Things to Avoid after Deep Cleaning Refrain from eating sharp, crunchy, and challenging foods on the day of the procedure. For 48 hours after the procedure, refrain from having hot beverages.
Your gums and teeth will be sensitive immediately following your deep cleaning. Watch what you eat and avoid food or drink that may cause irritation. Hot or cold foods, hard or sharp foods, and anything that requires excessive chewing should be avoided for around 48 hours.
Avoid anything alcohol for two days to ensure proper healing. Don't munch on anything crunchy or sharp, like popcorn. Give your mouth a day or so to heal. Avoid anything hot for at least two days.
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.
For the first 24 hours, it is good to avoid sharp foods such as nuts or popcorn, which can get caught in the tissue area and hinder healing. For the first 48 hours, it is good to avoid acidic foods such as oranges and salsa. It is also good to avoid hot foods and beverages.
The disadvantages of deep cleaning teeth include nerve damage and potential infections if you have a compromised immune system. The cleaning might cause pain, and sensitivity in the treatment doesn't guarantee reattachment of your gums to the teeth. The cleaning might even cause further gum recession.
Teeth are generally sensitive to damage immediately after a deep clean, so it's recommended to wait a few hours before drinking coffee to help prevent excess staining.
Immediately after a deep cleaning you might have some discomfort and aching. After your mouth has had some time to heal you should notice some of the following improvements: Decreased bleeding when brushing and flossing. Better smelling breath.
Some people may find that their teeth feel looser after having the treatment. This is because removing the tartar from the pockets between the gums and teeth creates a gap between the two, which can cause the teeth to feel loose. Over time, the gums should reattach to the teeth, making the teeth feel more secure.
Avoid sleeping/laying on the side that surgery was performed. Two days after surgery, moist heat will help resolve minor swelling. Major swelling should be reported to the doctor at once.
Now is the time for extremely thorough oral hygiene.
Right after your deep cleaning, you'll need to make sure no plaque or buildup starts to accumulate between your teeth or under your gums. That means it's time to get out your electric toothbrush, floss, or better yet—a water flosser—and get to work.
We recommend taking a non-aspirin pain reliever such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) unless contraindicated by your doctor. These medications can be taken immediately after treatment to reduce discomfort and can be readministered every 8 hours or as needed. Warm salt water rinses (1 tsp salt to 8 oz.
Infection after dental cleaning
The process of dental cleaning can sometimes make your gums bleed slightly. Although it is rare, this can sometimes cause an infection to develop in the days after the procedure.
You can have deep cleanings whenever it feels necessary. Still, make sure you have at least two dental cleanings per year. Deep cleanings are for patients with oral issues like gum disease and tooth decay every three months.
Deep scaling is only done when gum disease is present. Typically in the early stages of gum disease, damage can be reversed with a professional deep cleaning. The goal of deep scaling and root planning is to treat periodontitis, or gum disease, causing the disease to go into remission.
Tooth sensitivity, or discomfort in the teeth, is often reported after a dental cleaning. Why is this? During a dental cleaning your hygienist or dentist will apply more pressure to the teeth than usual and use tools that can irritate the gums. All of this is out of the ordinary compared to daily brushing and flossing.
There are various reasons for this feeling. 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.
Some dentists prescribe oral or topical antibiotics following a deep cleaning to target and reduce inflammation and bacteria. Antibiotics have been shown effective at treating gum disease at every stage.
It depends on how severe the receding gums are, as if they are only minimally receded, then the gums will reattach themselves to the teeth. While any gum loss experienced due to gum disease will not grow back, the majority of patients can expect their gums to reattach after undergoing a deep cleaning.
What to Expect After Deep Cleaning of Teeth. You may notice that your teeth are sensitive for a week or two after cleaning. This is normal! Some subsequent tooth sensitivity just means that the cleaning was thorough.
Fluoride Treatment Means You Should Wait
To receive the most out of this treatment, you will need to wait 30 minutes after your dental cleaning to eat or drink. By waiting 30 minutes, the fluoride treatment has enough time to seal around your teeth.
Start brushing, flossing, and continue your prescribed oral hygiene regime immediately. You may have to GO EASY at first, but make every effort to keep your mouth plaque-free. We recommend rinsing your mouth several times on the day of treatment, with warm salt water (¼ tsp salt to glass of water).
You won't want to go back to work or school the same day, but you can likely return the following day. Plan to expect some minor soreness where the local anesthetic is injected, or along your gums.
With gum disease, you won't keep your teeth for long. In fact, unlike tooth decay which impacts your smile one tooth at a time, periodontitis can cause you to lose multiple, if not all, teeth at once. Gum disease starts small as a mild form called gingivitis.