If you want to have a beautiful smile, one of the best things you can do is attend regular dental checkups and have your teeth professionally cleaned. It is recommended that you have your teeth cleaned by your dentist twice a year. During the cleaning, the dentist can ensure that your oral health is looking as good as it can be. Your oral health is directly linked to the rest of your health so it is important that you look after it.
However, one of the big concerns about getting your teeth cleaned seems to be when you can eat afterwards. Many people do not eat anything before a dental appointment and end up needing to eat as soon as they leave the building. But what should you do if you have a teeth cleaning?
Eat before your appointment
As tempting as it is to keep your teeth clean for your appointment, it is much easier to eat something before you attend a teeth cleaning. Not only will it save you from starving yourself, but your dentist can also see the places where food gets stuck straight after you have eaten. As annoying as it might be to have the dentist point this out to you, you need to know if there are any problem areas.
You can eat straight away
This might come as a shock but you can eat as soon as you get out of the dental chair. The question is, will you be able to eat anything? Having a teeth cleaning can leave your mouth feeling sensitive and you might not want to eat anything until the feeling has calmed down.
Foods that are too hot or too cold can be difficult to handle for a while so it is best to leave them for a few hours or until you feel ready. The feeling in your mouth is due to the plague being removed from above and below the gum line. Working with your mouth in this way can cause some discomfort.
What you should avoid
If you are feeling hungry and want to get something to eat straight away, there are some foods that you should avoid for a while. This is because the tooth surface will be more porous for around 6 hours and can be stained easily. These foods include-
● Cold foods such as ice cream can cause pain through sensitivity.
● Spicy foods such as curries as the spices in the sauce can cause staining.
● Sticky foods that might contain a lot of sugar.
● Crunchy foods can cause pain in your gums.
● Citrus foods can cause stains.
● Sugar foods including sugary drinks.
● Tea, coffee and wine can all cause staining.
● Vegetables such as red cabbage, tomatoes, and beets can all cause staining.
● Smoking can cause staining and should be avoided generally.
This might make it seem like you cannot eat anything but there are options. Soft foods such as soup and mashed potatoes will make it easy on your teeth and gums. Sugary drinks should be avoided in general but especially after a teeth cleaning.
Treatments
There is one exception to the rule of eating straight away and it is when you have a treatment. Fluoride treatments are designed to repair the enamel of your teeth and prevent tooth decay. If you have had a fluoride treatment, you should wait at least 30 minutes before you eat or drink anything. If you do not wait for 30 minutes, you will not get the best result from the treatment as the fluoride will be diluted.
If your treatment has involved an air polisher, you should wait around 30 minutes because your teeth have a higher chance of staining. Having a treatment as part of your cleaning should be thought of as a fresh start for your mouth. All of the plague has been removed, enamel strengthened and smiles looking whiter. Give your mouth a chance to get the most out of the treatment, it is only a few hours that will last for months.
Special considerations
There are some things to take into consideration when you get your teeth cleaned. As a general rule, teeth cleaning is safe for everyone. However, if you have a heart condition, you may need to take some medication first as there is a chance that germs from your mouth as the plague is removed is introduced into your bloodstream. If you are pregnant, you can still get your teeth cleaned as your hormones can weaken your gums.