Care After Your Dental Cleaning

Your mouth is cleaner and healthier! Follow these recommendations to maintain the results of your professional cleaning longer.

The First Hours

Immediate care to maximize the benefits of your cleaning

• Wait before eating: Wait 30-60 minutes before consuming food or drinks. If we applied fluoride, wait at least an additional 30 minutes.
• Avoid extreme temperatures: Your teeth will be sensitive. Avoid very hot or very cold drinks and foods for the first few hours.
• Don’t rinse or spit: During the first 24 hours, avoid rinsing forcefully or spitting so the applied products can take effect.
• Temporary sensitivity: It’s normal to feel sensitivity in teeth and gums. It will disappear in 1-2 days. Use sensitive toothpaste if needed.

Avoid in the First 24-48 Hours

These foods and drinks can stain your freshly cleaned teeth or cause discomfort

• Coffee and tea: Stain enamel
• Red wine: Stains teeth
• Dark sodas: Colorants and acids
• Tomato/soy sauce: Intense pigments
• Berries: Temporary staining
• Tobacco: Stains and delays healing
• Acidic foods: Damage sensitive enamel
• Alcohol: Irritates gums

What You Can Eat

• Plain water (your best ally)
• Light-colored foods
• Chicken, fish, eggs
• Rice, pasta (without red sauce)
• Cooked vegetables
• Light fruits (banana, green apple)
• Plain yogurt
• White bread

Is It Normal to Feel…?

• Sensitivity to hot/cold: Yes, it’s completely normal and disappears in 1-3 days. The cleaning exposes surfaces that were covered by tartar.
• Slightly swollen gums: Yes, especially if there was a lot of tartar buildup. They’ll improve in 2-3 days with good hygiene.
• Slight bleeding when brushing: It can happen the first few days. If it persists more than a week, contact us.
• Spaces between teeth: If you feel ‘gaps’, it’s because tartar was occupying that space. Your teeth did NOT move, we just cleaned what was between them.
• Intense pain or heavy bleeding: This is NOT normal. If you experience severe pain or bleeding that won’t stop, contact us immediately.

If We Applied Fluoride

Fluoride strengthens your enamel and protects against cavities. For it to work properly:

• Don’t eat or drink for at least 30 minutes
• Avoid dairy products for 24 hours (they interfere with fluoride)
• Don’t rinse your mouth immediately
• Avoid hot foods for the first few hours

Care Summary

Do

• Wait 30-60 min before eating
• Drink plenty of water
• Brush gently
• Use sensitivity toothpaste if needed
• Maintain excellent oral hygiene
• Schedule your next cleaning

Don’t (first 24-48h)

• Consume coffee, tea or wine
• Smoke or use tobacco
• Eat highly pigmented foods
• Rinse or spit forcefully
• Consume very acidic foods
• Forget your hygiene routine

How to Maintain Results

Professional cleaning is just the beginning. Keep your smile this clean:

1. Brush correctly: At least 2 times a day, for 2 minutes. Use a soft-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste. Change your brush every 3 months.
2. Floss daily: Brushing only cleans 60% of your teeth. Floss cleans the remaining 40% between them.
3. Complement with mouthwash: Use a fluoride rinse (alcohol-free) to strengthen enamel and eliminate bacteria in hard-to-reach areas.
4. Watch your diet: Reduce consumption of sugars and acidic foods. Eat fruits, vegetables and drink enough water.
5. Don’t smoke: Tobacco is the biggest enemy of your oral health. It stains teeth, damages gums and causes bad breath.
6. Visit us regularly: Schedule your next cleaning in 6 months to 1 year to keep your mouth always healthy.

How Often Should I Get a Cleaning?

The frequency depends on your individual oral health:

• Every 6 months → Most people with good oral health
• Every 4 months → People prone to tartar buildup or periodontal disease
• Every 3 months → Patients with periodontitis or high risk of gum disease

We’ll tell you what the ideal frequency is for you based on your particular case.

Benefits of Regular Cleaning

• Prevents cavities: By removing the bacterial plaque that causes them
• Prevents gum disease: Gingivitis and periodontitis are prevented with regular cleanings
• Eliminates bad breath: Accumulated bacteria are the main cause of halitosis
• Detects problems early: At each cleaning we check your mouth to detect any anomaly
• Whiter teeth: We remove surface stains from coffee, tea and other pigments
• Save money: Prevention is cheaper than treating cavities or periodontal disease