Kelly Ripa sidelined to recover from gum graft surgery

Kelly Ripa is taking time away from the small screen after undergoing gum graft surgery.

On Live with Kelly and Mark on Monday, Mark Consuelos explained why his wife and co-host was absent from the talk show. He revealed that she was recovering from a dental procedure and is under doctor's orders not to talk while she heals.

"Kelly sends her love," Consuelos shared as he welcomed guest co-host Kevin Jonas. "Kelly had a gum graft surgery."

Ripa had been recommended the procedure, which is done to treat receding or thinning gums by transferring healthy gum tissue to cover exposed tooth roots, 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!'"

Although Consuelos said Ripa is "doing well", she's following a lengthy list of recovery instructions that will keep her away from Live for a while, the most important being that she's not allowed to talk.

"Wow. That's got to be the hardest thing she's ever done," Jonas joked.

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 added.