15 Minutes ago in New York City, Kelly Ripa was confirmed as...See more

 

• Kelly Ripa is recovering from gum graft surgery, a procedure to treat receding gums and improve oral health
• Mark Consuelos shared that his wife and co-host is under strict orders not to talk and must follow detailed recovery guidelines
• A rep for Live tells PEOPLE Ripa will be absent from Live for a week with guest co-hosts filling in during her recovery

Kelly Ripa is on the mend after undergoing gum graft surgery.

At the top of Live with Kelly and Mark on Monday, July 27, Mark Consuelos explained why his wife and co-host was absent from the syndication talk show, revealing she was recovering from the dental procedure and is under strict doctor’s orders not to speak while she heals.

“Kelly sends her love,” Consuelos, 55, said as he welcomed guest co-host Kevin Jonas. “Kelly had a little bit — well, it’s not a little — she had a gum graft surgery.”

LORENZO BEVILAQUA/Disney via Getty

A gum graft is a common periodontal procedure used to treat receding or thinning gums by transferring healthy gum tissue to cover exposed tooth roots. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the surgery can help reduce tooth sensitivity, protect against further gum recession and improve overall oral health.

Ripa, 55, had been recommended the procedure long before undergoing it. “Her dentist said five years ago, ‘You can do it in about five years,’ “ Consuelos recalled. “And she joked, ‘I didn’t think I’d still be on the air in five years!’ ”

Kevin Jonas and Mark Consuelos on ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’ on Monday, July 27.

ABC

Although Consuelos said Ripa is “doing well” and “doing great,” she’s following a lengthy list of recovery instructions. The biggest item is going to keep her away from Live for a bit: she’s not allowed to talk.

“Wow. That’s got to be the hardest thing she’s ever done,” Jonas joked.

Laughing, Consuelos agreed that his wife is “such a great conversationalist” before explaining that he’s been trying to make sure she sticks to her dentist’s orders. “I’m trying to keep her to follow the rules, follow the directions,” he said.

Those include eating only soft foods, avoiding straws and resisting the urge to inspect the surgical site.

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Even so, Ripa couldn’t resist asking her husband to check on her recovery. “Last night she was like, ‘Can you look?’ I’m like, ‘I’m not pulling your lip down,’ ” Consuelos recalled, mimicking how Ripa then tilted her head toward the floor so he could inspect the area without tugging on her lip. “So I’m down there like, ‘It looks great!’ ”

When Jonas asked whether the recovery had been painful, Consuelos didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah, it’s painful,” he said. “But she famously doesn’t feel pain. When she goes into the dentist, she doesn’t use the novocaine. But this one hurts, so I know it’s bad.”