Category Archives: Root Canal

For years, root canals have been one of the most uncomfortable dental procedures available. Luckily, with advancements in technology and better dental practices – a great dentist can perform a root canal with minimal discomfort and virtually no pain!

That being said, root canals are extremely important and are usually one of the last measures to save a tooth from extraction. In this blog post, we give you an overview of the procedure and what you need to know before and after the procedure.

Should I Get a Root Canal or an Extraction?

When bacteria gets too deep into the tooth, a filling is no longer an option. That leaves patients with only two options: tooth extraction or a root canal. 

There are a few reasons why you might need a root canal or an extraction. If you have a tooth that is severely decayed or damaged, a root canal may be necessary to save the tooth. Unfortunately, an extraction may be necessary if the tooth is too damaged for your dentist/endodontist to save. For example, if you have a tooth that is abscessed, an extraction may be necessary to remove the abscess.

However, if the bacteria has only caused an infection in your tooth, a root canal may still be a great option to remove the infected tissue without need for extraction. 

Before a tooth gets to this stage, the first sign of trouble brewing is a cavity. A cavity causes tell-tale signs and symptoms including but not limited to:

Sensitivity in the tooth

Pain in the tooth

Discomfort and/or pain when chewing or biting

It is important to never ignore any pain or discomfort that you experience. The longer you wait to seek medical assistance, the worse the condition can get. At a certain stage of infection, extraction might be the only solution to protect your overall oral and general health. 

Are You Put to Sleep During a Root Canal?

You will only need to get numbed during a root canal procedure and unless you suffer from severe dental anxiety, you won’t need to be put to sleep. 

A root canal is a fairly non-invasive procedure done to save your tooth. A root procedure involves removing the damaged tissue from inside the tooth, cleaning and disinfecting it, and then filling and sealing it. Root canals are usually performed by dentists or endodontists (specialists who treat conditions of the teeth and their root canals).

Although it sounds like a time consuming procedure, a root canal takes approximately one hour. Depending on how the procedure is performed, you might need two visits to complete the entire procedure. During the first visit, the dentist will clean out the root canal and place a temporary filling. The second visit is used to check that the infection has gone and permanently seal the root canal. After your root canal, it is recommended that you get a crown to protect the integrity of your enamel and prevent it from breaking.

While there are several steps involved, a root canal should be no more uncomfortable than a filling.

If you’ve had the procedure done with no sedation, you will be able to drive home. For patients that were put under sedation, they will need someone to drive them home for their own safety.

How Can You Avoid a Root Canal?

Avoiding a root canal will require you to follow basic oral health guidelines. Although it’s simple and we probably all know it by now, it is normal for people to forget every now and then. Unfortunately it takes only a few days of forgetting to brush your teeth before you get a cavity.

Here are some of the basics:

Brush twice a day. It goes without saying. However, several people (children and adults) forget to brush their teeth especially at night. 

Floss daily. Brushing your teeth is just cleaning 70% of your teeth. Flossing gets to those hard to reach areas and prevents root-damaging bacteria from forming.

Avoid hard candies. Hard candies and snacks crack your teeth giving bacteria an entry point.

Avoid acidic drinks and foods. Acidic drinks weaken your enamel and fill your teeth with sugar that bacteria can feed on. 

Stick to your regular dental appointments. Going for regular cleanings and checkups means your dentist can clean plaque and tartar that you can’t get rid of in a dental cleaning. This is perhaps the most important way for you to prevent a root canal. It also gives your dentist the opportunity to find any cavities before they progress and an infection gets deeply rooted and cannot be saved with a filling. 

What are the Long-term Benefits of a Root Canal? 

Perhaps the most important benefit of a root canal procedure is that it stops the spread of infection. This not only saves your tooth from infection, but it also protects your overall health. Dental infections can spread far into the body and can cause other health problems including health disease. 

A root canal will also:

Stop your pain

Improve your chewing

Improve the aesthetic appearance of your tooth

In Conclusion

A root canal is definitely scarier than it sounds. When done right and by a high-trained and qualified dental team like our dentists at Akemi, it should be painless and effective.

Like with any other dental procedure, it is important for you to identify a qualified dentist/endodontist who will perform the procedure. If a root canal is not done properly, the infection will still remain and will cause even more damage. 

