To get the best results from your LANAP surgery, follow these directions for care after your procedure.
LANAP is a revolutionary process that allows us to treat your periodontal disease in just a few minutes with no incisions or sutures. While the recovery period is much easier than that associated with traditional gum surgery, there are still a few things you’ll need to do after your procedure to make sure your treatment is effective.
What to expect
Light bleeding, swelling, tenderness, and tooth sensitivity are common immediately after LANAP. To relieve swelling on the day of the procedure, you can place an ice pack on your cheek for twenty minutes at a time, but don’t continue using ice after the day of surgery. To minimize bleeding, you can place light pressure on the side of the face where the blood is coming from. However, avoid putting excessive pressure on the area, including with your tongue or cheek.
If your pain or bleeding is severe or lasts a long time—or if you have a temperature—please call our office right away.
You may also notice that your gum tissue has turned an unusual color. This is normal after laser treatment.
What to eat
After your treatment, you will need to eat only soft foods for several days. For example, soup, oatmeal, and mashed potatoes are the type of soft foods you should eat. Don’t drink anything through a straw— smoothies, blended foods, even water. Using a straw creates a vacuum that will disturb the healing tissue. Make sure that you drink plenty of fluids. After the first week, unless you have been otherwise instructed, just use caution in your food choices. Don’t chew gum or anything hard and crunchy.
Dental Hygiene
Don’t rinse your mouth out the day of your treatment. You can gently rinse the next day. Three times per day, rinse with Peridex or Perioguard as instructed. You should also swish gently with with warm salt water in between these rinses.
You can use a manual toothbrush again 7 to 10 days after surgery, floss 3 to 4 weeks after surgery, and an electric toothbrush 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. In the long term, it’s important to clean and care for your teeth thoroughly so that your gum disease doesn’t reoccur.
If you have any other questions about LANAP or other gum disease treatment in Pittsburgh, contact Dr. Mark E. Silberg and Dr. Katherine L. Roll today. We are happy to help you return to full oral health.
