Oral care after dental work — the 30-day reset.

The dentist gives you a card. No solid food for 4 hours, rinse with salt water after 24 hours. It's not enough. The next 30 days run differently depending on what was done.

After a routine filling ¶

• First 24 hours: Avoid chewing on the side with the new filling. Composite is hardened with UV, but full structural bond takes hours; metal amalgam needs longer.
• Day 2–7: Sensitivity to cold is normal. Lukewarm water for everything.
• Day 7+: Resume normal brushing. Floss carefully around the filled tooth — pull floss out sideways, not up, to avoid catching new restoration edges.
• Month 1: Watch for "bite high" — if the new filling feels taller, return to the dentist within 2 weeks to adjust. Untreated, it cracks the opposing tooth.

After a crown ¶

• First 48 hours: Soft food. The crown is cemented but the cement strengthens over time.
• First week: No flossing the crowned tooth. The temporary cement won't hold.
• Week 2: Resume flossing carefully — slide floss out sideways, not snap it up.
• Month 1: Watch for marginal sensitivity (around the edge of the crown). Mild = normal; sharp pain = call.

After an extraction (non-wisdom-tooth) ¶

• First 24 hours: No spitting (disturbs clot), no straws (suction can dislodge), no smoking.
• Day 2–3: Salt-water rinses, gentle. Brush the rest of the mouth normally.
• Week 1: Soft food still. Avoid the extraction site with the brush.
• Month 1: Site heals visibly. Plan for replacement (implant, bridge, denture) within 3 months — adjacent teeth start to drift after that.

After a root canal ¶

• First 48 hours: Mild discomfort normal. Save chewing for the unaffected side.
• First week: A crown is usually placed within 2–4 weeks. Avoid hard food on the treated tooth.
• Long term: Root-canal-treated teeth are more brittle. Get the recommended crown promptly. Watch for darkening over months — internal bleaching addresses this.

After gum surgery (deep scaling, flap surgery, graft) ¶

• First 24 hours: Cold compress for swelling. No brushing the treated zone.
• Week 1: Soft food. Antibiotic mouthwash if prescribed. Salt-water rinses gently.
• Week 2: Resume brushing the treated zone with extra-soft brush.
• Month 1+: This is when most of the healing happens. Adherence matters.

After whitening ¶

• First 24 hours: No coffee, no tea, no curry, no red wine.
• Week 1: Light hand on brushing; the surface is at peak permeability.
• Week 2: Shade stabilizes.
• Month 1: Photograph for the honest result.

Each procedure rewrites the next 30 days. Match the routine to what was done.

Universal rules across procedures ¶

• Don't use whitening products on a tooth that's just had work done
• Avoid alcohol-based mouthwash for at least 7 days
• Don't skip the follow-up appointment
• Take photos at week 2 and month 1; show them to the dentist if anything seems off

Different procedure. Different month.

Disclaimer. Editorial, not medical advice. Always follow your dentist's post-op instructions.