2 Mistakes To Avoid When Eating After Your Root Canal

If you have just had a root canal performed on a bad tooth, you may already have an idea of what to do to help take care of the tooth in the days ahead. However, it is equally important to know what you should not do and avoid making the following mistakes while eating after having a root canal.

1.  Eating Any Hard or Chewy Foods

While you may already know that you should not eat something hard on the day of your root canal, you may feel that it will not do any harm to progress your diet after a day or two, thinking that it should not cause you an increase in pain. However, even within the few days after your root canal, you should avoid any hard or chewy foods.

Hard foods do not only make your tooth hurt after having the procedure. Eating something crunchy could also bust the temporary filling that was used to close up the procedure site. If this happens before the filling has a chance to fully set up, you risk reopening the hole and exposing the cavity to bacteria, food particles, and air that could cause pain and possible infection.

You should also avoid chewy foods, as they could stick to the top of the filling. Then, while you are chewing it, you would run the risk of pulling the filling out completely.

2.  Chewing Any Foods on the Affected Side

Just as important as knowing what you should not eat is knowing how to change the way you eat. If you are eating soft foods, you may feel that you cannot do any harm to the affected tooth, since soft foods will not bust open or pull on the filling. However, even if you eat soft foods, chewing on the side of your mouth where the tooth is located could cause stress to the tooth. Especially within the few days following the root canal, your tooth will be sensitive. If any food is bitten down upon on top of the tooth, the pressure could increase your discomfort.

Instead, make a concentrated effort to chew on the opposite side of your mouth. That way, you can avoid putting stress on the tooth. After a few days, you can test eating on the affected side to see how well you tolerate it.
Avoiding the above mistakes while trying to eat in the few days after your root canal can help you preserve the temporary filling and ensure you do not experience any excessive discomfort. If you have any questions or problems, contact the dentist who performed your root canal for personalized advice.