If you’ve had a root canal before, you may be familiar with the slight pain or soreness in your mouth after the fact. During this procedure, the inner chamber of your tooth’s roots get a deep cleaning, which can sometimes irritate the surrounding areas of your mouth. However, this pain shouldn’t persist. It’s okay to feel discomfort for a few days, but anything more and you should get in to see your dentist in Prince albert to see what’s going on. Read on to learn when you should make another visit to the dentist’s office.
What is a Root Canal and Why Are They Important?
The root canal procedure’s main job is to get you out of pain. Typically, you need a root canal when the soft inside part of your tooth is inflamed or infected. The most common cause of this dental issue is severe decay that exposes in sensitive inner part of your tooth.
During the root canal procedure, your skilled dentist will clean out the infected and inflamed tissue inside your tooth’s roots to get you out of current or future pain. Then, they will seal off the area to prevent reinfection or damage.
What is The Recovery Like?
After receiving a root canal, you may experience mild pain or sensitivity for a few days. To make yourself feel more comfortable, you can take over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to ease the pain.
When Should I Go Back to The Dentist After a Root Canal?
You should feel pain or discomfort decrease over time, but if you experience steady soreness or swelling, you should see your dentist. Sometimes, the root canal procedure needs multiple sessions to fully clear out any infected or inflamed material. Pain more than a few days after treatment is a sign that there are still some parts of the inside of your tooth that are infected.
How Can I Avoid Pain After Treatment?
Here are some easy and common ways to avoid pain and discomfort after a root canal in Prince Albert:
- Avoid hard, sticky, or crunchy foods until your pain has subsided.
- If you smoke, try to take a break because tobacco use makes your gums heal slower than normal.
- As mentioned above, find a good over-the-counter pain medication to ease your discomfort.
- You can also try meditation, yoga, or anything else that relieves stress because that can often contribute to pain.
Use these tips to be on the look out for signs of pain more than 3 days after your root canal. That way, you’ll know if you’re feeling normal discomfort, or if you’ll need to go back to your dentist.
Meet the Dentist
Dr. Jerry Janzen is a Prince Albert native who loves caring for patients in his community. He takes pride in offering expert root canal procedures to get you out of pain fast. He currently runs his own practice, and he can be contacted through his website or by phone at (306) 763-7841 for any questions.