Can You Eat After Teeth Cleaning & What To Eat After Teeth Cleaning

Patients are usually keen to know what they can eat in a disease condition or after a surgical procedure. It’s a common question we often hear from them. Their concern is understandable as some pathological conditions require you to steer clear of certain foods. And when it’s about oral health, whether it be oral infections or a root canal, taking precautions about eating foods is commendable and necessary too. 

Are you here after a dental cleaning and searching for answers to questions like can I eat after teeth cleaning? Or what to eat after teeth cleaning? Stick with us till the end to know if you can eat after a dental cleaning and what you should eat after the teeth cleaning process.

Can you eat after teeth cleaning

That depends on the types of dental procedure your dentist has chosen for you. Yes, you can eat after the teeth cleaning process under certain conditions. And it’s up to you most of the time. Is it necessary to eat right after the cleaning? Don’t you fear losing the glistening white results of your teeth after a hard time during the cleaning? 

Some people don’t find it comfortable to lose the new and shiny look of the teeth right after the teeth cleaning. So they don’t eat for a long time after the treatment. It’s unwise and unhealthy to skip a meal just for temporary benefits. There are better food options that will keep your teeth bright and clear without staining them.

The enamel layer becomes thinner and porous after teeth cleaning. And it takes from minutes to hours to fill up the voids by creating a solid film around the teeth. If you try to eat in this condition, you might experience intolerable sensitivity in the teeth. It’ll get harder for you to eat in such situations. Give some time, and the sensitivity will start to precipitate gradually. However, here we’ve added a complete guide to eating after teeth cleaning so that you get less sensitized while eating. 

Some of you don’t want to eat before oral surgery. That’s why it gets complicated when you starve after a dental procedure like teeth cleaning. You can’t eat right after teeth cleaning if you want the highest results out of the treatment. Moreover, you’ve to curate your food choices as some foods may undo the teeth cleaning over time. 

You can surely eat right after the teeth cleaning only if you’re starving enough to endure the resultant sensitivity and possible undoing of the dental treatment. Does that sound wise? Then how long after teeth cleaning can you eat? When to eat after a dental cleaning?

How long does a teeth cleaning take

Based on the condition of your teeth, the cleaning procedure might take about 30 minutes to an hour. Formation of plaques and eventually into tartar or calculus can make the cleaning easy or hard. If your dental health is poor, it can take an hour or even longer. Sometimes your dentist might need to take an X-ray. In such cases, the cleaning procedure takes more than an hour.

You should eat at least an hour before the procedure to avoid stressful situations during teeth cleaning. As you know now that the procedure can last longer and you can’t eat right after teeth cleaning, you should properly prepare yourself. Now the question comes when to eat after teeth cleaning?

How long after teeth cleaning can I eat

How long to wait to eat after teeth cleaning? As stated in the previous section, you don’t need to wait to eat after teeth cleaning. But some might have sensitive and vulnerable teeth after certain types of teeth cleaning procedures. Then you’ve to restrain your cravings for a while to prevent erosion.

If you’ve already had teeth cleaning done, you know which type of procedure has been used for you. Dentists use different approaches to do teeth cleaning. These procedures have different mechanisms. Let’s find out how long after teeth cleaning you can eat?

Did you get fluoride treatment after teeth cleaning? Then you’ve to wait to eat after teeth cleaning. In fluoride treatment, fluoride is used in higher concentrations to fill out the cracks and cavities in the teeth. It takes almost 30 minutes for fluoride to get tightly attached to the teeth. If you eat or drink in that period, you run the risk of diluting the fluoride concentration and thereby undoing the teeth cleaning results.

Cleaning teeth without fluoride treatment doesn’t have many drawbacks. You don’t need to think much about eating after a dental cleaning. Just be assured that you’re ready to eat. Whenever you feel that eating won’t cause problems like sensitivity, you can satisfy your hunger. That doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you like. Follow the eating guidelines about what to eat after teeth cleaning in the next section. 

If your dental hygienist uses the latest technology like AirFlow type air polishers in cleaning your teeth, you need to wait for at least 30 minutes before you eat. Air polishers are very effective in cleaning your teeth from the slightest of plaques. But this technology runs higher risks of getting stained. So think about eating before this type of teeth cleaning. Even soft and non-staining foods can stain your teeth. Wait for 30 minutes and then eat according to the guidelines about eating after teeth cleaning.

