Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Erin --

Of course check with your oral surgeon on this, but I suspect what she or he means by vigorous physical activity is stuff that will shake things up and increase bleeding, or will increase blood pressure to that area -- running, jumping, that sort of thing. When I had my wisdom teeth out, I was able to practice the same day, although my embouchure felt like a wool sock and the whiskey and marijuana (pain control) may not have made for the most efficient practice sessions. This year I lost an upper molar and it didn't affect practicing at all.

Shakuhachi practice, I think, is very healing. It makes you breathe deeply and calmly, and it takes you from a feeling of being sick to a feeling of just being. After decades of near-perfect health, I had a run of medical inconveniences in the past two years: a hernia repair, gallstones, a five hour operation to remove a malignant tumor, and endless biopsies and other cancer tests. I still haven't missed a day of practice due to this stuff, even if sometimes it's only a brief RO buki session, and I ascribe my (so far) recovery at least in part to shakuhachi.

How did it go?
Like Nyokai wrote, you should avoid any possibility to increase bleeding, such as any vigorous physical activity, alcohol, smoking and drinking through the straw. The last two create some vacuum inside the mouth, and this can start the bleeding.

As for upper molars, the anesthetic is only affecting back side of the mouth, and in most cases it does not even affect the embouchure. Any work in the front of the mouth or on the lower teeth may affect the playing for 1-2 hours. Of course, we are not talking about some serious gum or lip surgery.

airin, it sounds like it was periodontal surgery, wasn't it? Just take it easy, go by the feelings. It is good time to practice playing quietly, maybe some meri notes

Good luck!