Many patients visit us at Pearl Shine Dental Clinic for their receding gums. Receding gums, or gingival recession, occur when your gum line pulls away from your teeth and exposes them to bacteria. It can be a nuisance, both for your oral health and as a cosmetic concern. Our dental experts in Houston, TX, can help if you think you have receding gums. Gum graft procedures are a way to treat gingival recession, and they help improve your smile as well. It is a simple surgical procedure where the dentist will attach healthy tissues to the receding ones to correct them or enhance your smile. Thus, to ensure that the results are successful, you need to follow some tips to help your gum graft recovery.
Tips for Gum Graft Recovery:
Recovery time for gum graft is usually around one to two weeks. Therefore, if you had a recent gum graft procedure done, you should keep the following suggestions in mind during the healing stage:
1. Ice Packs or Pain Medications
You might have inflammation, swelling, or slight discomfort after gum grafting. Try using ice packs to help ease your gum graft surgery symptoms. Ice helps reduce swelling and pain. Your dentist might suggest medications to help with the inflammation and discomfort. Although, a gum graft procedure will not hurt a lot.
2. Food
Your dentist will instruct you to eat soft foods or avoid eating/chewing for hours following your procedure. Eating soft foods or a liquid diet might help you recover quickly from gum graft surgery. The food options include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Jell-O
- Yogurt
- Ice-cream
- Cottage Cheese
- Banana
- Soap
- Smoothies
3. Rest
To avoid complications you must avoid straining your mouth. Although you might be able to continue working after a few days, it is better to let your body rest. Also, do not use your mouth much and if possible, avoid talking on the first day.
4. Mouth Rinse
After gum grafting, you should avoid flossing and brushing the affected area until it heals. After 24 hours of grafting, you may gently use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth. Your dentist might suggest a special mouth rinse for your gums to prevent infection and protect them. Or you will be asked to use a homemade saltwater mouth rinse after every meal to keep your gums clean and healthy. This will also help prevent any complications and help with your recovery. Our dental experts in the Houston, TX area, will thoroughly guide you to care for your gums.
What are the complications of gum graft surgery?
It is rare, but you might face a few complications after the procedure. These include:
- Bleeding after 20 minutes of applying pressure.
- Swelling that is more than expected.
- Infection
- Tissue that does not adapt to the graft site.
If you have any complications, you need to call our dental specialists in Houston, TX, instantly.
Conclusion
Gum graft recovery can be easy if you stick with your dentist’s instructions. If you live in Houston, TX, or nearby areas and want dental advice or to schedule an appointment, contact Pearl Shine Dental Clinic at 281-477-7200. Our dentists are always here to address your concerns.