Gum Grafting: What It Is, Why It’s Needed, and Some Recovery Tips.

Gum recession makes it easy for disease-causing bacteria to build up. In doing so, pockets are formed between the gum line and the teeth. It further contributes to tooth decay, pain, sensitivity, and bone or tooth loss. Moreover, it severely impairs the oral health functioning of the patients. Gum grafting is one of the ways to get rid of receding gums.  

It is a procedure that adds volume to the gumline and aids in better oral health maintenance. This procedure has a high success rate and can significantly reduce gum disease risk. However, healing gum graft recovery can take a couple of days. 

If done correctly, it can be super-fast and can turn out to be a more straightforward solution to cure receding gums. Continue reading to find out the best post-caring tips in this article.

Gum Graft: What Is It and Who Needs It? 

If you have receding gums, your dentist will probably recommend gum or gingival grafting. It might sound scary, but it's a reliable procedure to cure damaged gums and prevent further gum recession. This procedure involves placing a small amount of tissue in an area where no or little of the gum tissue currently exists. This new tissue is usually taken from the roof of the mouth after numbing the area. It is then stitched accordingly and placed in the required space. 

Post-Surgical Guidelines About Gum Graft Surgery: 

Gum grafting has multiple benefits for patients with receding gums. Some of these include lower teeth sensitivity, reduced chances of getting cavities, mouth infections, and gum diseases. Gum graft recovery can become easy if you follow your dentist's instructions and a few self-caring tips. Also, if you have followed pre-surgery instructions given by your dentist, the procedure becomes highly successful.  

Gum graft surgery recovery usually takes up to two weeks. However, in some cases, it might take a bit longer, especially if the patient doesn't care for himself apart from taking medicines. If you plan to have gum graft surgery, then the following guideline is right there for you.  

Here we'll discuss some essential post-caring tips so that you can prepare in advance. It's always better to be proactive before the procedure and be informed, too. So, let's get started with the tips and tricks for super-fast healing. 

• Manage Your Pain and Swelling

After gum grafting surgery, expect some pain and swelling and try to manage it. You can use medications as per your dentist's recommendation for pain management. Ice packs can work to reduce swelling and discomfort. 

• Avoid Talking For At least 2-3 Days

After the surgery, gums become tender, and your dentist will ask you to place gauze for at least 40-50 minutes. It's best to avoid speaking for the initial 2-3 days because of stitches. If you can't avoid talking, you can use text messaging instead. It will help control bleeding. 

• Stay at Home for a Few Days

Avoid exertion after your gum graft surgery. It might feel that it would only impact your mouth, but taking care of your entire body is also essential. You might feel tired or anxious after the procedure. So, it would be best to stay home for a few days or take some time off from your office. 

• Eat Soft Foods

Add vitamins A and C to your diet to control inflammation and aid healing. Eat soft foods and if it's possible, turn to a liquid diet instead. Also, do not initially eat or drink too cold or too cold foods. It will cause pain and higher tooth sensitivity. 

• Gently Brush Your Teeth

Oral hygiene is vital for better oral health. However, you will be able to brush your teeth properly once your gums heal. Therefore, you should gently brush your teeth to avail some of its benefits. 

Wrap Up

Gum graft surgery is one of the most frequent dental procedures in the US. It is needed by patients who want to preserve oral health by treating receding gums. When you have receding gums, it increases the risk of getting gum diseases. This procedure is safe and hardly causes complications if the patient is generally healthy.

 Contact your Walnut Creek dentist, Massood Darvishzadeh, at Walnut Creek Dental to learn about gum grafting.

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Benefits Of Gum-Grafting

This media/content or any other on this website does not prescribe, recommend, or prevent any treatment or procedure. Therefore, we highly recommend that you get the advice of a qualified dentist or other medical practitioners regarding your specific dental condition.