After our oral surgeon, Dr. Imanuel Babayev has performed a soft tissue graft in Norwalk, Connecticut, we encourage our patients to follow the instructions below. Please ask us any questions or let us know about any of your concerns by calling Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Fairfield County at 203-489-0980 . A member of our team will be happy to speak with you.
- Avoid pulling on your lip or probe the surgical site with your tongue or fingers in an attempt to look at it. Conditions like pain, bleeding, swelling and seeping are normal after receiving oral surgery.
- Bite down on a gauze pad that is placed directly on the wound for 30 minutes to help reduce your bleeding. A limited amount of bleeding is normal during the first 24 hours.
- Do not forcefully rinse your mouth, spit or drink using a straw.
- Once 24 hours have passed, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater (one-half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) four to five times a day after meals.
- After 24 hours, use a soft manual toothbrush to clean your teeth. Take care when brushing surgical sites.
- After your surgery, sutures may be placed. Most of the time, these suture’s will dissolve on their own.
- You may experience bruising and swelling, and it may become more noticeable once two or three days have passed. You can reduce the swelling by applying a cold compress on your face near the surgical site.
- When using a cold compress, if you are using ice then do not place the ice directly on your skin. Make sure a barrier like a piece of cloth is between your skin and the ice at all times. The most effective way to use a cold compress is to apply it for 20 minutes and then take it off for twenty minutes and repeat as needed. Once 36 hours have passed, the cold compress will not have any effect on your swelling. At this point, using moist heat on the sides of your face will help the most to reduce the swelling.
- Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of fluids. Avoid eating any spicy or acidic foods. You should not eat foods that are sharp or crunchy such as tacos, chips or nuts. Do not drink alcohol or use tobacco. Do not combine alcohol and prescriptions like antibiotics or pain medications.
- Do not perform any strenuous activity for two or three days after your surgery and keep your physical activities to a minimum.
- Ideally, any surgical bandages that are used will remain in their place for at least 24 hours. You do not need to remove it; it will come off in its time. Once it comes off, you can clean your wound by gently using a cotton swap that has been dipped in a mouth rinse.
