Root canal therapy is an effective option for saving a severely decayed tooth from extraction and restoring its function and appearance. If you are going to undergo a root canal procedure, you have likely wondered: How long do you need to wait to eat after a root canal? We share the answer to this question and give more tips to ensure a swift root canal recovery below.
After root canal treatment, you should wait for the anesthetic to wear off fully before eating. When your mouth is numb due to the anesthetic, you will not be able to accurately gauge the amount of pressure you are applying when chewing food. The tooth that underwent treatment will be vulnerable during this initial period, and you may accidentally strain or damage it. On top of that, you can accidentally bite your tongue, lips, or soft tissue on the inside of your chicks.
Once the anesthetic wears off, you can have a meal, so long as you are careful not to chew your food on the procedure side of the mouth. In any case, we strongly recommend you adjust your diet for several days after the procedure, opting for liquid foods at first and then for soft foods for the rest of the recovery. Below, we talk about dietary restrictions during root canal recovery in more detail.
For the first 24 hours after root canal therapy, we recommend that you adhere to a liquid diet to minimize the strain put on the jaw, gums, and the treated tooth by chewing. Food included in aliquid diet includes:
In the next 3 days or until the soreness goes away, choose soft foods and do not chew on the procedure side of the mouth. Here are some examples of a soft diet:
When following a liquid and soft diet during your root canal recovery, you will need to pay closer attention to the foods you eat to ensure you still get good nutrition. Consuming enough minerals, vitamins, and protein will help your body heal faster.
Once the soreness and other symptoms go away, you can start gradually introducing to your diet the food you usually eat. However, we still recommend abstaining from tough and sticky foods, such as crackers, nuts, popcorn, hard apples, caramel, toffee, etc. Also, try to avoid foods that require a lot of chewing, such as meat, as it can put unnecessary strain on the jaw and gums.
Apart from the diet, we recommend adhering to other rules that will ensure swift and side-effect-free recovery after a root canal treatment:
If you have signs of tooth decay, do not postpone a visit to an experienced dentist. The earlier you get professional medical attention, the more chances there are to have a successful procedure and save the tooth. We look forward to your visit to Smile Dental Boutique.
