Gum Grafting Instructions
Before Surgery
Make sure you have read over our Patient
Instructions for Surgery. This information will provide specific
instructions for patients having a gum graft.
After Surgery
For 7 days after your surgery, DO NOT spit,
smoke, rinse hard, drink through a straw, create a “sucking” action in
your mouth, use a commercial mouthwash, drink carbonated soda, or use an
oral irrigating device. You may be asked not to bite into foods such as sandwiches, apples, etc. Avoid hard and crunchy foods. Doing any of these can disrupt clotting, the
healing process, open the incision and cause the graft to fail.The graft will go through the "ugly duckling" phases: it may look white, yellow, red or pink. Do not worry about the area.
For the next 14 days or until your sutures are
removed:
- Do not smoke or use smokeless tobacco.
- Do not take in liquids through a straw.
- Do not lift or pull on lip to look at sutures
“stitches”.
- Do not lie on side of face over area of surgery.
- Do not eat solid food in the area of the graft until
instructed.
- Do not press over area of surgery for 1 month.
- Do not brush the grafted area until told otherwise by Drs. Wunderlich and Chang
Notify the office if:
- Your medications do not relieve your discomfort
- If you develop a fever above 99.5F
- If you have any unusual swelling, uncontrolled bleeding
or discharge
- If a stitch becomes loose it is not urgent; contact our
office on the next business day for instructions.