Root canals are dental procedures that are sometimes necessary when a tooth has chipped, cracked, or decayed to the point where the inner section of the tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves is affected. Root canals have the reputation of being a painful procedure, but with modern techniques and anesthetics, patients typically experience relatively no pain during the process. Once the anesthetic wears off, however, some patients experience soreness in their mouths in the days following the procedure. In this article, we’ll offer you some tips on how you can make the root canal recovery process as comfortable and successful as possible! If you have any questions about the root canal procedure or recovery process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at one of our offices in Southern Maine!

Take Pain Medication As Recommended By Your Dentist

When the anesthetic that is administered to you during the root canal procedure wears off, you may experience some pain, soreness, and discomfort in your mouth and jaw. To combat this discomfort, your dentist may recommend taking some over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Be sure that you adhere to the guidelines your dentist gives you regarding pain medication and never take more than the recommended dosage!

Eat Soft Foods In The Days Following The Procedure

Because of the post-procedure soreness you may experience following a root canal, eating in the following days can be uncomfortable. For this reason, we recommend sticking to soft foods for a few days after the root canal has been completed. Soft foods can reduce the need for excessive chewing, and therefore can reduce the pain you may feel in your mouth while at the same time keeping you satiated. Some soft foods that are great to eat in the days following a root canal procedure include:

• Yogurt
• Applesauce
• Mac & Cheese
• Mashed Potatoes
• Scrambled Eggs
• Soups

Gargle Warm Salt Water

One more thing you can do to help make the root canal recovery process a success is regularly gargling with warm salt water in the days following the procedure. The reason that doing so is helpful is because the gums surrounding the tooth that was worked on can be susceptible to infection. Rinsing with warm salt water can help clean out your mouth and keep your gums from becoming infected.

Contact Gentle Dental Maine!

If you have any questions about root canal surgery recovery or believe that you have a tooth that may need a root canal procedure, please don’t hesitate to contact Gentle Dental Maine! We offer root canals, tooth extractions, and a wide range of other services at each of our offices in South Portland, Biddeford, and Topsham. Give us a call at any one of our offices, or if you’re not yet a patient with us, please fill out the new patient forms on our website!