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Are you planning on getting dental implants or having another type of oral surgery done during the holidays? If so, don’t worry; while you will need to give your mouth time to heal, that doesn’t mean you won’t still have a chance to enjoy yourself during the festivities. Below are 4 tips for having a good holiday season while also keeping the recovery process on track.
1. Give Yourself Plenty of Rest
It’s important to minimize physical activity after your oral surgery so that your body can focus on healing. You can typically expect to require at least two days of rest, but more may be necessary depending on the procedure. The best thing you can do is make yourself as comfortable as possible during the initial phase of the recovery process. Try engaging in activities that you can enjoy while sitting still, such as watching holiday specials or reading a good book.
2. Find Non-Physical Games That You Can Play With Your Family
If you want to get the most out of the holiday season, you’ll naturally want to spend as much time as possible with your loved ones. Of course, if you’ve just had oral surgery done, you’ll need to refrain from participating in any family sports. Instead, offer to play board games and card games that will let you have fun with everybody while allowing your body to continue resting.
3. Plan on Eating Soft Foods
If your mouth is in the middle of recovering from oral surgery, you’re likely to find it difficult to chew certain foods. As such, you will be instructed to stick to a soft food diet for a certain period of time. Plan ahead by making sure that the big holiday meal includes plenty of soft options such as mashed potatoes and stuffing. Other examples of foods that you’ll be able to enjoy without issue include yogurt, scrambled eggs, and applesauce.
4. Time Your Travel Plans Carefully
Do you need to schedule a flight so that you can visit your loved ones for the holidays? If so, you should be aware that flying shortly after receiving oral surgery could result in discomfort. As such, if you want your trip to be as enjoyable as possible, you should make sure that your flight is scheduled several days after your procedure.
With the above tips in mind, it’s completely possible to have a great holiday season as well as a successful recovery process. Remember, you can always reach out to your periodontist if you have questions or concerns.
About the Author
Dr. Rob Wood graduated from the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, and he is currently a board-certified periodontist. He can help his patients rebuild their smiles with expertly placed dental implants, and he offers other surgical periodontal treatments such as gum grafting. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Wood at Utah Implants & Periodontics in Salt Lake City, visit his website or call (801) 322-5032.