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Jaw surgery requires careful postoperative care to ensure proper healing and minimize complications. This guide outlines essential steps and precautions to follow after the procedure.
Gather necessary items before surgery, including two soft toothbrushes, a mirror, toilet paper, pen and paper, and a 1000cc container like a washbasin or small bucket for storage. Also prepare a tooth washing machine or bite plate, and an interdental brush with rubber band fixation.
After surgery, you will have an intravenous drip, a catheter, and two drainage tubes in your mouth, which will be removed in about 1-2 days. Facial swelling may cause nasal congestion, leading to mouth breathing. For 5-7 days, use damp oxygen to alleviate discomfort.
Upon returning to the ward after surgery, rinse after vomiting, coughing up sputum, or between meals using a No. 1 empty syringe. Start oral cleaning on the first postoperative day, rinsing before each meal.
Cleaning Schedule:
Method:
Take precautions to avoid fainting. Slowly raise the bed head to 90 degrees, sit and lie for 3-5 minutes, then change posture. Sit on the bed edge for another 3-5 minutes without dizziness, then stand with caregiver support. Wait 3-5 minutes before walking slowly. Do not move alone; have family assist to prevent falls or exhaustion.
Apply ice for 30 minutes at a time, rest 10-15 minutes, for about 7 days to reduce facial swelling. Avoid frostbite. For warm compresses, use water at bath temperature, apply with a towel for 20-30 minutes, 5-6 times daily for a week. Do not use hot compress bags, warm bags, or hot water bags to prevent scalds.
Avoid losing more than 2 kg per month by maintaining nutrients like protein, vitamins, and calcium. Start with a liquid diet post-surgery, at cold, cool, ice, or warm temperatures, including milk, soy milk, seasoned milk, rice milk, soy milk, sports drinks, ice cream, milkshakes, yogurt, soup, pork rib soup, chicken soup, and fish soup.
Transition to a soft diet as advised by your doctor, such as porridge, pudding, steamed eggs, pasta, tofu, fruit puree, and potato puree. Avoid tobacco, alcohol, hot drinks, red yeast, natto, angelica, ginseng, and other blood-activating herbs for four weeks. Follow your doctor's guidance to return to a normal diet.
Continue oral cleaning for 3-4 weeks to prevent wound infection. Maintain a normal daily routine with adequate rest; aim for bed by 10 PM. Avoid blowing your nose, sneezing, coughing, vomiting forcefully, collisions, or strenuous exercise. Facial swelling peaks in the first three days and subsides over 4-6 weeks. Do not rinse hair downward for one week; wash while lying down to avoid fainting or increased swelling. Your doctor will schedule a follow-up visit about a week after discharge. If cheeks or wounds become red, swollen, secrete odor, or if fever occurs, seek medical attention promptly, even on holidays. Confirm if fever is due to cold or flu and consult a doctor nearby.