If you’re an avid smoker, you may be wondering if you’re allowed to smoke after a dental cleaning. The general consensus is that most patients should wait a few hours, and sometimes as long as up to 24 hours before starting to smoke again to allow the teeth and gums to fully heal.

However, this can be difficult especially if you have intense cravings. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do like using gum or nicotine patches to help keep cravings at bay while your teeth are allowed to fully heal.

Can You Smoke After a Deep Cleaning

After a dental cleaning, teeth and gums are more sensitive, and if you’ve had an extensive deep cleaning or dental procedure, your gums may take a while for proper healing to occur. Smoking should therefore be delayed for a few hours, and in most cases delayed as long as 24 hours to allow the gums to properly heal. This is because the chemicals found in cigarette smoke and vapes can impact the healing process and make it take much longer for gums to fully heal.

Nicotine can also stain teeth, and the damage caused by nicotine can be amplified if used right after a deep cleaning. This is because deep cleaning and whitening agents can make teeth temporarily more porous and prone to chemicals entering the tooth. This can lead to excess staining and can potentially reverse the benefits of a good deep cleaning.

How Long After Teeth Cleaning Can I Smoke

Wait a few hours, but ideally as long as 24 hours after a teeth cleaning to resume smoking. However, if you’re someone who smokes often, this may seem like a daunting task.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep the cravings at bay while your teeth are allowed to heal fully. The first thing you can do is to chew gum; the physical sensation of chewing gum can help decrease cravings, especially if you’re using nicotine gum. Some patients also find some relief from sucking on sunflower seeds.

The second thing you can do is use a nicotine patch, which can also help curb any cravings and make it easier to go for 24 hours without puffing on a cigarette.

Of course, the long term goal is to stop smoking entirely. It’s no secret that excessive smoking and vaping can negatively impact both overall body health, but especially oral health. Smoking and vaping has been linked to things like bad breath, gum disease, teeth staining, increased tartar and plaque accumulation, and oral cancer.

Though it can be difficult to quit smoking, there are resources available to help you begin the journey towards a smoke-free lifestyle. If you feel as though you’re ready to take the first steps, speak with your doctor to construct a realistic plan. For more information contact our dentists at Atlantic Dental Arts Wilmington, 264 Main St, Wilmington, MA 01887, (978) 488-9001.