You have been appointed for a surgical procedure as part of your periodontal treatment. Please consider these precautions prior to your appointment.

• Please advise us of any medication that you are taking. Regardless of how simple and ordinary the drugs seem to be (aspirin, antihistamines, etc.), it is important that we are aware of all of your medications (prescription or over-the-counter). Continue taking your usual medications as prescribed for other conditions unless we have instructed you otherwise.
• If you are receiving sedation, you should have nothing to eat or drink, including water, for six (6) hours before your appointment. Please also consult our separate information sheet, “Pre-Sedation Instructions,” to review further guidelines before receiving sedation.
• If you are not receiving sedation, approximately two hours before your appointment, you should eat a light or easily digestible meal. Please limit your caffeine intake to one cup of coffee on the day of surgery; do not consume caffeine products on an empty stomach.
• You may need to alter your eating habits following the surgical appointment. You can eat most foods, but you should plan a soft diet for the day of surgery and the first few days following surgery. The dental assistant will have further instructions about your diet on the day of surgery.
• Your blood pressure will be taken prior to the procedure, and for that reason, it would be helpful if you wore something with short sleeves or loose sleeves that can be rolled up easily.
• A special note to our female surgery patients: For your comfort, we suggest you wear slacks as the office may be a little cool for skirts, dresses, etc. Also, we would like you to limit the amount of facial makeup you wear on the day of surgery.
• Do NOT plan extensive physical activities for the remainder of the day of surgery. Avoid jogging, tennis, yard work, etc. for at least 24 hours. Your doctor will advise you when these activities can be resumed.
• It will be necessary for you to be seen for a post-operative appointment one to two weeks following your surgical procedure. Please be available for this follow-up treatment, as you will be shown special techniques for keeping the surgery site well cleansed.

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