If your tooth was really sore before your root canal treatment, then your appetite may also have suffered. The pain of the original abscess, together with a tooth that hurt whenever you ate anything, may have killed your appetite for a few days. Once you've had your root canal done, however, your appetite may come back with a vengeance. While you may be itching to get home to raid your kitchen cupboards and fridge, you need to be careful about what you eat for a while. What do you need to know?
Take Extra Care Until the Anaesthetic Wears Off
Your local anaesthetic is likely to last for an hour or two after you get home from the dentist. While you can technically eat and drink while you're still numb, you need to be very careful of your mouth at this stage. It's easy to accidentally bite the inside of your cheeks or even your tongue at this stage. In some cases, a misjudged chew can make you bite down too hard on the treated tooth which will be painful.
If you're desperately hungry and can't wait to eat, then go for something that doesn't require any chewing like soup. Soft foods like scrambled eggs may also work – just remember to chew slowly and carefully. It may also help to eat on the side of your mouth that isn't numb. If you're really hungry but don't want to eat until your anaesthetic wears off, then make yourself a fruit smoothie. This should fill you up for a while.
Watch What You Eat for a Couple of Days
While your tooth is likely to feel way better than it did before treatment, it may still be a little sore and sensitive for a couple of days. You may not have felt anything during the root canal work, but your tooth has gone through a fairly intense pummelling and it needs time to settle down.
During this period, avoid pain by sticking to foods that don't overtax the tooth or make it more sensitive. For example, you can eat soups, eggs, stews, saucy pasta, fish, and soft fruits without hurting your tooth. In contrast, avoid anything that is hard or that needs a lot of chewing like meat, pizza and crusty bread. This also isn't the time to reach for a crunchy snack, so avoid chips, nuts and snack bars. Plus, you may have increased sensitivity around the tooth, in which case avoid flare-ups by eating warm rather than hot meals and avoiding too many spices.
Not all root canal filled teeth react exactly the same way after treatment. To make sure that you don't damage the tooth or cause yourself unnecessary pain when you're eating, check with your dentist to see if they have any special food recommendations for you.
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