Root canals hurt, there's no doubt about that.
Even with the proper anesthesia during the procedure, you're going to be in
pain afterward.
Proper aftercare is essential both for pain
management and for preventing any infection.
If you've just had or you're planning on
getting one of the most popular procedures in dentistry, perhaps it's time you
learn about proper root canal aftercare.
What to Expect during a Root
Canal
If you're preparing to go in for a root canal,
then you'll probably have some questions.
Does a root canal hurt?
How long does the procedure take?
What's the recovery time look like?
A root canal, despite the intimidating popular
opinion, is a fairly simple procedure. It's used for teeth that have decay
within the pulp. By removing the decay, a tooth can often be saved.
Your teeth are comprised of a few different
things rather than just being a hard piece of bone.
The outer layer - called enamel - is one of
the hardest substances in your body. Within it is a complicated network of
nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue known as the pulp.
The pulp is what keeps your teeth flourishing,
but when something happens to it, you'll experience tooth pain.
When the pulp of a tooth is damaged, it will quickly become infected.
Anyone who
went through this knows the pain, and you might even be going through it right
now.
A root canal removes the pulp from the tooth
before it's sealed. It's actually a relatively painless procedure since local
anesthesia will be used.
You're more likely to work yourself up and
suffer from anxiety than be in serious pain during the procedure. You'll be in
and out of the office in about an hour and a half.
If you're feeling wary of heading in, it's a
good idea to read about some people who've had the procedure done at the
dentist you're using. Most reputable dentists will have quite a few testimonials
on their
websites.
Root Canal Aftercare
Procedures
Your mouth is a vulnerable place - one that's
quite susceptible to infection. Most bacteria that enter your body will do so
through the mouth as you eat and drink.
The discomfort from a root canal is pretty
minimal. This isn't a procedure that will require a couple of days in bed like
getting your wisdom teeth removed.
Instead, your dentist is likely to write you a
prescription for NSAIDs like ibuprofen
. Take them as
prescribed, even if you don't feel like you're in pain. The procedure will
cause some inflammation, so it's not just about managing the pain, but also the
swelling that will occur.
Aftercare can be divided into three stages:
immediately after the procedure, over the next few days, and in the future.
Here's what you can expect.
Immediately After
Your mouth is still going to be numb for at
least a few hours after you've had your procedure. During this time, it's
important that you don't eat anything that needs chewing or drink anything hot.
If you do so, you run the risk of burning your
mouth or biting down too hard on the tooth.
If you're able to fill your prescription or
did so before the procedure, then it's a good time to take your pain
medication.
For the rest of the day, just ride it out. The
pain and discomfort should be quite minimal.
The Next Few Days
During the next few days, you'll want to
ensure that you're taking the following measures:
●Continue taking your medication as
prescribed
●Eat softer foods
●Take care to chew on the side of
your mouth that didn't go through the procedure
●Be careful when brushing the tooth
The pain should subside within a few days. In
more serious cases, though, you may have to return at least once more in order
for the infected pulp to be wholly removed.
The Future
Don't neglect future appointments, even if you
find yourself pain-free. In most cases, the filling used in a root canal is
only for temporary usage - and you'll end up needing a crown at some point.
This is due to the damage incurred to the
tooth during the procedure. It's quite likely that a tooth, especially if it's
severely infected by the time you make it in, will need more than one cleaning
and was likely damaged during the procedure.
Don't neglect any sort of follow-up. Most of
the time, it will be easy enough to just make it back.
Can Complications Occur?
As with any dental procedure, occasional
complications may occur after a root canal. These include infections, the pulp
not being entirely removed, or the tooth cracking if you neglect to follow
proper aftercare procedures.
Contact your dentist if your pain or swelling
worsens after the first couple of days.
Root Canals Nothing to Be
Scared of
It's quite likely that you're going to be more
stressed in the lead up to your root canal than afterward. Nowadays, the
procedure is relatively painless, leading only to mild discomfort and pain for
a few days.
Even root canal aftercare is a simple
procedure in the end.
If you think you might be in need of a
professional dentist and find yourself in the New Rochelle, Yonkers, or Mount
Vernon areas in New York, contact
us
and see what our friendly, professional team can do
for you!
