Root canal treatment of a damaged or infected natural tooth can enable it to last a lifetime. However, like most treatments, you as the patient must do your part to ensure your procedure is successful.
Proper root canal treatment aftercare can be divided into things you should do immediately after the procedure, during recovery week, and things you should do over the long run. Let’s take a look at each set of instructions so you’ll be well prepared when you have your root canal treatment.
Aftercare Tips: Immediately After Your Root Canal Treatment
Do not eat for several hours after your root canal. This allows the local anesthesia to wear off – you will avoid biting injuries due to numbness.
Do not smoke after your root canal treatment. Smoking tobacco impedes healing.
Make sure you have antibiotics prescribed by your endodontist. This allows you to continue to fight any infection in your tooth.
Keep the endodontist’s contact information handy in case there is post-procedure pain. You should NOT have excruciating pain after a root canal – if you do, call the office so they can look into what is happening.
Aftercare Tips: The Week After Your Root Canal Treatment
Do not bite down using the tooth that received the root canal. Until you’ve had a permanent restoration (usually a crown) placed, you could lose your temporary filling by putting biting pressure on the tooth.
Stick to soft foods while your mouth is healing. You can choose from delicious options that include scrambled eggs, smoothies, yogurt, pasta, noodle dishes, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, hummus, cooked vegetables, or sorbets.
Ease back into your regular activities. You can go to work in a day or two, and start exercising a few days after that. When in doubt, don’t push things; let your body guide recovery.
Aftercare Tips: When Your Root Canal Treatment Is Finished
Make sure you get the permanent restoration (usually a crown) placed over your root canal. This one step is critical to protecting the root canal and cannot be skipped.
Continue to brush and floss daily. You can care for your tooth that received the root canal as you would any natural tooth after the healing stage is complete.
Visit your general dentist regularly. They will monitor your overall oral health and can refer you to an endodontist if you need another root canal or a root canal retreatment.
“Most of the steps that we ask our patients to take after a root canal treatment are simple, but they should be followed closely,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, who practices with Phoenix Endodontics Group. “We are happy to discuss how to follow aftercare instructions and why they are important.”