pre-op instructions

periodontics • st. charles, IL

Prior to the Day of Treatment

Post-operative healing can be enhanced in patients who take Vitamins C prior to surgery and continue taking it through the healing phase. Please begin taking Vitamin C, 250 mg, four times daily. We recommend that patients start this vitamin regimen at least one week prior to treatment and then continue for two to three weeks during the healing phase of treatment. If you are already on a vitamin regimen, please be sure that the dosage of Vitamin C equals 1000 mg daily.

Patients who have been prescribed Coumadin, daily aspirin, or any other blood thinning therapy by their medical physician will need to discontinue this treatment three to four days prior to surgery. We will obtain your physician’s approval and instructions to suspend this therapy before your surgical appointment, and we will advise you accordingly. Patients can usually resume their therapy regimen the day after surgery.

Day of Treatment

We recommend a light nutritious meal prior to your scheduled care. Please wear comfortable clothes. Do not wear facial make-up. Please take recommended prescription medication one hour prior to appointment. Feel free to bring either a CD player or your iPod to use during surgery.

Nutrition

Following oral surgical treatment, you will be advised regarding proper nutrition and post-operative care. In most cases, a soft food diet will be advised for a specific period of time. The US Dietary Guidelines describe a healthy diet as one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs; and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

You can adapt your customary diet by including the following:

• Banana
• Cooked Broccoli
• Tuna
• Applesauce
• Oatmeal
• Light Cottage Cheese
• Fruit Smoothie
• Whole Grain Pasta
• Stew
• Baked Yam
• Omelet
• Soup
• Cooked Spinach
• Low Fat Yogurt
• Protein Shake

Items to Have on Hand at Home

• Filled prescriptions per your Medication Information Sheet
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Vitamin C
• Groceries to support a soft food diet

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