Smoking after Oral Surgery

You may think about reaching for a cigarette after oral surgery, well our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania have one word for you – DON’T. Smoking after tooth extraction can not only reopen stitches, it can cause complications that lead to infection and a longer recovery time. Allow us to explain more reasons why you shouldn’t smoke after oral surgery.

We aren’t here to give you a lesson on putting the pack down; instead, we are here to warn you. Smoking after oral surgery delays the healing process and can increase the risk of painful dry sockets. A dry socket can expose underlying bone and nerves and will be extremely painful once developed. Generally speaking, smoking increases the risk of infection so it’s important to refrain during recovery. We understand that this may be challenging, but at the same time, hope that surgery can be a starting point for you to quit.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral surgery, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141. 

Thank You For Your Reviews!

The doctors and staff of Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania appreciate feedback from our patients because it teaches us how to improve as a team. Our staff would not only like to thank Diana for this five-star review, but we would like to thank her for being an excellent patient. If you recently experienced exceptional service from us, please let us know!  

"I've been to Dr. Richman a few times.  I have bad dental problems, and he is the only doctor I trust. I actually went out of my way to see him a few years ago, I’d never see anyone else!  No worries here-he is kind, understanding, and makes you feel at ease (I’m a very ‘nervous nellie’) I promise you won't be disappointed!"

To leave a review or learn more about the services we provide, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141.

Post-Operative Lip Swelling

As specialists in tooth extractions, we at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania regularly give patients local anesthetic. This has the advantage of having the fewest side effects, but there is one common complication, which is the swelling that occurs if the patient bites their lip shortly after the surgery.

Because of how the nerves of the mouth are structured, numbing the extraction site requires numbing most of the mouth. Regardless of what kind of anesthetic is used, the effect may last for several hours. Because of this, it is easy for patients, especially children, to bite down on their numbed soft tissue. When this happens, the tissue commonly swells up to several times its normal size and turns white.

While the swelling is unpleasant to look at and may be uncomfortable, it is usually something that goes away after a few weeks without causing any lasting harm. Over-the-counter painkillers are usually all that are necessary or appropriate. However, if the patient continues to chew on the ulcerated tissue, it could develop an infection, which would result in a fever. This is why it is important for the caregivers of children undergoing wisdom tooth or other extractions to do their best to make sure their child knows not to chew their numb lip.

Drs. Bahram, Richman and Dieu operate at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania at 2546 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.