Aftercare
Root canal treatment aftercare
How to care for your tooth after root canal treatment: ease discomfort, protect the tooth between visits, and set it up for long-term success.
This is general aftercare guidance, not a substitute for the specific instructions your dentist gave you. If their advice differs, follow theirs. If you are worried about your recovery, please contact us.
Quick guide
Do's and don'ts
- Take pain relief before the numbness wears off
- Complete the full course of any antibiotics
- Chew on the opposite side
- Brush and floss gently around the tooth
- Attend all of your follow-up visits
- Proceed with the final crown or onlay as advised
- Contact the clinic if symptoms get worse
- Do not chew while still numb
- Do not stop antibiotics early
- Do not chew on the treated tooth
- Do not eat hard or sticky foods
- Do not miss your next appointment
- Do not delay the permanent restoration
- Do not ignore swelling or discharge
First few hours
Immediate care
- Numbness precaution: Until the numbness wears off, be mindful not to chew your lips or cheeks, and avoid hot food or drinks, as you may injure yourself without realising.
- Pain management: Take the prescribed pain medication before the local anaesthetic wears off to minimise discomfort.
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics may be prescribed to control infection spreading beyond the tooth. Take the course exactly as prescribed and finish the course.
Understanding soreness after treatment
A pre-existing infection or inflammation, such as an abscess or an acutely inflamed tooth, can linger and does not disappear immediately after treatment.
The cleaning and shaping involved in root canal treatment can also irritate the ligament and tissues around the tooth, making it sore to bite on at first.
Keeping your mouth open for a long time can leave the jaw muscles or joint aching, which may also feel like tooth pain.
Ongoing care between visits
- Chewing: Avoid sticky foods such as chewing gum and caramel, and hard items such as nuts and ice. It is best to avoid chewing on the treated tooth and to chew on the opposite side until treatment is complete.
- Oral hygiene: Keep up good oral hygiene. Brush well, and floss carefully around the treated tooth to avoid trapping food.
- Temporary filling or crown care: If a temporary filling or crown is in place, take extra care not to dislodge it. Avoid hard and sticky food, and floss carefully around the tooth.
- Follow-up appointments: Attend all scheduled visits to complete treatment and make sure the tooth heals properly.
- Continue your medication: Keep taking your medication as labelled for the best healing and a speedy recovery.
Protecting the tooth long term
- A treated tooth can become brittle: A root-canal-treated tooth often becomes more brittle over time. Avoid biting hard, sticky or chewy foods on it to prevent the tooth from fracturing.
- Proceed with the final restoration: For long-term success, please proceed with the final crown or onlay as advised. It restores proper chewing strength and greatly reduces the risk of the tooth fracturing during use.
When to contact us
Please contact us immediately if you experience:
- Severe or increasing pain
- Swelling that worsens, or fever or chills
- A bad taste, pus or discharge
- A loose or lost temporary filling or crown
- A tooth that feels very high, so you cannot bite down
- Hives or a skin rash, swelling of the lips or eyelids, wheezing or shortness of breath, or severe diarrhoea as an adverse reaction to any medication prescribed
Related treatments
Questions about your recovery?
Not sure if something is normal?
If anything about your recovery does not seem right, call or message us. We will advise you, and arrange a review if you need one.