The enamel layer gets porous during the teeth cleaning procedure. It takes about 6 hours to retain the previous conditions of teeth. So the sensitivity may last for six hours after teeth cleaning. Eat comforting foods at this period and maintain clean and shiny teeth.

What to eat after teeth cleaning

As your teeth get sensitive after teeth cleaning, you need to focus on eating the right foods. No need to worry about what to eat after dental cleaning as we’ve covered you on this aspect. Here we’ve detailed which foods you can eat after teeth cleaning. 

However, it’s always better to remember the foods you should sidestep after teeth cleaning. The foods to avoid are less in number. Eat all other foods except the ones we’ve told you to avoid. You can live off these foods for a few days. Gradually, you can move from softer consistency to harder consistency. Here’s what you should eat after teeth cleaning to avoid teeth sensitivity.

However, you need to avoid a few gross things about eating foods after teeth cleaning. Avoid foods if they are-

• Hard 
• Crunchy
• Sticky and
• Chewy

Soft foods

In any case of oral problems, it’s best to opt for soft and easily chewable foods to add to your diet. They stay less in the mouth and have less time interacting with the teeth. Your teeth remain brand new and shiny. You can prepare soft meals from your favorite diet using some creativity. Much used soft foods are 

• Yogurt 
• Mashed potatoes
• Applesauce
• Broiled, baked, or hard-boiled fishes
• Fruit smoothie
• Slow-cooked broccoli, cauliflower, etc 

However, remember to maintain a balanced diet by incorporating all proximate principles of foods in the right proportion. To heal quickly, you need all the favors from natural sources like foods. Cook the foods slowly and for a long period. Also, you can puree or blend the fruits and vegetables into juices and smoothies. To prepare a creative and colorful meal, you can add pink, yellow, orange, green, or even gray fruits.

Detergent foods

Does it sound weird? Do you know about foods that can also clean your teeth? They’re known as detergent foods. We recommend eating such detergent foods for sustainable oral health and clean teeth. As you know, lots of food in your daily diet stains the teeth. If you can avoid them and eat such cleaner foods, your teeth won’t get nasty from time to time.

We suggest detergent foods as they don’t have staining properties. After teeth cleaning, you can comfortably have these foods for the first few days. These foods will make sure that your teeth remain stain-free. Some of the most available and popular detergent foods are cucumber, carrot, lettuce, celery sticks, etc. However, detergent foods usually are firm and crispy. It’ll be better to have them in softer forms.

Non-sticky foods

You should be aware of eating sticky foods after teeth cleaning. Sticky foods literally stick to the teeth and allow the bacteria to feast on them. These sticky foods discolor the teeth. Eating them will easily undo the results of dental cleaning. You should restrict eating biscuits, candies, lollipops, hard chips, nuts, dried fruits, chocolate, etc. And that also means you should avoid the alluring doughnuts on the shelves of the stores. Feel free to eat them when the sensitivity eases down.

These foods may be alluring, but they cause much damage to the teeth. They not only stick to the teeth for a longer period but also damage the teeth with their sugar contents. There are lots of healthy alternatives to these foods. Remember one thing, research and researchers are greatly manipulated by conglomerate companies. Don’t fall for their advertisements. Rather eat pasta, grilled cheese, bananas, etc., which easily pass through the mouth.

Non-acidic foods

If you eat any acidic foods after teeth cleaning, you’ll bear an acidic assault that will stain your teeth. Moreover, the enamel layer stays porous for almost 6 hours, inviting sensitivity. Acidic foods have a substantial impact on teeth, and they cause unbearable sensitivity. Acids are corrosive, even the diluted and weaker acids have erosive effects. However, your teeth can withstand the impact of acidic foods only if you don’t have a porous enamel layer which isn’t the case in teeth cleaning.

So you need to avoid acidic foods, such as citrus fruits, animal proteins, pickles, tomatoes, carbonated beverages, red wine, high-sodium processed foods, fruit juice, etc. Citrus fruits, for example, limes, berries, grapes, pomegranate, oranges, pineapple, etc., discolor and stain teeth. Find some alternatives to these acid-producing foods and keep your teeth stain-free. Low acidic foods can save you in choosing foods after teeth cleaning. Here are some low acidic and alkaline foods to eat after teeth cleaning.

