Effective Options for Post Root Canal Pain Relief

Sometimes a cavity goes from moderate to severe within a very short window of time. Oftentimes, a case such as this usually calls for a root canal. A root canal is a serious procedure and requires the removal of the tooth root and pulp which can be extremely painful. Not only is this procedure painful during, but also after. Many people report extreme soreness in the gum and jaw immediately after the surgery and for a few weeks afterwards. Luckily, there are a number of options for alleviating the pain, so that you can get back to living a normal life. Plus, many of these options don’t require the use of heavy narcotics. Here are some effective options for post root canal pain relief.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to alleviate root canal pain is to take an over the counter medication, like ibuprofen or aspirin. Usually, you can take the recommended dosage every four or so hours – or until you start to feel pain again. In most cases, you can reduce your dose over the week that it takes for your root canal to heal or until the pain becomes dulls enough to not need any light pain relief medications.

Another option to prevent the pain from getting worse is to not eat any hard foods or meals that can get stuck in your teeth. Biting down on a nut or hard candy after a root canal can be extremely painful. So, you want to be mindful about what you chomp down on – at least a few weeks after your procedure. When it comes to root canals, you may think your tooth is completely healed, but you could make the pain return by biting down on something hard. If you have a meal that may be tough to eat – you can usually cut it up or blend it in a blender.

Next, you want to ask your dental clinic about proper maintenance methods. Maintenance and cleaning is one of the best ways to prevent an infection or any other major complications. A dental clinic, like Valley Family Dentistry, will probably be able to recommend a specialized mouthwash that you can use after brushing. A dentist will also urge you to brush and floss your teeth twice a day. After a root canal, flossing around the affected area may be difficult, but you definitely want to brush. Not brushing for even a day could result in a cavity flare up.

Lastly, if your pain is especially bad and there seems to be no respite, you may want to talk to your dentist about taking a heavier medication or painkiller. Sometimes, over the counter medications don’t do the trick – usually because the pain is quite severe. In that instance, an opiate-based medication may be prescribed. Once you get the prescription, it is important to follow the directions, because the last thing you want is to develop a habit or mix the medications with other medications, because you could cause an adverse reaction. If you follow the directions, though, your pain should subside enough until it is manageable.