Wife is having oral surgery...need your experiences/ideas?

My wife is going in for oral surgery to remove most of her teeth. Due to years of diabetes, lack of dental care prior to my getting involved, and a dentist who did several root canals that ended up being extracted...she has finally decided to take on this drastic action..





Needless to say she is scared to death about this. It doesn't help that she is clueless about what to do after they are removed, and until she gets fitted with braces.





Would greatly appreciate to hear the experiences of people who went through the same thing. How did you get by? Any good ideas for a soft diet? Recipe ideas? Remember that she has diabetes and this is only going to complicate matters.

Wife is having oral surgery...need your experiences/ideas?
soup is always a good option dietwise, my dad had someting similar to that done and lived off soup for a couple of weeks! Vegetable Soup is the best try not to get any meat in the soup as that will make it harder to eat.
Reply:my ex just went thru this, had 10 of his front teeth removed, he ate whatever was soft,anything you can buy at the store, mashed potatoes, yogurt, pudding...shakes..all can be sugar free......it took several weeks for his mouth to heal, and then he was fitted with his fake teeth....he can now eat anything except his fingernails...after 40 years of biting them he can't anymore....good luck!
Reply:Diabetes will impact recovery time as well.





You have described her condition pretty well, and it sounds like this is the very best solution for her, not the worst. She will be free from all the infections and pain that she must have been having for some years now.





Diabetes complicates everything. Fear makes it worse.





Smoothies are a great idea, fruit or veggie and frozen bananas will make her gum tissue feel better if there is swelling (check with the oral surgeon and her dentist).





Creamed soups, all the obvious things. Over the counter products are good if you don't have the time to labor over a stove.





No spicy foods, obviously, but also no foods that have a lot of herbs or small bits in them either.





Good luck. And look at it this way, your wife is going to have a healthier mouth than she ever has had before. Whatever she does get, dentures or partials (not implants), will be a relief after all she's been through. Poor thing.
Reply:Whoa..question...If your wife is a sever Diabetic to the point she is loosing most of her teeth, why in the world are "braces" of any kind being considered given her diabetic issue?...IF on the other hand you don't mean braces but instead mean Partial Dentures, that's a whole different situation. Tell you what, I'm adding to this response a couple of pages from my instructions I give my patients. If they don't cover your issues let me know,





“Immediate Dentures”





What Are Immediate Dentures?


1....They are dentures that are “immediately” placed into the mouth when the last natural


tooth is extracted.





Are “Immediate Dentures” A Good Idea?


1....They are a very good idea. They provide stability in jaw relationships during the


healing process.


2....They cover the extraction sites and provide,if you will, a plastic bandage affect.


3....The likelihood of getting a dry socket is all but removed.


4....The healing period is usually quicker and with less trauma.





What Is The Average Healing Period?


1....The average healing period following extraction’s is between 4 and 6 months.


2....Health problems such as Diabetes can slow the process however.





Is There A follow Up Procedure”?


1....At approximately 2 to 3 weeks following the extraction’s I always recommend that the


“Temporary Soft Liner Procedure” be instigated.





What Is The Temporary Soft Liner Procedure?


1....A layer of temporary soft liner is placed inside of the immediate denture. The soft liner


material flows over the inside surface of the denture filling in any place that the gums have


shrunk away do the the healing process.


2....The liner performs three basic functions. It refits the denture. It provides a degree of


comfort. It helps maintain the jaw relationship that was established when the dentures


were created.





How Often Should The Liner Be Placed?


1...The first layer of liner should be placed by the second or third week.


2....Follow up liners should be placed every three to four weeks following the first


placement.


3....Once the basic healing has taken place, 4 to 6 months, the immediate dentures should


be Dental Laboratory Relined.





What Happens If “NO” Follow Up Procedure Is Taken?


1....As the gums heal they shrink. The shrinking allows the dentures to change position .


2....The edges are usually the first areas that begin to dig in and cause sore spots.


3....If the edges are continually cut off to rid sore spots, by the time the gums heal the jaws


will have over closed. The chin and nose will be closer together. The corners of the mouth


will turn down. Facial tissues will no longer be properly supported.....”IF” the dentures are


relined in this position the loss of features will get worse.





This information is provided by the Denture Pro. %26lt;thedenturepro@aol.com%26gt;








"Soft Liner Treatment Series"





This treatment plan is designed to comfort damaged tissue as well as provide a functional fit while the health of the gums are being restored.





Following extraction's the extraction sites begin a healing process. This process will take between five and six months depending on the initial condition of the the gums and teeth prior to extraction's. The more sever the infection at the time of extraction's the longer it can be expected for the tissue to heal following extraction's.





If "Immediate Dentures" were placed following the extraction's you can depend on the fact that they will cease to fit and function within ten days post extraction's. This of course provides the patient with a great deal of discomfort and frustration. The dentures seem to be hard and rough and do not stay in place. As the gums heal they also change shape and that change means that they get smaller. As they get smaller the dentures inside surfaces no longer fit the gums. The dentures become loose and have a great tendency to slip and slid.





