As the medication used to numb your mouth during the procedure wears off, you may feel some tenderness in the area for a few days as everything heals and some mild soreness in your jaw from keeping your mouth open for an extended period during the procedure.
Everyone's tolerance for pain is different, so there is no set timeline for how long root canal pain lasts. In most cases, patients will experience mild discomfort or pain for the first few days after treatment. Generally, the pain is short-lived as long as the patient uses proper dental hygiene.
Most of the time, people who have had root canal therapy can go back to work or school the next day. However, if you've had sedation during your dental procedure, you may need an extra day or two to fully recover.
While root canal therapy recovery time is less than that of a tooth extraction, it may take a few days before you feel "normal" again.
The number one root canal recovery tip is to get as much rest as possible. Your body is trying to heal and getting an adequate amount of sleep will help you get back to your normal routine asap. When sleeping, make sure to elevate your head in order to minimize the pain from your recently treated dental tooth.
Avoid chewing hard and crunchy foods – you are still in recovery. Give your tooth ample time to heal before you can resume your normal lifestyle. Do not brush your teeth aggressively – while you want to keep away plaque you are not seeking to damage your fillings or cause extreme hypersensitivity.
Swelling may increase 48-72 hours before diminishing. Swelling may be worse in the morning and usually subsides as the day continues. Slight bleeding or oozing may discolor saliva up to 24 hours after surgery. This is normal.
After a root canal, you should expect some mild to moderate pain or soreness . The use of anaesthesia during the procedure will numb any discomfort you feel while your dentist is working.
Can I Brush My Teeth After a Root Canal? The short answer is yes! It's very rare that any dentist will instruct you to not brush your teeth after a dental procedure. Once the numbing medication has completely worn off, you are free to brush your teeth as you normally would.
Not everyone feels pain after a root canal, and of those who do, not everyone will feel a throbbing sensation. However, throbbing pain is known to occur in some patients. It is not a sign that anything went wrong with your root canal procedure, and it usually doesn't require follow-up.
One of the most common causes of post-root canal tooth pain is inflammation, which can be caused by the procedure itself or because the infection caused the tooth ligament to become swollen. In these cases, the swelling will subside in the days and weeks following the root canal, and the pain will resolve on its own.
4-6 hours after the RCT is completed you may notice an aching/throbbing sensation at the tip of the roots, and surrounding tissues. This is normal, and should steadily get better over the next few days. If the symptoms worsen, or you have swelling present please call the office immediately for an evaluation.
Antibiotics are not absolutely necessary after a root canal. After a root canal, you need very little time to recover, and post-operative care is the best way for fast healing. However, a dentist may recommend antibiotics before root canal to improve the chances of a successful outcome.
The root canal procedure is completed in two separate visits to ensure that the tooth is thoroughly cleaned out, sealed up, and protected from further damage.
Your dentist will inform you with the next steps. Because a throbbing tooth after a root canal can indicate a serious problem, including infection, it is wise to not delay treatment on the tooth. Untreated infections in your mouth can spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications.
After root canal the treatment, what next; as the numbness begins to wear off, your mouth will feel heavy, and you might also feel drowsy and sleepy, this is normal.
For 24-48 hours following your surgery, do not suck on a straw, drink from a bottle, rinse, spit, or smoke. Avoid hot and spicy foods, carbonated and alcoholic beverages.
You may experience some mild swelling around the treated tooth or in your face for a day or two after your root canal. New swelling or swelling that persists, though, could mean that your root canal failed.
Foods to Avoid after Root Canal Treatment
You must avoid scorching and freezing foods and beverages that can irritate sensitive teeth. Sticky foods like caramel, gum, candy, and hard foods like nuts are best avoided. Do not consider having chewy foods like steak and crusty bread.
For the following 24 hours After Treatment you must: Avoid any dark staining drinks like Tea, Coffee, Red Wine, colored soft or alcoholic drinks and fruit juice.
Mashed potatoes, meatloaf, or shredded-meat for a filling meal. Ripe, canned, or cooked fruit as a snack (try with soft cheese or peanut butter!) Pasta, noodles, quinoa, or couscous provide much-needed substance.
What to expect after a root canal? For the first few days after a root canal, some patients experience sensitivity, swelling, or inflammation, while others experience an uneven bite or a reaction to the medication provided by the endodontist. Regardless of symptoms, a follow-up appointment is almost always needed.
Root canal therapy is an invasive procedure that involves extracting the infected part of your tooth. After the treatment, your body will require time to heal properly, which should not stop you from your daily routines. You can always return to work the next day after the treatment.