What Can I Eat After a Dental Cleaning?

Do you love that smooth, slippery feeling on your teeth when you walk out of your dental appointment? Many people are surprised by how quickly their fresh feeling teeth seem to transition into feeling that they’ve grown a fuzzy coat on them. This feeling is just a normal part of eating food and bacteria getting back to work on your teeth.

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.

What Does A Nutrient-Dense Diet Consist Of?

While a nutrient- dense diet can vary from person to person, these are some general guidelines to get you on the right track:

• Several servings of vegetables per day
• Several servings of fruit per day
• Low sugar dairy such as milk and yogurt
• Healthy fats such as avocado and nuts
• Clean protein such as chicken, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds

Can Foods Be Harmful To Oral Health?

It’s unnecessary to avoid all foods that are not listed on the nutrient-dense diet list to have good health. What is helpful, though, is to use moderation in your eating. Focus on eating as many nutrient-dense foods as you can throughout your day, and then when you enjoy a few of the not-so-healthy things, it’s not the end of the world for your health or your teeth.

Some foods and drinks that can be harmful to your oral health, especially when eaten routinely, include:

• Sugary, acidic soda – can lead to more cavities
• Sugary fruit or energy drinks – can lead to more cavities
• Fruit snacks or other sticky sugar-filled snacks – can lead to more cavities
• Popcorn – the husks can get stuck in and around gum tissue and cause problems
• Processed foods – don’t contain the nutrients that your body and mouth need

You don’t need to avoid all the foods and drinks listed above. Being mindful of how often you are consuming these foods can go a long way to eating a balanced diet and giving your body the proper nutrition that it needs.

What About Food After A Deep Cleaning?

A deep cleaning is dental cleaning geared to reaching the deep pockets around your teeth. This cleaning is more involved than a routine cleaning and promotes healing for those experiencing gum disease.

This type of cleaning often requires local anesthesia. The numbness will likely last a few hours after the appointment. At this time, it is best to avoid eating because you will be at greater risk of biting your cheek or tongue.

Once the numbness wears off, stick to soft, nutrient-dense foods. 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.

Some good examples of soft foods to eat after a deep cleaning include:

• Applesauce
• Yogurt
• Warm soup
• Bananas
• Mashed potatoes

What Should I Avoid After A Fluoride Treatment?

Fluoride varnish is commonly used in the dental office to help build up and strengthen your teeth. Once fluoride varnish is painted on your teeth, it will remain for the next 4-6 hours. In that time, you will want to avoid brushing and flossing but also avoid:

• Hot food and beverages
• Hard and crunchy foods
• Products containing alcohol

Do You have any other questions or concerns regarding food and oral health? Reach out to us with your questions!