Has one of your family members recently undergone oral surgery? No doubt, their care provider provided them with instructions that will help with their recovery. But is there anything you can do to help? Absolutely! This blog post contains some practical tips that will make your loved one’s healing period go as smoothly as possible.
Make It Easy for Them to Rest
If your loved one is usually active, it might be challenging for them to rest for a few days while they heal. Try to make things easier on them by being supportive. For example, you can reassure them that other family members are taking care of their household chores. You can also arrange your schedule so you are available to run errands. If they get bored while resting, take some time to chat with them, play a card game, or watch a movie together.
Provide the Right Foods
After oral surgery, it is important to avoid crunchy, hard, hot, and spicy foods. Such items can irritate the surgical site and increase the risk of pain and post-op complications. Make sure your kitchen has lots of soft items available for consumption. Things like mashed potatoes, pudding, and brothy soups are good choices. It is even okay to provide a little ice cream as long as it does not have any hard add-ins.
Extra tip: If your loved one finds it difficult not to eat certain foods, try to avoid eating those foods while around them.
Help with Pain Management
Some discomfort is normal during the first several days after oral surgery. If your loved one’s doctor prescribed pain medication for them, you may volunteer to go to the pharmacy to pick it up. Or, you can offer to get some over-the-counter medications for them. You can also have some ice packs on hand, which can be used to control swelling and reduce pain.
Encourage Good Habits
Your loved one should keep up with good oral hygiene, avoid smoking, and resist the urge to touch their surgical site with their tongue or fingers. While you may have no direct control over what they do, you can still provide encouragement that will help them make good choices.
Call for Help if Necessary
Rarely, complications arise after oral surgery. If your loved one is in severe pain or has other unusual symptoms, you can call their care provider on their behalf. If you have been preauthorized to have access to their medical information, their doctor can speak with you and provide advice about the situation.
Having a good support system after oral surgery is important! Ask your loved one how you can make their recovery as easy as possible.
Meet the Practice
Piney Point Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is home to three highly skilled oral surgeons. Our practice provides a range of services, and we do all we can to facilitate a smooth recovery process for our patients. If you have questions about how we may be able to serve your family, reach out to our Houston office at 713-783-5560.