Before You Arrive

Information for Diabetics

If you are a diabetic, you must already understand how complicated this disease can be. It can also significantly impact how you are treated in the oral surgery office. Please read this page carefully. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us prior to your appointment to clarify instructions, so that your appointment can go as smoothly as possible. All instructions on this page apply to all diabetics, whether or not you use insulin.

For all diabetics:

Please make sure you notify our Appointment Coordinator when making your appointment that you are diabetic.
Please check your blood sugar as you normally would prior to your appointment, and write the reading down and bring it with you to your appointment.
If you do not know the value of your most recent HbA1c test, please call your physician and ask.

For diabetics being treated with Local Anesthesia (Novocaine) and/or Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas):

It is very important that you maintain the same morning routine for food and medications as you would on any other day. For example, if your appointment is scheduled for 10:30 am, and you normally take your medication at 9:00 and have breakfast at 8:30, you should have breakfast and take your medication at the normal times (unless told otherwise by your medical doctor).

For diabetics being treated with Intravenous Anesthesia (going to sleep):

As with any patient being treated with Intravenous Anesthesia, you will need to fast from midnight until your appointment. For this reason, we will make your appointment as early in the morning as possible.
Please contact your medical doctor to discuss what modifications, if any, you will need to make regarding your medication schedule. Your medical doctor may ask you to skip your morning medications and/or modify your medication schedule for the rest of the day.
It is important that, after your procedure, you maintain as best possible a normal eating pattern. Any restrictions that will be put on you regarding diet in the immediate post-operative period will be reviewed with you in detail once treatment has been completed.