Laser dentistry is one of those things that just inevitably sounds a little bit science fiction when you try to explain it. In reality, lasers are used fairly often in dentistry for a wide variety of purposes. The most common ones are in treating the gums, either reshaping them for cosmetic purposes or removing tissue that has been infected.
If you have a laser dentistry appointment coming up, you may be a little bit nervous about how you’ll feel after the treatment. For those wondering what aftercare may look like, and how to make it a little bit easier, here’s a guide that may offer you some useful information.
Immediately After Treatment
For the first few days after treatment, your teeth are going to be particularly sensitive. You’re likely to have some clots in the areas that were treated by the laser, and the most important thing during the first week or so is keeping those clots in place.
For that reason, it’s recommended that patients try and stick to a soft food or liquid diet while their gums are healing, at least initially. If you can, try and stick with smoothies, soups, and other tender foods for the first few days.
You should also try to keep your mouth clean as much as possible, which includes brushing. Try placing the bristles on the gums below your teeth and slowly rolling them toward the tooth’s surface. Done correctly, this can clean the gums of plaque without disturbing the clots.
After the First Week
After this initial period, you can relax a little bit. After around a week you can go back to your normal diet, and resume your normal style of dental hygiene.
The clots around your teeth won’t heal completely for another 2-4 weeks, so it’s a good idea to still be a little careful until then. You may still want to brush a little more gingerly than usual, and maybe avoid some of the tougher foods you’d normally eat. That said, so long as you take care of your wounds, you should feel better in no time at all!
About the Author
At Seahurst Smiles of Burien, we spare no expense to ensure that our office is outfitted with the latest technologies in oral medicine. This is so that we can guarantee that everyone who visits us is getting the highest level of oral medicine that dentistry has to offer. That way, you can walk out of our doors with a beautiful, healthy smile that is sure to stand the test of time.
If you have any questions about laser dentistry, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (206) 589-8556.