Avoid sticky, hard (such as ice cubes, nuts, popcorn, chips), brittle, spicy, highly seasoned, or acidic foods in your diet. Foods such as soups, pasta, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese etc. are best. Be sure to maintain adequate nutrition and drink plenty of fluids.
Avoid sharp or crunch foods, like nuts and popcorn, for at least 24 hours post-treatment. Avoid hot foods and beverages, like hot soup or hot coffee, for about 48 hours post-treatment. Avoid highly acidic foods, like oranges and tomatoes, for at least 48 hours post-treatment.
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.
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.
Avoiding coffee for hours after your dental cleaning is critical because the dark dyes in coffee can stain your teeth. The dark components can make their way through the enamel in your teeth. The compounds can eventually cause the teeth to become dark and unappealing.
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.
Dental cleaning can cause your teeth and gums to be sensitive. Very cold or very hot foods may be too intense for freshly cleaned teeth.
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.
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.
For the first 48 hours, restrict your diet to soft foods such as yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese, and warm soups (not hot) until you can chew comfortably.
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. This is because all of the harmful bacteria has been removed, allowing the gums to once again be healthy.
Foods that are safe to eat
Dentists recommend restricting your diet to bland foods that are easy to chew and swallow for the first few days after root scaling and planing. Foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, and eggs should not aggravate tender gum tissues.
A general rule of thumb is to wait for at least 30 to 60 minutes after your teeth cleaning to consume any food or drinks, but you should avoid drinking coffee for a few hours.
Make sure to drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated and do not miss meals. Food and nutrition is important in fast healing. Sensitive teeth after deep cleaning can be treated at home by watching the foods you eat.
The American Dental Association recommends getting teeth cleaning at least two times per year, but deep cleanings are typically performed as needed. For example, a person who has not had their teeth cleaned by a dentist in years might be advised to get a deep cleaning.
EXERCISE: Avoid any aerobic activity for the rest of the day; e.g., jogging, tennis, racketball, anything strenuous.
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.
Although deep teeth cleanings are uncomfortable, you will likely not experience severe discomfort because you receive local anesthesia or topical anesthetic to numb your gums. However, you can expect some sensitivity to the procedure with swelling and minor bleeding.
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.
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.
So, How Long Does a Deep Cleaning Take? The process for a deep teeth cleaning usually requires more than one visit. On average, you can assume that your dentist or highly skilled hygienist will be able to clean ¼ of your mouth in about 45-60 minutes or so, depending on the level of plaque and hardened calculus buildup.
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.
Most patients respond very well to deep cleaning and, with good after care, see rapid improvement in the condition of their gums. Over time, pockets will shrink and your gums will be restored.