2 Tips to Help Your Teen Reduce Inflammation After Crown Lengthening

If your teen is in need of a dental filling or crown, then their dentist will check to make sure their tooth is long enough to undergo the procedure. A tooth that is too short will need to undergo crown lengthening. Crown lengthening simple removes part of the gum or bone surrounding the tooth in order to expose more of the tooth. This will ensure that the filling or crown fits snugly around the tooth. Once the procedure is done, your teen will experience a large amount of inflammation. The inflammation cannot be avoided but parts of it can be reduced. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can use to help your teen do this.

Hold an Ice Pack Against the Sit Immediately After Surgery

Immediately after the surgery is complete, your teen's doctor will give them anti-inflammatories in order to help the healing. However, this medicine can take some time to kick in. In order to get the inflammation under control immediately, your teen needs to hold an ice pack against their surgical site. The cold temperature will help to slow blood flow and reduce inflammation. Holding ice against the surgical site can quickly feel uncomfortable. In order to ease this discomfort, you can help your teen wrap the ice in a clean cloth. This will act as a buffer between your teen's skin and the ice. Instruct them to hold the pack against their surgical site for a few hours each day. They can even try to sleep with the ice pack against their surgical site.

Include Anti-inflammatory Foods in Their Meals

In order to move the healing process along, your teen will need to eat meals that contain the necessary calories and nutrients on a daily basis. This is the best time for them to include anti-inflammatory foods in their meals. These foods will not only help your teen reach their nutrient and calorie goals but they will also help to reduce the inflammation altogether. A few examples of anti-inflammatory foods include leafy greens, pineapple and broccoli. These foods can be included in your teen's favorite smoothie or created into a creamy soup. Try to make sure that the foods are blended as smooth as possible in order to ensure that the surgical site is not damaged.

Crown lengthening is often necessary and will promote healthy teeth for your teen. Use these tips to help them reduce any inflammation that comes after the surgery. For more information, contact a business such as Treasured Smiles Dentistry.