pasta, and meatloaf, which are easily chewed. You should use utensils and avoid chewing at the surgical site for 2 weeks.
Avoid Talking (As Much As Possible)
Talking causes your mouth's muscles to stretch, which, in turn, can loosen up the gauze and increase the chances of bleeding. Refraining from speaking is hard, but try to remain silent as much as possible for the first two to three days after gum grafting surgery.
After implant surgery, your gums are healing from having an incision made through them. It is vitally important that you avoid drinking hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate after the procedure itself for up to two or three days.
The gum graft is held in place with very delicate sutures and takes 5-7 days to attach firmly. Repeated pulling back of the cheek, lip or tongue to look at the graft, can cause the graft to move during the first 5-7 days after surgery, which can cause the graft to fail.
Typically, the white stuff is granulation tissue. It is essential to the healing process of the extraction site. Other times, the white stuff is pus or a dry socket. A dry socket is often painful, and it occurs when the blood clot does not form correctly.
Within 14-21 days, the hole will close, and your gums will heal. Keep in mind that large teeth, like the back teeth and wisdom teeth removal, takes the longest to heal. After a month, your tooth hole should be completely healed, and there should be no spicules or indentations.
Recovery. The gum grafting procedure has a 90% success rate, therefore patients can feel confident the procedure will benefit them. Recovery from this procedure normally takes 4-6 weeks, during which patients will be asked not to brush or floss near the newly repaired area.
Patient may experience pain, described as a constant dull ache or sharper pain during mastication or speaking (movement of oral and peri-oral tissues). Patient experiences anxiety over procedure and perceived lack of success.
The after effects of periodontal surgery can vary from individual to individual so not all of these instructions may apply. It is very important to keep the surgical area as immobile as possible for the first 72 hours following soft tissue graft surgery. DO NOT pull on your lips or try to see the surgical area.
Gum grafting is a highly safe and effective procedure; it has been tested and proven successful in treating countless cases of receding and thinning gums due to aggressive brushing and gum disease. Still, complications and infections may occur, especially without proper post-op care.
Soups. Liquids and soft vegetables are the perfect combo for after gum graft surgery!
Saltwater work by increasing the PH balance in your mouth. It creates a more alkaline oral environment in which the bacteria can no longer thrive. Instead, the harmful bacteria grow more in an acidic environment, so once it is neutralized, your mouth can become healthier and less inflamed.
While every patient is different, it is not uncommon for the effects of anesthesia to take time to wear off, causing you to feel tired and a bit sore in the immediate hours following your procedure.
Nose blowing may cause bleeding and may tear the thin membrane that contains the bone graft. Try to avoid sneezing and, if you must, do so with your mouth open. Avoid forceful sucking or drinking through a straw. Avoid talking and be at rest for the hours following surgery.