• Soy
• Tofu
• Fresh vegetables e.g. mashed potatoes, beets, red cabbage, etc
• Lentil
• Herbal tea
• Fats like olive oil, avocados, etc.

Non-spicy foods

Spicy foods also stain the teeth. Stay away from these foods to keep teeth white and bright. Tomato soups, curry, paprika, and saffron contain pigments that cling to your teeth and stain them badly. If you don’t want to lose the plaque-free feeling by devouring some spicy curry, try to find your firm favorites. Chicken soup is always outstanding as a non-spicy alternative. 

Spicy foods contain staining pigments that easily attach to the teeth. If spice is your favorite space, let it be replaced by other alternatives like chicken soup and less spicy foods. You might want to avoid salsa, jalapeno, wasabi, marinated foods, etc., since they contain color pigments in high concentration. You can dilute the spice density in foods by adding different ingredients.

Non-crunchy foods

You should totally avoid eating crunchy foods after a dental cleaning. These foods put pressure on the teeth. Since the enamel layer is weaker and vulnerable after a cleaning, crunchy foods can’t be a good food choice. Some crunchy foods stick in between teeth and stay there long. Popcorn, seeds, roasted chickpeas, frozen foods, cereals, etc., can put pressure on the teeth if you’ve done a cleaning recently.

Opt for non-crunchy alternatives which easily pass through the mouth. Fruits like strawberry, cherry, etc., can be good alternatives if taken in a diluted concentration. 

Neither Hot nor Cold

Foods should be temperate, neither hot nor cold. Since the enamel layer remains porous, heat and chilling coldness can easily pass through the layers to the pulp. Cold foods cause sensitivity in teeth. After teeth cleaning, you should completely avoid eating cold or hot foods.

Small-sized bites

Think again if you want to go for a burger or pizza right after a dental cleaning. The bigger bites put much pressure on the brand new teeth. Slice foods in small pieces chew them comfortably in the mouth. Small bites put less pressure on the teeth. If you want to have one of your favorite solid foods, slicing them into small pieces might favor you in this case.

Liquids

Drink water as much as you can because they’re totally stain-free. But choosing other options like red wine, coffee, or tea can ruin the results from teeth cleaning. Energy drinks like Gfuel should be your last choice to pick after a few days.

What can I eat after deep cleaning of teeth

Deep cleaning combines scaling of the teeth and root planing. This procedure should only be chosen if you suffer from any gum diseases. However, deep cleaning puts a toll on oral health. You may get infections after the procedure. Besides medication, you’ve to be careful about eating after a deep cleaning of teeth.

You need to select soft foods to avoid stickiness. The more time they stay in the mouth, the more chance of bacteria to feast on the foods and produce plaques and stain the glistening teeth. Soft foods ward off teeth sensitivity as they quickly pass through the mouth. You can find many soft foods ideas online. However, to make any solid foods into soft items, simmer them, mash, and blend them. Eating soft foods after deep cleaning averts any chance of infections and chronic problems of teeth.

Can I drink coffee after deep cleaning

Coffee contains pigments like caffeine which has highly staining properties. Drinking coffee might energize you through a hectic day. But it will surely undo the hard work in deep teeth cleaning. 

But you can’t afford the sensitivity coffee will produce. Teeth remain highly sensitive due to the elimination of plaques. As coffee is either hot or cold, it’ll produce intolerable sensitivity in teeth after deep cleaning. That’s why you should abstain from drinking coffee after deep teeth cleaning. And the abstinence should last at least a few days after deep cleaning. You can start drinking coffee whenever you feel okay and relieved of the uncomfortable sensitivity.

Wrap Up

Your concerns should be dealt with by now if it’s about what to eat after teeth cleaning. Stick by the eating guidelines mentioned above to avoid any complications arising from deep teeth cleaning. Hopefully, you’ve found the food ideas to cling to after dental cleaning. You shouldn’t hesitate to avoid coffee as you already know why you shouldn’t drink coffee after deep teeth cleaning.