Buccal Fat Removal | Postoperative Diet and Oral Hygiene Protocols
Medically authored and verified by Verified by Dr. Vishal Purohit, MBBS, MS, MCh (Plastic Surgery) • RMC Reg. 28041/14185 • Oct 2026
Postoperative Diet and Oral Hygiene ProtocolsWhat diet should be followed after buccal fat removal?
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What diet should be followed after buccal fat removal?
#Patients should maintain a soft, non-chew, room-temperature or cool diet for the first five to seven days to protect the healing intraoral incisions.
Recommended foods include smoothies, yogurts, blended soups, pureed dal, mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Patients must strictly avoid hard, crunchy, sharp foods (like chips or nuts) that could scratch the mucosal sutures, as well as very hot, spicy, or acidic items that cause tissue irritation. Drinking through a straw is contraindicated for one week to prevent negative intraoral suction from stressing the suture lines.
Gradually reintroducing solid, tender foods begins around day 6 to 7 as mucosal closure strengthens.
Postoperative Diet and Oral Hygiene ProtocolsHow should oral hygiene be maintained to prevent infection?
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How should oral hygiene be maintained to prevent infection?
#Oral hygiene is maintained with gentle antibacterial mouth rinses using 0.12% or 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate four to five times daily, especially after eating.
Patients may gently brush their teeth starting 24 hours post-surgery, taking special care to avoid the upper lateral molar gums where incisions reside. Warm saline rinses (half teaspoon salt in a glass of warm water) can be used between antiseptic rinses. Finger manipulation or probing the suture lines with the tongue must be strictly avoided.
Diligent oral antisepsis reduces intraoral bacterial load and ensures virtually zero risk of surgical site infection.