After undergoing oral surgery, the staff at dental clinics in Port Orange provides patients with post-operative instructions. When you follow the advice on your instruction sheet, you are more likely to enjoy an event-free recovery period. Here are some other interventions you should consider that will help lower your risk for an infection after your oral surgery.
Avoid Dry Socket
One of the most significant risk factors for infection after oral surgery is a dry socket. After an extraction, a protective clot forms over your surgical site to help prevent bacteria from invading your wound. If this clot dislodges, not only will your risk for infection rise, you may also be at risk for oral hemorrhaging.
To retain your clot, avoid swishing your mouth with liquids or drinking through a straw. The suction motion from both of these activities can loosen the blood clot. If your clot does come out, seek treatment from one of the many dental clinics in Port Orange as soon as possible.
Don’t Smoke
Those who smoke are more likely to develop dry socket after dental extractions than nonsmokers. Taking a puff from a cigarette can dislodge your clot, as can smoking cigars or pipes. Even if smoking does not dislodge your blood clot, the toxins in tobacco can delay healing and increase your infection risk.
Cut down on smoking before your oral surgery date. Your dentist can recommend smoking cessation options to help you with your smoking habit. If you are still smoking after your surgery, cover your extraction site with a clean piece of gauze to help retain your clot.
Keeping the surgical site covered helps prevent some of the cigarette smoke from making contact with your wound. Be sure to wet the gauze before applying it to the wound so that it doesn’t get stuck when you remove it. If the gauze sticks to the wound, the clot may come out when you remove it.
To learn more about reducing your infection risk after oral surgery, visit Cardinal Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates at https://www.cardinaloms.com.
