If you are preparing for or contemplating root canal therapy to find relief from the excruciating toothache you experience in a specific tooth, the dentist performing the treatment gives you information on what to expect and everything you must know before the process. Your mouth and gums will feel normal after receiving the therapy, except you will not have the infection, swelling, and pain you currently experience within a couple of weeks after your process. Root canals are relatively straightforward and performed to eliminate infection within your tooth, inflaming the dental pulp. Although the treatment has a fearsome reputation as a painful therapy, you don’t experience any discomfort when undergoing the treatment and allow the root canal dentist to work in your mouth to eliminate the problem in your tooth with the potential to make you lose it. Please do not expect your mouth to remain normal soon after receiving this treatment to relieve the pain you experience. After undergoing a root canal, you must do several things after the procedure to ensure you recover quickly and smoothly without complications. This article focuses on speedy recovery after receiving treatment, providing suggestions to help you during your healing.

Suggestions for Speedy Recovery after Root Canals

Refrain from Eating Soon after Receiving a Root Canal

You receive anesthesia near the affected tooth to numb the area and prevent pain from drilling, removing the dental pulp, and cleaning the canals before filling them with a temporary filler. The dentist providing root canal treatment in Markham, ON, suggests not to eat soon after you leave the dentist’s office because the numbness in your mouth remains with you for three to four hours. The restriction is to ensure you don’t bite your cheeks or tongue to need further treatments from the dentist for mouth injuries. In addition, you must also remain careful not to chew with the treated tooth until the tenderness has disappeared.

Elevate Your Head When Sleeping

You will notice soreness and swelling in the mouth after your procedure. You can help alleviate discomfort by elevating your head when sleeping for the first few nights following the treatment as you recover. Instead, elevate your head using extra pillows to help reduce the discomfort.

Use Medications As Suggested by the Dentist

While root canals will likely not cause pain when the dentist works in your mouth, you will experience discomfort around your gums and jaw after the anesthesia wears off. Your dentist prescribes antibiotics for infections and pain relievers to help you manage the pain. Do not consider skipping doses of the medications prescribed or recommended to ensure you recover smoothly without complications.

Gargling with Warm Salt Water Helps

Dentists recommend not to use over-the-counter mouthwash brands to gargle because they contain alcohol. Instead, they suggest using warm salt water rinses to gargle multiple times because of its antiseptic properties. However, you must remember not to use hot water but rely on warm water when making the rinses.

Cold Compresses and Ice Cream

In the first few days following root canal treatment, you will find it challenging to have your favourite foods to prevent irritation in the mouth. For example, you can eat ice cream without nuts and use cold compresses on your cheeks to inhibit procedure-related swelling. As you recover, you must refrain from smoking, drinking alcohol or using straws for drinking liquids. You must also avoid eating foods that might remain trapped between your teeth until you have recovered to prevent the risk of reinfection.

Take Time off Work

Root canals are unlike dental exams and cleanings and don’t allow you to get involved in everyday activities like playing sports, exercising, working out in the gym, et cetera. Therefore you must take time off work or school for a couple of days after the procedure to relax and avoid strenuous activity while healing.

Tooth Sensitivity Shouldn’t Surprise You

You might think the dentist has eliminated the sensitivity you experienced to hot and cold temperatures before undergoing root canals. Unfortunately, the sensitivity disappears a couple of weeks after the treatment after you have recovered entirely. Therefore if you experience sensitivity, don’t be surprised and rush to the nearest emergency dentist for advice. After you recover from root canal treatment, you must revisit the dentist to restore your tooth with a permanent filling or dental crown because the therapy renders your tooth fragile and prone to fractures and breakage. Getting the tooth fixed with a dental crown proves beneficial because the crown fortifies the weakened tooth to let you enjoy your smile for many years. 14th Avenue Dentistry performs root canal treatments on many patients achieving successful results from the therapy. If you experience pain in a particular tooth indicating the need for root canals, kindly schedule a meeting with this practice to receive the treatment with instructions on how to recover smoothly after the procedure.