What To Eat After Root Canal

A root canal is a fairly common dental procedure. Although patients must go through a brief recovery period after treatment, said period typically lasts no more than a week.

Are you getting a root canal in the near future? If so, you will likely need to avoid certain foods as you heal during the first few days following the procedure.

Speaking with your dentist is the best way to learn what you can and can’t eat after a root canal. In the meantime, however, the following guide should give you an idea of what types of foods you should stock up on before your appointment, and what foods you should avoid during your recovery.

Foods to Stay Away from After a Root Canal

You may experience some sensitivity after getting a root canal. Eating certain foods can cause discomfort as you recover from treatment. Additionally, eating these foods may interfere with a temporary filling the dentist may have provided you with.

Foods to avoid eating until you thoroughly heal from a root canal include the following:

• Any significantly hot or cold foods and beverages, as they may cause pain due to sensitivity
• Gum, candy, and other sticky foods
• Hard foods, like nuts, that may become stuck in or between teeth
• Anything chewy, such as tough meats
• Crunchy foods, such as chips and other such snacks

It’s also important to avoid chewing on non-food items, such as pen caps or fingernails. Breaking these habits will improve your overall dental health. In the aftermath of a root canal, these habits could result in complications during your recovery.

What You Can Eat After a Root Canal

You’ll be less likely to eat the foods you should be avoiding after a root canal if you take the time to stock up on the foods that you can eat ahead of time. Examples of foods that are safe to eat after a root canal include:

• Smoothies, yogurt, and other such liquid or near-liquid foods, as you should stick to a primarily liquid diet during the first 24 hours following treatment
• Scrambled eggs, soup, mashed potatoes, and other such soft foods, ensuring they aren’t so hot that they cause discomfort due to sensitivity to extreme temperatures
• Pasta, and soft produce, such as avocado, which you may begin introducing back into your diet about 72 hours following treatment

Be careful as you slowly reintroduce certain foods. If you’re still experiencing tenderness, introduce foods gradually, only eating what you genuinely feel comfortable with.

Additional Post-Root Canal Tips

Other tips that may make your recovery from a root canal procedure even easier include:

• Use over-the-counter medications to address your discomfort, and contact the dentist if your discomfort is particularly severe
• Attempt to take a few days off of work
• Make sure someone is available to drive you home after your appointment
• Refrain from engaging in any strenuous physical activity during your recovery

As always, you may also discuss this topic in greater detail with your dentist. They can help you better understand what you may do to ensure your recovery is as comfortable and easy as possible.

Learn More ABout Root Canal Treatment in Springfield, VA

At Springfield Healthy Smiles, our goal is to ensure your root canal is successful and free of complications. Find out what we can do for you by calling us today at 703-866-7000 to request an appointment.