Kelly Ripa Skips ‘Live With Kelly and Mark’ Taping After ‘Painful’ Gum Graft Surgery

Kelly Ripa is taking a brief break from Live With Kelly and Mark to heal from a painful surgery.

During the Monday, July 27, episode of ABC’s talk show, Mark Consuelos confirmed his wife was absent as she recovers from gum graft surgery.

“Kelly sends her love,” Consuelos, 55, told guest cohost Kevin Jonas. “There’s a list of things you are not allowed to do. [No] talking, she has to eat soft food, can’t suck out of a straw. You can’t examine it, which means pulling down the lip. Last night, she was like, ‘Can you look?’ And I’m like, ‘I’m not pulling your lip down.’”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, gum graft surgery is a dental procedure for treating thinning gums or gum recession. Recovery usually takes one to two weeks and the goal of the procedure is to reduce one’s risk of severe gum disease.

“Her dentist said five years ago, ‘You could do it in about five years.’ And she said, ‘I didn’t know I would still be on the air in five years,’” Consuelos recalled. “But the one thing about it — she is doing well, doing great — she is not allowed to talk.”

Jonas, 38, jokingly chimed in by adding, “That has to be the hardest thing she has ever done.”

Consuelos agreed that his wife is a great “conversationalist.” At the same time, rules are rules and communication is now mostly done via phone.

“It’s painful,” he added. “But she famously does not feel pain. When she goes into the dentist, she doesn’t use the novocain. But this one hurts, so I know it’s bad.”