Healing after a gum graft - what does it look and feel like?

Don't look!!

That is the advice that we all get, and maybe lots of you have the self-control to avoid it.  

I didn't!  But you should, you absolutely should have the self control, because it will help the area to heal faster and minimise any risks of complications.  This is so important.  So let me be a dummy for you, and keep your mitts off that gum graft!

Seriously, try not to look at it - enjoy reading about it below instead.  You can also read much more detailed information in the daily diary from my procedure in 2017, where I also include tips and tricks to help improve your chances of a successful graft. You might also want to look at possible supplements to speed your healing.

OK, but what would it look and feel like?

I found it very frustrating before my surgery that there was so little information on what the site should look like during the healing process - only nice, clean before and after photos. It can be very distressing not to know if what you are experiencing is normal.  

So, you can read my experience from back in 2012 below - this is for alloderm grafts, I can't comment on other types but I have read that it is fairly similar.  

Day 1

You will probably have lots of swelling, maybe some small amounts of bleeding, but the stitches are holding everything in place. For me, everything looked very pink/red and sore at this stage.  Wahay!  

You might be able to taste blood sometimes - I had this a little bit - but your surgeon should have given you some gauze to help with any oozing and other loveliness.  

You might also feel quite sick, if you managed to swallow blood or don't react well to the anesthetic.  The surgeon's assistant should be on hand with the suction but sometimes they don't get everything.  I felt quite sick after my first surgery in 2012 and even threw up later that night (not good - apparently this is unusual though). 

Day 2-4

Swelling might be increasing in the following days (it typically peaks at day 3-5), and maybe on one side more than the other.  You might also be getting a bit of bruising starting to develop on your face.  I had a bit on my right cheek, but I used Nelsons Arnicare Arnica Cream to help this. It really takes bruising down quickly!

The graft will probably have swelled up too, so it looks like it covers more of your tooth than you wanted. I was scared about this, but don't worry, it will go back down.  Any pain can be controlled with ibuprofen.

Things will look really ugly, especially where the tissue is pulling against the stitches. The graft will be a mix of pink and white tissue.

Day 5-7

Swelling should be past its peak by now and be starting to come back down. Sometimes I had a sort of "throbbing" sensation, that wasn't quite pain, but apparently that is OK.  If you still have a lot of pain and increasing swelling, go to your surgeon as it might be a sign of infection.

When I ate or used my mouth, I could feel a pulling or almost "ripping" sensation that freaked me out.  That was the stitches pulling on my gums.  Don't worry about it, but try to be gentle and keep on with that soft diet. I also found that using Gengigel Gel really helped to soothe the area. The gel is quite convenient and seems to last in the mouth for longer, but I also used the Gengigel Mouthrinse to make sure I could get all areas. This stuff helps to heal gums! 

It's really important to avoid tearing the sutures because the tissue is too delicate for the surgeon to replace them right after the surgery, and ideally those stitches should help hold everything snug against the teeth. The human body is amazing and will probably manage to heal if you do mess a few up, but best to give it all the help it can get. 

My gums had started to look much paler - almost white in places - by this stage and were quite sensitive.  While the swelling was going down, the gums definitely still looked puffy and a bit spongy.  Some of the stitches were pulling and uncomfortable, but all manageable. 

Day 8-10

You might be able to have some stitches out at this stage, but mine were left in for another week.

I started to notice more white parts on my gums around the graft that looked like they were just hanging out - this freaked me out no end! This is apparently totally normal and you shouldn't poke or try to remove these parts, as they might (hopefully) eventually be incorporated into the gum tissue as the blood supply to the area improves.  Some bits can look really gross! 

You may be horrified and intrigued and try to get a good look at all the stuff going on in your mouth - try not to.  It won't help anything or give you clues about whether the graft is "taking" or not. 

This is definitely the ugly stage, and I found it hard to believe how much different it all looked just a few days later.

Day 11-14

This is the home straight now. You might get occasional twinges if you accidentally eat something that hits the graft area, but other than that eating is much easier.  

Those gross white bits (that you refrained from looking at...) should be starting to pinken up.  Don't poke at any that are remaining or you might knock them off prematurely.  However, some might also come off as part of normal sloughing, and that's OK too.

This is based on my experience - a sample of one - so it might not be representative for everyone. If you've been through surgery, or if you have a question, please comment below!