After Your Frenectomy
How to care for your mouth after a frenectomy (removing or releasing a frenum). This covers a lip tie, a tongue tie or an upper frenum.
Urgent help: who to contact
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you or your child find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, or if swelling spreads to your neck, under your tongue or around your eye. Also call 999 for signs of a severe allergic reaction (such as swollen lips, tongue or throat), or if a child is struggling to breathe.
Contact your dental team if bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure, if swelling gets worse quickly, or if you have a temperature above 38°C. For children, contact your dental team or call NHS 111 quickly if your child seems very unwell or heavy bleeding will not stop. If you cannot reach your dental team, call NHS 111.
What to Expect After Your Procedure
A frenum is the small fold of skin that joins your lip to your gum, or your tongue to the floor of your mouth. A frenectomy removes or releases it. It is a fairly minor operation. But it is still important to follow the aftercare closely.
- Soreness: the area will feel tender for 3–5 days. This is normal. Painkillers will help.
- Swelling: expect mild swelling around the area for a few days.
- A white or yellow wound: as the wound heals, a white or yellow layer forms on it. This is normal healing tissue (fibrin), not infection. Do not try to remove it.
- Stitches: if you have stitches, they usually dissolve. They go within 1–2 weeks. You may have a follow-up visit booked to check how it is healing.
- Laser treatment: if a laser was used, there is usually less bleeding and swelling than with standard surgery. The aftercare is the same.
Managing Pain
Pain after a frenectomy is usually mild to moderate. Shop-bought painkillers usually work well.
- Paracetamol (adults): take 500mg to 1g (1 or 2 × 500mg tablets). Leave at least 4 hours between doses. Do not take more than 4g (8 × 500mg tablets) in 24 hours. If you weigh less than 50kg, you may need a lower dose. Ask a pharmacist.
- Ibuprofen (adults): take 200mg to 400mg up to 3 times a day, with or after food. Leave at least 4 hours between doses. Do not take more than 1,200mg in 24 hours, unless your dentist or doctor has prescribed a different dose.
- You can take paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time, or spread them out through the day. Never take more than the daily maximum of either.
- Do not take paracetamol with other medicines that contain paracetamol, unless your dental team or doctor has told you to. These include co-codamol, co-dydramol and cold and flu remedies. Taking both can cause an accidental overdose.
- Check with a pharmacist, dentist or doctor before you take ibuprofen if you have asthma, have had a stomach ulcer, have heart, kidney or liver problems, take blood-thinning medicines, or are pregnant.
- Children: use children's paracetamol or ibuprofen. Give the dose on the packet or leaflet for your child's age (and weight, if given). Ask a pharmacist if you are not sure. Ibuprofen may not be suitable if your child has asthma.
- Take pain relief before the numbing injection (local anaesthetic) wears off. Do not wait for the pain to build up.
- Hold a cold pack or an ice pack wrapped in a cloth against the outside of your lip or face. Hold it there for 10 minutes at a time. This can ease swelling and pain.
Keeping Your Mouth Clean
Keeping the area clean is essential. It helps the wound heal and stops infection.
- Keep brushing your other teeth as normal. Just be gentle around the wound.
- After 24 hours, rinse gently with warm salty water after meals. Use half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Do this for 7 days.
- Do not scrub or rub the wound with a toothbrush for the first 5–7 days.
- Do not use mouthwash with alcohol in it while you heal. It can irritate the wound.
Eating and Drinking
Eating may be tricky for a few days, especially after a tongue tie release.
- Eat soft, plain foods for the first 3–5 days. Try yoghurt, soup, mashed potato, scrambled eggs, soft fruit or ice cream.
- Avoid hot food and drinks for the first 24 hours.
- Avoid hard, sharp or crunchy foods, such as crisps, crusty bread and raw vegetables. They can catch or rub the wound.
- Avoid spicy or sour (acidic) foods. They may sting the healing tissue.
- Drink plenty of cool water.
Stretching Exercises (If Advised)
Your clinician may suggest stretching exercises. These stop the frenum joining back up as it heals. This is most likely after tongue tie release in babies and children. It can also apply to adults having treatment for speech or feeding problems.
- Only do these exercises if your dental team, oral surgeon or speech therapist has shown you how and told you to do them.
- Gentle, regular stretching works better than using force.
- If the exercises upset a baby a lot, talk to your clinician before you carry on.
- How often and how long you do them will depend on your situation.
When to Contact Your Dental Team
Contact your dental practice if:
- Bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure with a clean, damp cloth
- Swelling gets much worse after day 3
- You get a temperature above 38°C
- You see signs of infection: pain that gets worse after day 3, pus or unusual fluid, or a bad smell
- Stitches come out very early (in the first couple of days). The wound may need checking.
For children: trust your instinct as a parent. If your child seems very unwell or you are worried, call NHS 111 for advice. Do not wait to get help.
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, or if swelling spreads to your neck, under your tongue or around your eye. For other urgent problems, contact your dental practice. If it is closed, call NHS 111.
This leaflet is for general information only and does not replace professional dental advice. Your dental team will discuss your individual circumstances and any risks specific to you. Treatment outcomes vary between patients depending on individual circumstances.
Sources
- Tongue-tie. NHS website (nhs.uk), reviewed March 2024.
- Drug Prescribing for Dentistry, 3rd edition; online version updated for BNF 91. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP), 2016, updated 2026.
Links checked 18 October 2026.
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