A root canal treatment involves deep cleaning inside the canals of your tooth, which in turn can irritate the surrounding nerves and gum, so you should expect to feel some discomfort following treatment. The discomfort should only last for a few days and will mean you have avoided the intense pain associated with a dental abscess which can happen if a tooth is left untreated.

In this month’s blog we look at the best aftercare treatment to follow after a root canal treatment.

Wait for the anaesthetic to wear off.

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.

Take painkillers.

Prior to treatment the dentist will numb your tooth using a local anaesthetic this will ensure that you do not feel any pain during treatment. As the local anaesthetic wears off you may experience some mild discomfort or sensitivity. We would advise that you take some over the counter pain killers immediately following the procedure before the anaesthetic wears off to reduce this. When using medications, make sure to follow the instructions carefully and call the surgery if the pain medication is not working.

Avoiding biting on the tooth

It is important that until the treatment has been completed and the tooth has been strengthened with a crown, that you try to minimise chewing on the tooth. This will help to avoid the tooth becoming re-infected and prevent the now fragile tooth from breaking before the tooth can be fully restored.

Maintain good oral hygiene.

Be sure to maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste and use interdental cleaning aids daily to help reduce the risk for further root canal treatment.

Attend your follow up appointments.

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.

Root canal treatments are carried out millions of times each year and in most cases can successfully save a tooth that has become infected or damaged.

Modern technologies and anaesthetics help to ensure that a root canal treatment procedure is as comfortable as possible. Should you experience any severe or lasting pain you should book another appointment so that the dentist can perform further evaluations.

At KentEndo you can be safe in the knowledge that you will always receive the highest possible level of care, in a relaxed and calm environment. If you have any concerns or queries do not hesitate to ask one of teamon 01622 225555