For patients who have experienced pain, tooth decay, or other jaw problems, a root canal may be the suggested procedure. When you have a root canal, you will need to take care of the surgery site and eat soft foods in order to avoid more pain and infection. David G. Johnson D.D.S is here to help you heal from a root canal and improve the quality of all of your teeth with proper endodontic treatment. For patients who need a root canal, you may have experienced more pain before the root canal process, in order to avoid unnecessary pain. 

Eat Safe Foods

After a dental procedure, you may find it hard to eat certain foods or eat normally for the first few days after the procedure. There are some foods you should definitely avoid after a root canal such as gum, nuts, sticky candy, and alcohol. Recovery time for each patient will vary, so make sure to check with your dentist before you fully return to hard and acidic foods. 

Foods that are safe and appropriate for after a root canal include:

• Smoothies
• Pudding
• Pasta
• Eggs
• Pears
• Soup
• Mashed Potatoes
• Macaroni And Cheese
• Lentils
• Fish

Eating foods that are soft but also nutritious is important for protecting your surgery site as well as keeping up with other aspects of your physical health. Eating after a root canal may be a little tricky, but avoiding foods or eating at all can cause more pain and issues down the road. 

Take The Correct Medication

Some dentists or endodontists may give you some pain medication after your root canal. Other over-the-counter pain medications can also help with pain and swelling for the few days that follow. 

Besides taking medication, a cold compress could help with swelling and inflammation as well. Using your mouth lightly, preventing your jaw from staying open for long periods of time can prevent temporary pain. 

Watch For Dangerous Symptoms

Taking new medication after a procedure can sometimes come with adverse reactions. If you start to notice a rash, hives, or itching on your body, it may be time to talk to your endodontist to prevent further damage and sickness. There are other medications that can help with the pain that will not cause an allergic reaction. 

If you notice swelling outside of your mouth or pressure that lasts for more than just a few days, this can be another cause for concern. If your swelling is not diminishing with cold compresses, medication, or other methods, contact your dentist or endodontist immediately. 

It is normal to experience some pain and swelling for a day or two after a root canal, but prolong symptoms and severe pain is not normal and should be looked at by an endodontist or other health professional. 

Attend Follow Up Appointments And Cleanings

After your root canal procedure, there will be follow-up appointments to ensure you are healing properly and your teeth are not experiencing any other decay. There will also be an appointment to apply a final crown to the fully restored tooth. This is an important part of the root canal process in order to protect the tooth from full decay. 

Follow-up cleaning and check-up appointments are important to keep all of your teeth for the rest of your life. These cleanings can help you avoid root canals or other dental procedures in the future. 

Working With David G. Johnson D.D.S

Our office in Layton and Centerville, UT, works to provide you with all of your options for tooth decay and other dental procedures. Keeping your teeth from decay, straight, and shiny is our top priority. Root canal therapy can help prep our patients and help them recover in the shortest amount possible. With our skilled endodontic team, you can have beautifully restored teeth and prevent further dental procedures. Contact our office today to learn what services we offer and what we can do for you! 

Root canals are often associated with immense pain, so it’s no wonder that if you’re told you need a root canal, you’ll end up stressing about how painful it is and want to learn how best to manage the pain. You’ll be relieved to learn that the idea that root canals are painful is a dated one, and something that is no longer true. As a matter of fact, root canals are done in order to relieve your pain, not to inflict more pain upon you. Here’s what you need to know about the persistent myth that root canals are painful and why it’s just that: a myth.

Why People Think Root Canals Are Painful

Root canals used to be painful, this is true. However, with the development of modern medicine and anesthesia, getting a root canal is now no more painful than getting a filling done. There is a difference in the recovery period, as your teeth will be more sensitive for a longer period of time after getting a root canal, as opposed to after getting a filling. However, this sensitivity typically goes away if the procedure was done correctly and was successful.

Unfortunately, even though it’s no longer true that root canals are this extremely painful and stressful procedure, that remains the common perception of them. This is because people believe that root canals involve tooth extraction, that anesthesia doesn’t help or that the endodontist doesn’t use anesthesia at all, and more. This ignorance is widespread, and there isn’t much media to combat it, at the moment. Thus, most people simply don’t know any better until either they need one done or someone they know gets one.

It’s unfortunate that this dental treatment has such a negative reputation when its purpose is to save your natural tooth and to alleviate the pain that’s causing you to need this treatment done in the first place. 

