Instructions

• Pre-Sedation Instructions
• Post-Operative Instructions
• After Laser Therapy

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After Laser Therapy (LPT™)

1. Do not be alarmed with any color changes or appearance of tissues following laser therapy.  Tissues can be gray, yellow, red, blue, purple, “stringy” and reflect normal response to laser treatments.
2. Reduce activity for several hours following the surgery.
3. It is OK to spit, rinse, and wash your mouth today.  Rinse as directed with Peridex or Periogard morning and night.  In between it is OK to rinse gently every three (3) hours with warn salt water (1/2 teaspoons of salt dissolved in an 8oz. Glass of warm water).  Do not chew on the side of your mouth, which has been treated.
4. Do not eat spicy or excessively hot foods.
5. 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 for the surgerized area.
6. Do not apply excessive tongue or cheek pressure to the surgerized area.
7. Do not be alarmed if one of the following occurs:
1. Light bleeding
2. Slight swelling
3. Some soreness, tenderness, or tooth sensitivity
4. Medicinal taste, from Peridex or Periogard
8. The surgical pack is placed on the area to prevent food, trauma, and/or smoke from irritating the surgerized tissues.  If a piece of the pack falls out or if the entire pack loosens of 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 20 minutes each hour until you retire for sleep that night.  Do not continue using the ice bag beyond the day of the periodontal surgery.
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. It is very important to maintain a good food and fluid intake.  Try to eat soft but nutritious food such as eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, malts, ice cream, etc., until you can comfortably return to a normal diet.
12. If medication has been prescribed, please take exactly as directed.
13. Please call the office so that we may render further treatment if any of the following occurs:
1. Prolonged or severe pain
2. Prolonged or excessive bleeding
3. Considerably elevated or persistent temperature.
14. Do not be alarmed that beginning with just 2 weeks after therapy and extending as long as 1 year or more, the teeth may become sore, tender, or sensitive as the bone and ligaments around the teeth regenerate and become more firm.  This is a sign of healing, but also indicates the presence of a bite imbalance that needs to be adjusted.

Diet Instructions

• The first three days following Laser Therapy, follow only 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." Take daily vitamins.
• Next four days after treatment, foods with a "mushy" consistency such as those listed below are recommended. *see below
• Starting seven to ten days after treatment, "mushy" - soft foods are allowable. Soft foods have the consistency of pasta, fish, chicken or steamed vegetables. You may then gradually add back your regular diet choices.
• Please remember that even after ten days, healing is not complete. The first month following treatment you should continue to make smart food choices. Softer foods are better.

*"Mushy" Diet Suggestions

• DAILY VITAMINS!
• Anything put through a food blender
• Cream of wheat, oatmeal, malt o meal
• Mashed potatoes or baked potatoes – ok with butter/sour cream
• Mashed banana, mashed avocado, applesauce or any mashed/blended fruit except berries with seeds
• Broth or creamed soup
• Mashed steamed vegetables
• Mashed yams, baked sweet potato or butternut squash
• Cottage cheese, cream or soft cheese
• Creamy peanut butter without solid pieces
• Eggs any style, with or without melted cheese
• Omelets can have cheese and avocado
• Jell-o, pudding, ice cream, yogurt
• Milk shake/smoothies – ok to blend with fruit except no berries with seeds
• Ensure, slim fast – nutritional drinks

DON'T...

Chew gum, candy, cookies, chips, nuts, anything hard or crunchy, anything that has seeds or hard pieces, meat that shreds and can lodge under the gum and between teeth, raw vegetables/salad.