LANAP Laser Treatment

General Information

General Information

  • You will be on a liquid diet for 3 days, then a diet of “Mushy”/soft foods for 4 days. The next page will outline acceptable foods.
  • Swelling may occur.  To keep swelling at a minimum, use an ice pack on the outside of the face for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for the first day.  Do not continue using the ice pack beyond the day of the periodontal surgery.
  • Reduce activity for several hours following the surgery.
  • Do not be alarmed if one of the following occurs:
    • Light bleeding
    • Slight swelling
    • Some soreness, tenderness, or tooth sensitivity
    • Medicinal taste, from Peridex or Periogard
  • Take all medication as prescribed.
  • Do not apply excessive tongue or cheek pressure to the surgical area.
  • Try to keep your mouth as clean as possible in order to help the healing process.  Only brush and floss, the untreated area of your mouth. NO NOT BRUSH OR FLOSS THE TREATED AREA FOR 7-10 DAYS, or as directed by Dr. Ratliff.
  •  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.
  • “Spaces” between your teeth can result from reduction of inflammation, swelling, and the removal of diseased tissue after LANAP® treatment.

SMOKING/TOBACCO USERS WARNING

  • Tobacco has a large effect on your gums and the disease you have in them. Tobacco is associated with an increased disease rate in terms of bone and gum loss, as well as an increase in the space between the gums and teeth. Tobacco is a major factor for chronic gum disease.
  • Any type of smoking and/or chewing tobacco will have an adverse effect on the progress of your healing and may cause the gum disease to re-occur after treatment. If you are a smoker or chew tobacco we HIGHLY recommend suspending use while you are healing, and seriously consider stopping use all together.
Dietary Information
  • DAYS ONE THROUGH THREE:

Following the Laser Therapy, follow a Liquid only diet to allow healing of the area. Anything that can be put into a blender to drink is acceptable. The purpose of this is to protect the clot. Do NOT drink through a straw, as this creates a vacuum in your mouth that can disturb the clot.

  • DAYS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN:

By day four following your procedure, you are able to eat soft, “mushy” foods.

MUSHY DIET SUGGESTIONS:

Anything put through a food blender

  • Cream of wheat, Oatmeal, Malt O Meal
  • Mashed Avocado, Applesauce
  • Mashed Potatoes or Baked Potatoes- Butter/sour cream acceptable
  • Mashed Banana or any mashed/blended fruit EXCEPT berries with seeds
  • Broth or Creamed Soup
  • Mashed steamed vegetables
  • Mashed Yams, Backed 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
  • Milkshake, Smoothies (without seeded berries)
  • Ensure, Slim Fast, Boost

 

  • DAYS EIGHT THROUGH TEN:

At this point, you will be able to start introducing soft foods into your diet. The exact time to start with soft foods is dependent upon the loss of the white material that appeared around your teeth following LANAP ® treatment. As Dr. Ratliff spoke about during your initial treatment, this white material must be left alone until it naturally heals and disappears. It is only after this material is gone that soft foods can be introduced. Soft foods have the consistency of Pasta, Fish, Chicken, or steamed vegetables. You may then, gradually add back your regular diet choices.

 

***Please note that even after ten days, healing is NOT complete. The first month following your treatment you should continue to make smart food decisions. Softer foods are better.

 

DO NOT:

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

Bleeding
  • 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
  • If you experience prolonged or severe pain or bleeding please call Dr. Ratliff at: 773.420.9880