What is Oral Surgery?
Oral surgery is any surgery involving areas in and around the mouth. It includes wisdom tooth removal, placing dental implants and facial reconstruction surgery. Surgery requires rest in order to heal, otherwise you increase your chances of facing complications.How Long Do You Need to Wait?
The type of surgery you undergo will determine how long you need to wait before you can start exercising again. Naturally, the more invasive the procedure, the longer it will take you to heal. For instance, with wisdom tooth removal, you may only need to wait a day or two before you can resume light exercise. With a procedure like open jaw surgery, you may need to wait a couple of weeks or more.
The important thing to remember is to take your time. If you feel pain in your mouth when you exercise, stop. Pain is a sign something is not right, and you should wait a little longer before trying again.
Starting Your Exercise Routine
When you are ready to start exercising again, go slow. Low-impact exercises are best to start. Anything that might jar your mouth, such as running, can cause issues and affect healing. Light weights, walking or yoga are good. As you heal, you can start increasing the intensity of your exercise routine, and gradually work your way back to your regular routine.What to Watch Out For
So long as you follow your surgeon's instructions, your healing should go smoothly. However, there are a few issues to keep an eye out for. Jumping back into intense workout routines increases your risk for dry socket, a condition in which the clot comes dislodged and opens the wound up to bacteria. You should also watch out for excess swelling, bleeding and severe pain. Any sign that something is wrong warrants a call to your dentist.
While oral surgery will put a halt to your normal exercise routine, know that it is for a good reason. With patience, you will be able to ease your way back in and get back to your routine in no time.
Please contact our office if you have any questions about your oral health.