Do you think you need a root canal? Get an evaluation from our dentist to see which is the best treatment plan for you and your specific needs. 

endodontist, root canal, root canal treatment

Before sharing skills about what you can do after a root canal, let’s describe what a root canal is. First, did you know that Inside your tooth, there’s something beneath the enamel and dentin called pulp. This tissue contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue, which grow the root of your tooth during its development. A permanent tooth can survive without the pulp because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it, depending on the state of your tooth and your own circumstances. Getting a root canal is relatively pain-free and very effective. How would you know if a root canal is needed? A root canal is required for genetics and injury, a cracked tooth from a large cavity, or a filling issue. Patients usually need a root canal when they notice their teeth are sensitive, particularly to hot and cold sensations. 

After a root canal, you must take a rest, yes take a rest! That is, only If you want to see a better result. But don’t worry about it, because Akemi Dental Specialists are here for you, we are your endodontist and will send you home with all the instructions that you need for pain management. We love to help you with your pain, and of course, we will teach you how to care for your tooth while you’re waiting until your next appointment. You’ll have to return to your dentist for a final crown to restore the tooth entirely once your root canal is completed. It’s essential to make this appointment when your endodontist finishes work on your tooth.

What Can You Eat After A Root Canal?

Saving the natural tooth with root canal treatment has many advantages, like efficient chewing, normal biting pressure and sensation, a natural appearance, and it protects other teeth from excessive wear or strain in any way. It Is essential to know what kind of food you can eat after root canal care. You will continue to be numb for a couple of hours in the mouth area where the treated tooth is. It is ideal not to eat until the numbness completely wears off. It is hard to eat when your mouth is numb, and chewing may cause you to bite your tongue or cheek inadvertently. Suppose you grind your cheek at that moment, in that case, you will not feel anything or feel like you’re munching gum. Chewing could cause soreness in the jaw on the side doing most of the chewing. Avoid carbonated and alcoholic beverages and hot and spicy foods. Following is a list of foods that you can safely eat. Remember that your tooth is so sensitive and you need soft food.

• Bananas
• Peaches
• Fruit smoothies. 
• Soft cereals
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Mangos
• Milkshakes
• Pears
• Applesauce
• Pudding
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Soup
• Tuna Salad

Can You Drink Out Of A Straw After A Root Canal?

Don’t drink anything through a straw, as the sucking action could disturb the filling material in the treated tooth. Use a glass or cup and drink with caution. We recommend for 24-48 hours following your surgery, do not suck on a straw, drink from a bottle, rinse, spit, or smoke. 

Can You Go To Work After A Root Canal?

Most people can go right back to work, school, or other activities. You may want to wait until the moment you feel comfortable and better. All people are different; some people need to rest to feel better. If, after a root canal, you think you can go and work, we recommend you rest because you may not be able to work safely after the procedure. Most root canal procedures are done with a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and usually don’t cause much pain or discomfort. If you receive sedation medication or general anesthesia, you’ll want to get a ride home. 

Does A Root Canal Hurt?

If you present pain after your root canal, stay calm. Soon, the pain and discomfort will go away, but let me explain to you something important about the pain. There are several reasons that you may experience some pain. First, the nearby ligaments surrounding nerves and tissue may be swollen or inflamed, which can cause some discomfort and pain. The tooth nerve has been removed during root canal therapy, so it is expected that your tooth should soon feel completely pain-free. If you have some minor pain for a few days, don’t stress and don’t worry. You’ll be pain-free once the root canal site has healed and recovered from treatment. Root canal care requires us to clean out the root canal with sharp dental instruments. It’s possible to show a little minor damage and trauma from this process, which will take some time to heal appropriately.

In Conclusion

Now let’s all remember what we learned about what we can do after a root canal; for example, take a rest to let your body recover. It is best not to try to eat until the numbness completely wears off because you can have the possibility of biting your cheek and tongue, be careful at the moment. You want to drink using just the glass, never through a straw. Avoid carbonated and alcoholic beverages and hot and spicy food. Your tooth is sensitive, and you need soft food like eggs, bananas, and fruit.

Finally, you don’t have to be scared; come here with us, we are professional, and we love to work with you and give you a beautiful and painless smile. We are here with open arms waiting for you to decide. Let us care about your smile.