The Truth About Root Canals And Pain

If you need a root canal, chances are, you’re in pain, although you can need a root canal without experiencing any pain at all. This could be another reason why people believe that root canals are painful – because if you need one, you’re in pain. However, the purpose of a root canal is to treat the issue that is causing you pain. As such, rather than causing pain, people who get root canals usually find that the treatment alleviates their pain, because it treats the underlying cause of it. 

Pain During A Root Canal

As previously mentioned, modern medicine has come a long way. This means that your endodontist will likely use anesthesia in order to numb the area, so that you won’t feel any pain. You’ll likely experience some pressure, the same as you would when getting a cavity filled. However, there’s no need to worry about the procedure itself being painful.

Everyone is different when it comes to pain. This means that you may need some more anesthesia in order for the area to be totally numbed. You can always ask your endodontist for more anesthesia. They care a lot about taking care of you, and they don’t want you to be in pain anymore than you do. If you need some more anesthesia than what is initially given in order to numb the area, don’t hesitate to ask for a bit more. 

If you experience pain during a root canal, know that this is not normal and that you do not have to grin and bear it. There is no shame in asking for some more anesthesia, if need be. Your endodontist is trained in how to do all sorts of procedures, and they will know how to use anesthesia properly in order to keep you healthy.

Pain After A Root Canal

As previously mentioned, it’s expected that the recovery period after getting a root canal will involve some more sensitivity than other procedures, such as a filling. Your endodontist will advise you on care after your root canal. In general, you’ll likely experience some more soreness and sensitivity following a root canal than you would with a filling. You can keep the pain following a root canal to a minimum by taking medications, avoiding hard and crunchy foods until the pain subsides, and more.

The pain following a root canal should only last a few days following the procedure. If it persists, this is something that you’ll want to contact your endodontist about. 
David G. Johnson, D.D.S. is here to help with any concerns you may have about root canals. If you need a root canal, rest assured that we will take care of you, and that the pain should be kept to a minimum. Contact us today to learn more.

Root canals need proper after-care to heal correctly. If you have recently received a root canal, we recommend following our tips to help your root canal heal correctly and to keep the tooth healthy for years to come.

What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is performed when the pulp of the tooth has become infected and is dealing with decay. Root canals will remove the damaged and infected tissue and replace it with a special filling to preserve the tooth. However, without proper protection, the tooth will become brittle and can break if it is not covered with a dental crown.

Removal of the dentin will essentially render the tooth “dead”. While patients no longer experience pain from the tooth, they will need to care for the tooth properly or risk additional decay to the tooth. A root canal with additional decay will need to be re-treated in the future. In addition, a root canal could eventually fail if the teeth and gums aren’t cared for in the right manner. If the root canal tooth fails, you will be facing a tooth extraction of the tooth and replacement with a dental implant. However, we find with the right oral health routine, patients can keep their root canaled teeth safe and healthy and can avoid painful extractions and implants in the future.

Understanding a Root Canal Procedure

Following a root canal, patients should feel tenderness and soreness and mild pain. If you are in severe pain, contact our office immediately. Patients normally feel tenderness for a few days and the jaw may feel sore for a day or two as well. Over-the-counter medications normally suffice to reduce inflammation and pain associated with a root canal.

We recommend patients avoid chewing on the area, especially if you need to crown the tooth. Depending upon the outcome of your root canal, and the way the healing process is going, some patients may need to avoid chewing on the tooth for several weeks to allow the area to heal fully.

At Home Care Following a Root Canal Procedure

Following a root canal, you will need to follow proper oral hygiene care to help the area heal. We recommend you brush at least twice per day, floss at least once per day, and use mouthwash to keep your teeth and gums clean and free of bacteria and food particles.

We recommend soft foods for the first few days to help the area heal correctly. Water is essential to keep the mouth cleaned and reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth.

After a week, we will ask you to come back to our office, or schedule an appointment with your general dentist to check on the healing of the root canal. As long as everything is healing as it should, you can move forward with crowning the tooth. Crowns will cover the root of the tooth, keeping it protected against bacteria and reducing the risk of infection.

In addition to proper oral hygiene, we recommend following a healthy, balanced diet. Certain foods like soda can lead to problems with gum recession, which does make the root canal vulnerable to infection if the root is exposed below the gumline.

Schedule a Root Canal Consultation

Prior to performing a root canal, Dr. David G. Johnson will examine the tooth, review x-rays, and discuss root canal treatment. Our expert team will schedule your root canal and include information about the procedure along with proper care tips to help the tooth remain healthy and protected.