With a regular dental cleaning, you can go ahead and eat after the cleaning, unless you also received a fluoride treatment. If you received a fluoride treatment, you should wait 30 minutes before eating. The fluoride needs time for the treatment to take effect and for the fluoride to be absorbed into the teeth.
Any food or drink that is high in acid like tomatoes, citrus fruits, pickles, fruit juice and red wine are harsh on your mouth after a deep dental cleaning. Spicy and heavily seasoned foods may also cause your mouth some discomfort. Foods like hamburgers will cause you to open your mouth wider.
Avoid hot foods and drinks for 4 hours after teeth cleaning. Hot food and drink can dissolve the fluoride before it has a chance to set permanently. The heat can also be uncomfortable for the patient experiencing tender gums and sensitive teeth after the cleaning.
Don't eat any foods, after you have your teeth cleaned, that could get stuck in your gums. A good example of these foods includes chips, nuts, popcorn, and sticky and chewy foods, such as chocolate with caramel and dried fruits.
But you might be curious about what you should be doing after the cleaning is complete. We recommend you avoid eating or drinking anything for at least 30 – 60 minutes after your cleaning. The timing should be enough to ensure your teeth can recover from the procedure and keep from feeling sensitive.
If you received cosmetic dentistry services such as a cleaning/fluoride treatment, eating and drinking immediately after can remove the fluoride treatment. That's right, try to not even rinse for at least 30 minutes after the treatment.
A common belief amongst patients is that having your teeth cleaned every 6 months is adequate in maintaining good oral health. While this is true for a small percentage of the population, majority of the patients need a professional cleaning every 3 to 4 months.
Following a routine dental cleaning, you can eat right after the cleaning. We don't recommend a different diet after your regular dental cleaning in most cases. The one thing that we do suggest is that you follow a nutrient-dense diet as this will be most beneficial for the health of your mouth and body.
Celery, Carrots, and Other Crunchy Veggies
Many vegetables are good for teeth because they require a lot of chewing to clean teeth surfaces. Crunchy, firm foods that contain lots of water are great natural teeth cleaners because they stimulate the flow of saliva, which helps to scrub away food particles and bacteria.
On average, it takes about 5 – 7 days for your gums to heal after deep cleaning. During this period, it's possible to experience minor gum soreness, swelling, and tooth sensitivity.
One of the ways you ease the stress on the immune system is to remove potential threats. That means effectively getting rid of the plaque and other residue that lurks between the teeth even after you brush.
If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, and suffer from bone loss, inflammation, and/or tartar has accumulated beneath the gumline, then the hygienist will need to clean 'deeper' below the gumline, and this is often known as a dental deep cleaning.
For some, the “weird” feeling may be a sense of cleanliness by not having a film of plaque on their teeth. For others, they may experience temporary tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity most often occurs after a dentist performs a deep cleaning which involves more contact with a patient's gums than regular cleaning.
General guidelines state that patients should make an appointment for a professional dental cleaning every six months. While this is ideal for most people, some will need to come in every three months and others will only need to come in every nine or 12 months.
You can brush your teeth later in the evening after the cleaning is complete. Wait a few hours to let your teeth recover, as the stress in the area from a deep cleaning will take a bit for the area to recover.
After the Cleaning
After having received professional teeth cleaning, your teeth will look brighter, and your mouth will feel fresher. You might experience gum sensitivity a few days if you had a lot of build-up of bacteria in your mouth that required substantial use of instruments against your teeth and gums.
The 20-20-20 rule involves: 20 minutes to perform the initial assessment (including medical health history updates, necessary x-rays, and the periodontal assessment) 20 minutes for scaling (I promise with you true prophylaxis patients this amount of time will suffice!)
Brush and floss gently following a deep cleaning, resuming normal brushing and flossing when the soreness is gone. If an antimicrobial mouthwash such as chlorhexidine Gluconate or peridex has been prescribed for you, rinse with it for 30 seconds daily before bedtime. Do not drink or eat for 30 minutes afterward.
Your normally scheduled dental cleaning should not cause you pain. However, there can be complicating factors. Inflammation in the gums, tooth decay and other symptoms of oral disease can lead to increased sensitivity. This can cause pain when prodded during the cleaning process.
Melbourne Professional Teeth Cleaning Costs Guide 2022
The average cost of professional teeth cleaning in Melbourne is $100. However, costs can range from $100 to $350, depending on the dental problems and general dental practitioners you visit.
Within a week the gums will start to heal and reattach to the roots of the teeth. The initial discomfort should be gone. Full recovery and reattachment can take up to 6 or 8 weeks, but patients are usually back to normal eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing within the first week.
If your visit to the dentist reveals significant pockets- those 4mm or greater, then you are at risk for (or in the stages of), periodontal disease. This makes you a candidate for the therapy (a deep teeth cleaning) and it is highly recommended if you want to stop and prevent the progression of the disease.