How Long After Dental Surgery Can I Swim?

Postponing your favorite hobbies can be enraging if you are unable to control them. If you appreciate water, the weather limits your fun. New limitations like oral surgery are the last thing you want. Dental surgery requires rest for maximum healing and recovery.

Oral surgery involves cutting and stitching soft tissues. A local dentist like Benbrook Family Dental Services will refer to surgical, dental work on your gums, jawbone, or teeth as oral surgery. Here, we will discuss how long you have to wait to swim after such surgery, as suggested by Benbrook Family Dental.

Things to Consider After an Oral Surgery

• Before any dental procedure, consider your health during and after. The same goes for oral surgery. You should consider the following for speedy dental surgery recovery:
• Your dentist should prescribe pain medication for rehabilitation.
  Fatigue is normal following surgery. It signals the body to rest so it can mend and recuperate. Make time to relax and recover from intense physical activity.
• The surgical site will bleed for the first 24 hours after surgery, but this should improve with time. Thus, blood streaks in your saliva a day or two after surgery are typical.
• Your operated mouth will swell for a period before it heals. The swelling may affect your face. Make sure to take your medication and cold compresses to reduce inflammation.

How Long is Oral Surgery Recovery?

Patients recover differently. The type of surgery, your immune system, and your rest and recuperation habits all play a role in this. Healing can take 14 days to 4 months, depending on the operation. Tips to quicken healing include:

• Eat soft, healthful meals at controlled temperatures. You need energy and nourishment to repair swiftly.
• Avoid strenuous physical activity, which raises heart rate and blood flow and slows healing.
• Set aside time to rest, keeping your head slightly elevated.

When Can I Swim Again?

The only issue with swimming after dental surgery is rigorous exercise. Your dentist will prevent swimming for two weeks after oral surgery. Swimming should be avoided if you’re in discomfort or have a stiff jaw.

Dentists advise delaying swimming until oral surgery stitches disintegrate or are removed. Discuss the optimum time to return to the pool or sea with your dentist. Generally, after 15 days of complete recovery, you can resume swimming.

Swimming too soon after dental surgery can cause infection and problems. Chlorine and saltwater in pools and the ocean can aggravate the surgical site. Make sure dental surgery wounds and stitches are healed before swimming.

Precautions for Swimming After Oral Surgery

To avoid difficulties, take measures before swimming following dental surgery after the recommended recovery time. These precautions allow you to swim without risking your oral health. Remember these tips:

• Stay out of chlorinated pools for a few days after surgery. Chemicals like chlorine can irritate surgery sites and slow healing.
• Follow any dentist-recommended restrictions. If they recommend avoiding swimming for longer, accept their advice.
• Avoid contaminating your surgery site when swimming in lakes or oceans. This can increase infection risk.
• Rinse your mouth with seawater after swimming to clean and heal the surgery site.
• If you feel pain or discomfort while swimming, stop and get medical help.

Conclusion

Swim carefully after dental surgery to protect your oral health. Swimming should be delayed 24–48 hours following tooth extraction and a week after dental implant surgery. Wisdom teeth removal may take 72 hours to recover.

Follow your dentist’s advice and take steps to guarantee a smooth recovery and avoid complications. Prioritize oral health and ask your dentist from Benbrook Family Dental Services if you have questions.