Pre & Post Treatment Instructions
LASER SURGERY
Pre-Treatment Instructions:
- Avoid taking aspirin for one week prior to your appointment (aspirin can cause bleeding.)
- Avoid alcohol for forty-eight hours before your appointment (alcohol can prevent complete anesthesia or numbing of the treated area.)
- It is best to avoid caffeine or other stimulants twenty-four hours prior to your appointment (stimulants can interfere with the anesthetic).
- Take antibiotic pre-medication, if required.
- Take any prescribed sedatives as directed.
- If you are prescribed sedatives, you must have someone drive you home after your treatment.
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Eat a good breakfast and/or lunch the day of your appointment.
8.Wear comfortable loose fitting clothing for your visit.
Post-Treatment Instructions:
- Do not be alarmed with any color changes or appearance of tissues following laser therapy. Tissues can be gray, yellow, red, blue, purple, and “stringy” and reflect normal response to laser treatments. Do no disturb this area.
- Reduce activity for several hours following the surgery.
- After treatment it is o.k. to spit, gently rinse, and wash your mouth. Rinse as directed with Peridex or Periogard morning and night. It is also recommended to rinse gently every three hours with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoons of salt dissolved in an 8 oz. glass with warm water). Do not chew on the side of your mouth, which has been treated until you are advised.
- Do not eat spicy or excessively hot foods.
- Try to keep your mouth as clean as possible in order to help the healing process. Brush, floss, and follow other home care measures in all the areas of your mouth except the area where surgery was performed.
- Do not apply excessive tongue or cheek pressure to the treated area.
- Do not be alarmed if one of the following occurs:
– Light bleeding
– Slight swelling
8. In some circumstances, a surgical pack is placed on the area to prevent food, trauma, and/or smoke from irritating the treated tissues. If a piece of the pack falls out or if the entire pack loosens or falls out, do not be alarmed.
9. Swelling may possibly occur. To keep this at a minimum, gently place an ice pack on the outside of the face for twenty minutes each hour until you go to sleep that night.
10.Some oozing of blood may occur and will appear to be greatly exaggerated when it dissolves in saliva. Determine the side of oozing and place pressure on this area. If you cannot locate the origin of the bleeding, rinse your mouth gently with iced water and apply a wet tea bag to the general area. If excessive bleeding continues, please call the office.
11. If you are not allergic to Advil – the generic for Ibuprofen i.e. Motrin or Nuprin will be prescribed immediately before treatment to minimize tissue swelling and local inflammation. Both of these are normal side effects of minor surgery.
15. It is important to maintain a good food and fluid intake. Try to eat soft, yet nutritious food followed by the Laser surgery and do not suck through a straw.
The first three days following Laser Therapy, follow a liquid like diet to allow healing. Anything that could be put into a blender to drink is ideal. The purpose of this is to protect the clot that is acting as a band aid between the gum and the teeth. DO NOT drink through a straw, as this creates a vacuum in your mouth that can disturb the band aid.
Four days after treatment, eat foods with a soft consistency such as cream of wheat, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, bananas, or applesauce, creamed soups, cottage cheese, etc are recommended.
Seven to ten days after treatment, eat foods such as pasta, fish, steamed vegetables, or chicken.
Foods to avoid after treatment:
- Slushy beverage, Gatorade, or Milkshake
- Applesauce
- Jell-O
- Apple juice
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Cottage cheese
Food suggestions after the numbness wears off:
- Macaroni and cheese
- Mashed potatoes
- Pancakes
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Scrambled eggs
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Meatloaf
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Pasta, etc.
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Baked potato
Note: Should pain medication be necessary, be sure to eat or drink something before taking your prescription to help reduce any nausea.