The thought of oral surgery scares most people, but if you know what to expect and how to conduct yourself during the recovery time, you will manage just fine. In fact, if you follow the instructions given by your surgeon for effective recuperation, you will have a very speedy recovery. Many times, oral surgery tends to be an outpatient procedure. It may require general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia, so you need to discuss this with your doctor ahead of time. In order to be adequately prepared for your surgery, here are a few things to consider.
The Night Prior to Surgery
You will need to start preparing the night before you are to meet your oral surgeon Sydney for the procedure. You should make sure to make arrangements to have someone pick you up after the surgery. Driving yourself is out of the question since you will be recuperating from the effects of having anaesthesia administered.
It is also expected that you will not eat anything the night before you have to go into surgery. Many times, it is common to abstain from eating or drinking some 8 to 12 hours before surgery. Diabetics are the exception and are expected to have breakfast to keep their blood sugar stable. If you are on prescribed medications, be sure to take them on schedule regardless of whether or not you will be going into surgery.
Preparing for After Care
You will need to make sure that you have prepared for your home care after your surgery is done. It is likely that you will be in bed for a while after the surgery, so be sure to put out extra pillows if you need them so that when you get home, you can be able to recline on the bed. It may also be a good idea to put a book to read or some magazines on the bedside table.
If you don’t mind having a TV in the bedroom, make sure to set one up so you can watch your favourite shows from the bed. The best oral surgeon Sydney will tell you that smoking is not just generally bad for your health; it is even worse if you have had an oral surgery. Avoid smoking because you can cause damage or bleeding to the site of the surgery.
It is pretty common to be swollen at the site of the surgery and around it. During the first 2 days after having surgery, it is expected that from time to time you will hold up an ice pack to the swollen area for a period of 15 minutes each time. Give it a 15-minute rest and then put it back. After 24 hours, you will be rinsing your mouth using salt water about 4 times daily even as you take your antibiotics and other medications.