3 Useful Tips When Recovering From A Root Canal Procedure

When the pulp of a tooth gets infected, it needs to be removed right away. This is a procedure known as a root canal. It's pretty common, but it does involve an extensive recovery. To get through it in a smooth manner, keep these tips in mind. 

Avoid Chewing

After a root canal, the worked on tooth will be extremely sore. Thus, you want to avoid aggravating it any way possible. This means not eating right away. The constant chewing of food is the last thing you want to do after this procedure.

So that you're not required to chew much post-surgery, you can switch to an all-liquid diet. All you'll be required to do is swallow, and this activity won't put a lot of strain on the treated tooth. There are plenty of liquid foods you can consume, including protein and meal replacement shakes. Anything cold will also help with potential swelling.

Take Pain Medication

There may be periods during your recovery where the treated tooth causes a lot of pain. Instead of doing nothing and living in agony, you can take pain medication. Over the counter medication should suffice, but it's important that you don't take too much.

If the tooth is causing an excruciating amount of pain, then you may want to talk to your dentist about prescription medication. It will help with swelling and provide fast relief. However, since prescription medication is a little stronger, it's important that you follow your dentist's directions exactly as stated. These precautions will make a root canal much easier to manage pain-wise. 

Understand Potential Red Flags

Most of the time, root canal procedures go smoothly and don't cause any sort of harmful effects. However, it's still smart to research potential warning red flags you might experience after a root canal. Then, if these red flags surface, you'll know to get to a dentist as quickly as possible before serious consequences result. 

If you're on medication and yet still are in a lot of pain, something may be wrong. For example, the treated tooth could be infected and it thus needs to be seen by a dentist as soon as possible. Other red flags to stay mindful of include progressive swelling and darkening of the tooth.

There may be a time when you need to have a root canal performed. You can ease any apprehension you may have about this procedure by knowing what care steps to take post-surgery.