Root Canal or endodontic therapy is a procedure for treating the infection that is caused at the center of the teeth. The infected pulp is removed from the soft core so that the pain can be cured and the affected teeth can be saved. If the infected teeth are not treated, then it can lead to dental implants as the organic teeth can’t repair themselves. Root Canal Treatment is widely recommended by dentists to treat the infection as it completely removes the pulp.
There are a lot of people who are frightened to opt for root canal therapy, regardless of the fact that it is the only viable solution to get rid of the tiresome pain. However, if one wants to keep the pearl white teeth for the years to come, then it is the only way, and ignoring the infection can cost quite a lot. Not only the affected area can affect the surrounding tissues, but one can also experience trouble speaking and chewing.
If you are also left with the option of endodontic therapy, then a single question might be bugging you and that is:
What really happens after root canal therapy?
We will explore the post-treatment details thoroughly and how you can speed up the recovery by following a few tips. Let’s start with the thing that you can experience after the treatment:
Post Treatment Effects of Root Canal Therapy
If you are having root canal treatment for the first time, then you might not know what to expect once the treatment is done. Good thing is that the recovery time is less as compared to extraction. Although it may take a few days to go back to your normal routine but it is obvious that you will be much more relieved than it was before the root canal therapy.
It’s a fact that a lot of people are worried about the post-treatment of pain but there’s really nothing to worry about. During the treatment, the dentist will numb the surrounding area so you won’t experience pain at all. Once done with the procedure, your dentist can prescribe OTC painkillers to cope with the post-treatment.
A little bit of sensitivity is common after treatment. Therefore, it is better to avoid drinking chilled beverages, ice cream, or any other cold edibles. Switching to a toothbrush with soft bristles can help with recovery and drinking fluid such as green tea can also keep the pain at bay.
You may feel numb for a while after root canal therapy as dentists use anesthesia which can take a few hours to call off. One should simply wait for the effect to be over and avoid consuming anything. After a while, you can continue with your usual routine but hygienic care is essential.
If the numbness, swelling, and sensitivity don’t go within a few hours or days, then you should simply seek help from the dentist to deal efficiently. However, there’s nothing to worry about as root canal therapy is said to be much more successful than other options.
Post Treatment Tips For Root Canal Therapy
You may experience swelling and sensitivity once done with a root canal that might have a toll on your day. However, you can speed up the recovery by taking additional precautions. All you need is to follow the below-mentioned tips and tricks to call off the pain at the earliest:
Use an ice pack
Swelling is common after Root Canal Treatment and can cause quite a discomfort. You can ease the irritation by using an ice pack. Just hold it against your cheek where the treatment is done and you will observe quite progress in the recovery.
Avoid Exercising
If you start exercising right after the root canal, it will slow down the recovery process and may increase the pain. Avoid it for a few days and make sure that you don’t put enough pressure on your jaws.
Don’t Smoke
If you’re a smoker, then it is advised to avoid it for a few days after root canal therapy. The stuff that you inhale can affect your healing process. However, you can opt for nicotine patches if you can’t resist smoking.
Get Plenty of Rest
Whether it’s a root canal or any other surgery, it is important to get plenty of rest so that you can recover with utmost ease. Take a couple of days off from work, get a lot of sleep, avoid junk food, go easy on yourself and call off your daily activities, doing so will do wonders and ease your pain as there won’t be much of activities going around to affect the recovery process.