At this point the Temporary Soft Liner Treatment Series can provide both comfort and a good margin of fit and function. The Dentist or Denture professional will mix a powder and a liquid together in precise amounts. The mixture will take on the consistency of honey. The mixture is then spread over the inner surface of the denture and placed back in the mouth, the patient being instructed to close their jaws until the teeth fully touch.





After a few minutes the mixture gels into a rubbery like liner. It bonds to the denture surface and molds itself to the contours of the gums. In it's rubbery state it provides a comfort layer between the gums and the hard surface of the denture. Because it was placed in the denture while in a honey like state it flows and molds. After gelling into the rubbery state the patient will find the denture far more comfortable and stable.





As the gums continue to heal and change it will be necessary to resurface the existing Soft Liner with additional layers of the Soft Liner Material to refit the inner surface of the denture. In most cases the patient will need the Liner resurfaced about every three weeks. Once total healing has taken place a reline impression can be taken over the existing liner and the denture sent to a dental laboratory for reline processing. This process will remove the liners and restore the inner surface of the denture back to regular denture plastic. Minor adjustments may be required following the relining, but that is to be expected.





The Soft Liner System is also used to restore damaged gum tissue when a patient has attempted to wear a denture far longer than the dentures or the gums can tolerate.





If you have any questions regarding this information please write me. thedenturepro@aol.com





The Denture pro.
Reply:If she is getting put to sleep, it will suck. She will hate the stuff that makes u go night night!!
Reply:I can tell you that it is very important for her to eat something not long after the surgery. If she is being put to sleep, she won't be able to eat or drink for 4-6 hours prior to the treatment. When she wakes up and goes home, she needs to eat something like a milkshake. If that is out of the question, it needs to be something like yogurt, sherbert, applesauce....to coat her stomach so that she won't feel sick. After keeping that down, then she should try to eat soft foods like warm (NOT hot) chicken noodle soup, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, etc. Nothing she really has to chew hard before swallowing. The first 2-3 days are going to be tough, but after that she will start feeling like normal again. Just be sure to take care of the extraction sites, just as the doctor instructs, and NO smoking!
Reply:I know how your wife feels. I had good teeth until a diving accident fractured my jaw and loosened all my teeth. I am a pensioner and had to wait on public health system for free dentist. I waited 6 years just for an appointment. Then they took my top teeth out in stages, took my bottom teeth all out at once (No general anesthetic) just local,.


If they offer to do mold for dentures immediately after your wife's extractions, say NO. They did that with me and I had all sorts of problems as they did the mold before swelling went down, so consequently, dentures were too big.


I have had dentures for 8 years and hardly wear them as although you have regular check up and replacements, they do not replace top and bottom at same time , so my bottom teeth are good fit, my top ones are not.


Your wife may not have any of my problems, but just be sure to ask for exactly what you want.


As for after, do not smoke, as when you draw on a smoke it draws blood from wound site. Eat custard, soup, mashed food, strained food (baby food in jars is not a silly idea).


Regularly rinse mouth with slightly warm water with a tiny pinch salt.


I wish your wife all the very best. Pain is manageable with Nurofen Panadol , or similar. All the best.
Reply:First, I must say. It sounds as if you are bringing her down and bringing yourself up by stating that this happened before you became involved with her. You dont need to justify, support instead will help her greatly. My wife of 18 years has gone through the same ordeal this past week although, she does not have diabetes. I was there for her at every step and shall remain there as she continues to recover. I do recommend sitting with her while she has the procedure so she can feel your touch and know you are nearby. My wife was also given valium by the dr, that worked wonders for her. In fact I think I was more stressed than she. After the extractions she will be pretty sore. Allow her to rest as much as possible and pamper her where she needs. It will be a relief to her. She will, if she is like my wife, look in the mirror and tell you how bad she looks. just support her and tell her how great she will look when she has her new teeth. As for food, I am not sure what a diabetic can eat for sure but I have found these foods great for my wife. Her favorite is grilled cheese, cut the crust off and let her pull off small chunks. scrambled eggs soft work well too. deep fry some french fries and chop them in the blender with a little ketchup. She loves them and they really dont look too bad. Get her some diabetic pudding, freeze pops are soothing, so is jello. Broths and pasta work well, just make sure you chop the pasta in a blender. The only meats that will work well I believe are fish, unbreaded. If you are like me you are on a tight budget but, it is a good idea to spend a little more to get foods that really work. Stay away from acids, baby food is good but you can make your own, just chop up fresh fruit and it will be much cheaper and, dont be afraid to feed her the first day or so, she wont want to eat much but, make her feel good any way possible. Do the housework for her so she can rest, that will aide the recovery. I also have been keeping a constant supply of flavored water in a squeeze bottle for my wife. That has proven to be very soothing. I hope this information helps, my best wishes to you and your wife. All will be ok.

Yellow Teeth