Post Dental Surgery Self Care

Two days ago I had an upper molar tooth removed and a bone graft put in its place to prepare for a dental implant. I know all this sounds pretty complicated; pretty much, a large tooth was ripped out of my jaw, a small piece of bone was put in its place, and my gums were sewn up. This was the second time I've had a procedure like this done. The first time I had completely underestimated the healing process and how much pain I would be in! "Its only a tooth" I thought. 

But a toothache is no joke! Our teeth are connected to nerves that run all throughout our bodies. The headaches they caused were enough to render me useless, curled up like a baby in fetal position.

However, this time around, I was prepared! I had scheduled childcare help for the weekend I expected to be in recovery, went to gym all week prior to the surgery, and ate all my favorite foods. I had set myself up for a full 2 days of rehabilitation. And and in this article I share how I did it! Here are my 5 most important suggestions for the times you are recovering from any sort of illness or surgical procedures.

1. Ask For Help!

This is one of the most difficult things for me to do. Asking for help often makes me feel vulnerable, but it helps to remember that I'm only human and may need to take a break from "doing it all". 

This time around I knew how to better care for myself and requested that my friends and my family help take care of my daughter while I rest and heal on the first day.

The rest of the weekend, I relied on help from YouTube and various frozen dinners! These kind of days quickly become those rare occasions when you allow your kids to lounge out with a smartphone or tablet and eat foods they consider "fun". You'll score some cool mom/dad points and get some rest at the same time.

2. Set A Pampering Mood.

This is the time to take the best possible care of yourself. Setting a peaceful atmosphere allows you to get distracted, focus on soothing your other senses and taking your mind off the pain you may be feeling.

I opted for a candle lit bubble bath with Epsom salt and flower petals. An hour of quiet time to read (which I negotiated for with the little one), and some yummy soft foods. Throughout the day I applied a cold compress to the affected area to lessen swelling and bruising, and avoided all strenuous activity, including exercise.

3. Take Your Multivitamin!

Your body needs extra support during recovery. A good multivitamin will help replenish the body of the nutrients it needs to heal the post surgery wound.

Vitamin C is also highly recommended after a surgical procedure to help speed up healing of the connective tissues and boost your immune responses.

This month I have been using restorAGE in place of my multivitamin as a powerful boost; one of the best supplements for my recovery. It is filled with lots of antioxidants from green tea, cinnamon, pumpkin seed, as well as a skin enhancing complex and vitamin C.
 
Since my procedure was dental and involved bone grafting, I am taking my mineral intake very seriously and taking a good calcium, magnesium, vitamin D & K supplement. Both my mineral complex and vitamin C come from USANA, a microbiologist developed supplement program.

If you have any questions about what supplements you should be taking and would like a personal recommendation feel free to email me, or reach out through any of my social media accounts.
​
*I do not have an affiliate relationship with any of these products or companies. These are the products I use that work for me.

4. Postpone Your Work.

If you are anything like me, you will probably not follow this advice. Especially if you are slammed with work, it may seem impossible to take a few hours a day just for yourself. I totally hear you!

My advice here is to take a look at that crazy long "To Do" list and choose one or two tasks that will take the absolute least amount of energy to complete. This way you can feel slightly productive without straining yourself.

During this time, I would avoid running too many errands. The many chores and responsibilities you have, will still be waiting for you later, and if you heal properly and return to your best self, you will be better equipped to complete them. Really take this time to focus on your well being!

​5. Water! Water! Water!

I cannot stress this enough: water is one of the most crucial items for keeping the body working properly! Not only will it help dissolve all those vitamins you have been taking and carry them to their appropriate places in the body, but it will also keep you hydrated while you are taking all those antibiotics that accompany these procedures. Water is one of the most healing substances on this planet and you should always aim to get plenty of fluids daily, especially when rebuilding any part of the body.

Post Surgery Before and After

2 hours after surgery.
Right side of my face is numb  and a bit swollen.
When I keep my face still and not try to smile, I look pretty OK.

If I tried to smile though!! Ha!! It just looks painful. And the swelling becomes a lot more apparent.

2 days after surgery and implementing some serious self care.
All the swelling is gone.
Smiling and chewing still hurts, and I am still experiencing some headaches. 
​The full healing process and bone graft integration takes about 3 months.

Stay tuned for all the soft food recipes I will be making all week!