Limited Jaw Opening
It may be difficult to open your jaws widely for a few weeks. This may make eating and tooth brushing difficult. It is important however, that you begin to exercise the jaw by gently opening and closing the mouth after 2-3 days to restore normal movement. Heat packs or a moist warm towel applied to the face may be helpful while your jaw is sore and stiff.
Facial Trauma
Bones take a minimum of 6 weeks healing to regain a basic level of strength. During this time we suggest you avoid contact sports or heavy, physical activity at work. If your injury involves the cheek bone and/or orbit, please avoid air travel and nose blowing for 10-14 days following surgery.
If your surgery involves the bones of the maxilla or mandible then it is important to maintain excellent oral care and follow a strict soft, non-chew diet for 6 weeks following surgery so as to ensure there is no disruption to bony healing or your bite. You will be provided with a dietary guide as part of your post-operative care pack.
Diet
As your mouth heals, your jaw may be sore and not open as usual. For the first week following surgery drink lots of fluids and eat soft foods (the consistency of mashed potatoes, boiled vegetables and noodles is good). Avoid eating hot, spicy, hard or sticky foods that may aggravate your healing.
Nausea may result from general anaesthetic or medications prescribed for pain. Ceasing the prescribed medications and drinking a small glass of carbonated beverage will generally control mild nausea.
Smoking
it is advisable for you to refrain from smoking for at least 2-5 days after surgery as this increases the risk of infection. It would be preferable for you to quit smoking.
Oral Hygiene
Do not rinse your mouth until 24 hours post-operatively. Rinsing in the early stages will cause dislodgement of the blood clot and possibly infection. Rinsing with warm, salty water is suggested or chlorhexidine mouthwash (depending on your surgeon’s recommendation). This should be done after food intake for at least 7 days. Teeth cleaning with a soft toothbrush should be commenced the following day.
Sensitive Teeth
Some patients find the teeth next to the extraction sites become sensitive. This is a result of surgery to gums and bruising of the bone around these teeth and can take up to 1-2 months to resolve.