Why Do My Teeth Hurt After a Dental Cleaning? [Causes & Tips]

At Lynnwood Dental Studio, one of the most common questions our patients ask after their routine or prescribed dental cleaning is: "Why do my teeth hurt after a dental cleaning?"

In most cases, tooth sensitivity or soreness after a cleaning is completely normal and temporary. However, we understand that experiencing pain can be a little unsettling, which is why we are sharing all the important information you should know when undergoing dental cleaning.

Teeth cleanings are a crucial part of routine dental checkups, and mild discomfort after the process is usually a sign that your teeth and gums are responding to deep cleaning.

In this article, you’ll learn why your teeth may hurt after a dental cleaning, what causes sensitivity, how long the pain may last, and how you can minimize post-cleaning discomfort.

Why Teeth Hurt After Dental Cleaning

Professional teeth cleaning involves removing plaque, tartar (calculus), and surface stains from teeth. For this, a dentist often uses instruments like ultrasonic scalers, hand tools, and polishing equipment. While these tools are safe and mostly gentle on your teeth, the cleaning process itself can sometimes expose sensitive parts of your teeth, such as nerves and gum roots, especially during the process of removing built-up plaque or inflammation.

Here are a few other reasons why teeth hurt after cleaning:

1. Gum Inflammation or Recession

If your gums are slightly swollen or damaged, the roots may be partially exposed. These root areas can be more sensitive than other parts of the teeth, especially since they don’t have enamel to protect them. So, they might hurt a little during and after cleaning.

2. Tartar Removal

If there’s tartar building up in your teeth, removing it may cause mild tenderness in both the teeth and gums, depending on the interval between professional cleanings.

3. Deep Cleaning or Scaling and Root Planing

If you have undergone a deep cleaning, you may experience more pain than you would after a routine cleaning. This is because deep cleaning involves thoroughly cleaning your teeth, including below the gumline, which can cause more than normal soreness, at least for a few days.

4. Polishing or Flossing

The professional teeth cleaning procedure also involves polishing and flossing, which can irritate sensitive gums, more so if there’s inflammation.

5. Existing Sensitivity or Dental Issues

If you have significant gum problems, sensitive teeth, cavities, damage, worn enamel, or cracks, the cleaning can be more distressing than usual, with slight discomfort afterwards.

Reasons for Dental Sensitivity

To understand why do teeth hurt after dental cleaning, it may help to learn about dental sensitivity in general.

Your teeth are made up of the following three layers:

1. enamel (outer)

2. dentin (middle)

3. pulp (inner nerve tissue)

Enamel is the hardest, outermost layer. If it wears away, the primary protection of your teeth is gone, leaving dentin exposed.

Dentin is connected to the nerves of the tooth. When it gets exposed, your teeth can become more sensitive to cold, heat, air, or even touch (like during cleaning), and you might feel pain during or afterwards.

Common causes of dental sensitivity include:

• Enamel damage from aggressive brushing, or acidic foods and beverages

• Gum disease or receding gums

• Teeth grinding (bruxism)

• Using tooth whitening products

• Cracks, chips, or cavities

After a cleaning, sensitive teeth may feel slightly more pain or soreness than usual, especially after the removal of old buildup.

How Long Should Teeth Hurt After Cleaning?

In most cases, any discomfort after a professional dental cleaning fades away within a few hours or a couple of days at max.

• Mild soreness or sensitivity after routine cleaning may last a few hours to 1–2 days.

• After a deep dental cleaning, you might feel discomfort for up to a week.

• In the case of extra sensitive teeth, it could take up to a week for the pain to completely go away.

• Sometimes, gums may bleed slightly after cleaning, especially if there is inflammation.

If the pain becomes worse rather than subsiding even after a few days of the procedure, you’re advised to contact your dentist. Prolonged or severe pain after cleaning could signal a serious issue, such as an infection or exposed nerve.

How to Reduce Pain After Dental Cleaning

Even though the pain is usually mild, some people might feel more discomfort than others. Here are a few ways to reduce soreness after teeth cleaning:

1. Use a Soft Toothbrush

Using a hard-bristled toothbrush or brushing aggressively is one of the primary causes of tooth sensitivity. Switch to a soft-bristled or electric toothbrush, especially after a cleaning, to reduce irritation and ensure healthy enamel with normal sensitivity.

2. Rinse With Warm Salt Water

A gentle rinse with warm salt water, multiple times a day, can help reduce gum soreness and accelerate healing after dental cleaning.

3. Use Desensitizing Toothpaste

Some toothpastes (such as Sensodyne) are designed to help block pain signals in sensitive teeth and can strengthen enamel over time.

4. Avoid Acidic or Hot/Cold Foods

In the first few hours or days after cleaning, depending on the severity of pain, avoid:

• Ice cream or other cold foods

• Hot soup or coffee

• Acidic foods

5. Take Pain Relievers

If needed, you can consider taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (Advil) to manage the mild discomfort of teeth after cleaning. Ask your dentist if you’re doubtful.

6. Stay Hydrated and Avoid Smoking

Drinking water generously helps clean bacteria and soothe sore muscles. Avoid smoking, as it can cause more irritation in sore areas of the teeth and delay healing.

Conclusion: A Little Discomfort is a Sign of Progress

Feeling mild pain or soreness after a dental cleaning is usually a sign that your gums are healing and is nothing to worry about. The more gaps there are between cleaning, the more discomfort you’ll likely experience, so try to get your teeth cleaned routinely for a healthy mouth.

However, if you’re experiencing extreme or prolonged pain after your cleaning, reach out to your dentist immediately.

At Lynnwood Dental Studio, we do our best to ensure minimal discomfort during and after your dental cleaning. Our experienced Lynnwood dentists use gentle techniques and safe equipment, and we’re happy to answer any questions you may have about teeth cleaning. We’re committed to providing top-notch dental treatments with compassionate care and personalized recommendations that protect your smile.

Call us today or visit our website to schedule your appointment.