Yesterday I got a root canal and felt zero pain the whole time. Even after the anesthetic wore off I was good. Then about 3 hours after I got it done, it started to hurt and I expected that. I took some Motrin PM and it helped me sleep. But today it’s still sore. I can’t tell if the tooth is sore or the gum around it where I got the needle. I don’t have a dental crown yet, just some cement stuff and my next appointment is on June 4th. Is it normal to be in pain? Aleve isn’t helping at all and I want to eat but every time I chew on the other side it still hurts so I’m not even eating. Last night my whole tooth area was throbbing and today it’s just a dull pain.
Thanks, Michelle
Dear Michelle,
If is quite normal to feel some discomfort after root canal treatment. Even though the nerve of the tooth is removed you may feel some achiness. If your tooth had an infection it may take several days for the tooth to settle down. We recommend you take 800mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours to help ease your pain if you have no allergies to this medication. Ibuprofen is a good pain reliever as well as minimizing inflammation within and around the tooth. Tell your dentist of your discomfort when you go in for your next appointment. He may want to take an x-ray to reexamine your tooth.
Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge Dentist.