Caring For Your Gum Graft
Your gum graft adds healthy tissue where the gum had receded, covering exposed root, reducing sensitivity, and protecting the tooth. The graft needs a calm, undisturbed site to take hold. The next two weeks of gentle care make it succeed.
Protect The Graft
For the first 2 weeks, the graft must stay completely undisturbed.
- Do not pull your lip or cheek to look at it. This can tear the graft loose.
- Do not brush or floss the graft site until we clear you. Clean the rest of your mouth normally.
- No smoking. It badly reduces the blood flow the graft needs.
What Is Normal
- The graft may look white or pale at first. That is expected, not a problem.
- Mild swelling and tenderness for a few days.
- If a dressing was placed, leave it alone. It may loosen on its own.
Comfort
- Ice the outside of the cheek 20 on, 20 off the first day.
- Stay ahead of pain with medication on schedule.
- Gentle salt water rinses after the first day. Do not swish hard near the site.
- For tender gums, vitamin E can soothe and help healing. Take it over the counter, or break a gel capsule and rub it on the gums. You can also ask us for StellaLife gel.
Eating
- Soft, cool foods for several days. Cool helps soothe the site.
- Chew on the opposite side and keep food away from the graft.
- Avoid hot, spicy, and crunchy foods that can irritate or disturb it.
Call Us If
- Bleeding will not stop with gentle pressure.
- The graft or dressing comes off in the first few days.
- Pain or swelling is getting worse after day 3, or you develop a fever.
- Anything concerns you. With a graft, we would rather hear from you early.
How To Help Your Graft Take Hold
A graft succeeds when it is left alone to connect to its new home and fed by good blood flow. Protect it now and the result is permanent.
- Leave it completely undisturbed for 2 weeks. No pulling the lip, no brushing the site, no poking. This is the number one factor.
- No nicotine. Smoking starves the graft of blood flow and is the most common reason grafts fail.
- Keep it clean gently and keep your follow-up so we can confirm it took and clear you to brush the area again.
Protect it through healing and your new gum line is there to stay!
Questions about your gum graft or your recovery? Call the office anytime. We are here for you!
