Dental trauma can occur at any time for a variety of reasons. If and when a dental accident occurs, your best option is to find a dentist who offers emergency services. If your dental trauma is severe, your emergency dentist in Ottawa will likely suggest dental surgery. Whether you need a root canal, crown or dental implant, post-operative care for dental surgery is generally the same; to reduce the risk of infection and help expedite the healing process, a change in nutrition is necessary. Here are a few food dos and don’ts from your emergency dentist in Ottawa:
Do:
- Eat before taking medication. If your Westboro dentist has prescribed pain medication or antibiotics, it’s often recommended to take your dose after eating. This will help prevent or reduce nausea. Always read and follow the instructions given by your pharmacist and dentist.
- Eat before taking medication. If your Westboro dentist has prescribed pain medication or antibiotics, it’s often recommended to take your dose after eating. This will help prevent or reduce nausea. Always read and follow the instructions given by your pharmacist and dentist.
- Drink buttermilk or eat yogurt after finishing antibiotics. An emergency dentist in Ottawa will often prescribe antibiotics after dental surgery to prevent infection. Drinking buttermilk or eating yogurt for 3-4 days after finishing the antibiotics can help restore healthy intestinal bacteria.
- Eat nutritious foods. Getting a good dose of your daily vitamins – especially vitamins A and C – will help give your immune system a boost, speeding up the healing process.
- Eat soft foods. After the numbing dissipates, your Westboro dentist will advise you to eat soft foods. These may include yogurt, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, cooked noodles, scrambled eggs, among others.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking at least 48 to 64 oz. daily is advised.
Don’t:
- Drink hot fluids. Keeping hydrated is important, but for the first 24 hours following surgery you’ll need to avoid hot beverages such as coffee, tea, or soup to prevent irritation and burns.
- Drink from a straw. If your mouth or lips are swollen it can be tempting to use a straw. However, as your Westboro dentist will explain, the sucking motion that occurs when you drink from a straw can dislodge blood clots and exacerbate bleeding.
- Chew hard foods until your first post-operative visit, or as advised by your emergency dentist in Ottawa.
- Drink alcohol for at least 24 hours. Alcohol can delay the healing the process.
Following the instructions given by your Westboro dentist following oral surgery will help promote healing and ensure you get your healthy and beautiful smile back as soon as possible!
