If you've ever had a toothache, you'll know that it can be an unpleasant experience to say the least. This could be why the thought of any impending dental surgery can fill you with trepidation. Will the required healing be like a lingering toothache with the discomfort and pain that comes with it? The intensity and severity of any discomfort will vary depending on the type of dental surgery required, and even then it can vary from person to person. While your dentist will take steps to minimise your discomfort after dental surgery, there are steps you can also take yourself.

1. Medication

The lack of discomfort after some types of dental surgery can be deceptive. The immediate discomfort of the procedure might have been neutralised with anaesthetic, but you will become well aware of these uncomfortable sensations as the anaesthetic wears off. If your dentist has prescribed pain relief, don't delay in having the prescription filled. It can be beneficial to have taken the first of these (as directed) before the anaesthetic administered by the dentist fully wears off. The same goes if the procedure was minor and your dentist has only suggested that you take an over the counter type of pain relief such as ibuprofen.

2. Gauze

Your dentist might have also provided you with sterile gauze, but you can also purchase this yourself if it's deemed to be necessary. While it might not seem as though it has any pain relief properties, it can be held in place with your teeth over the site of the dental surgery. This cushioning can reduce discomfort, and the gauze will absorb any blood as the site heals. Change as directed, or as needed. The gauze can be used in conjunction with a cold compress held to the outside of your jaw over the site of the surgery. This can be soothing while minimising swelling.

3. Brushing

It might feel counterintuitive to not clean your teeth after they've required attention from your dentist. And yet your dentist might suggest that you abstain from cleaning the particular part of your mouth that has received the dental surgery. This can require some precision, but grazing the site with your toothbrush can aggravate the wound and dislodge any clotting. Brush extremely carefully and don't be concerned about avoiding cleaning the teeth immediately around the site of the surgery for some days.

If your discomfort should worsen, or doesn't subside in line with your dentist's predictions, don't hesitate to see them as soon as possible to ensure that your healing is going according to schedule.