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How Painful Is a Root Canal Procedure?

Root canal is among the most important common restorative dental works. It involves removing the infected pulp from the tooth and then filling the tooth with artificial material like iodoform paste, rubber amalgam or calcium hydroxide to restore a natural tooth. Since it involves opening the tooth and pulling out all the infected pulp from tooth and root, most people assume that root canal is a painful procedure and they hesitate to go for this important restorative procedure considering root canal painful.

According to the dental anxiety definition, such people are much anxious about the root canal pain and they won’t go for the root canal procedure even if they need it. They are afraid of the painful procedure, possible infections or the afterpain of the root canal and they keep avoiding it; eventually, they lose their precious tooth because it becomes decayed after some time of infected pulp.
Let’s see how painful the root canal procedure is and what are the remedies for root canal pain.

Is Root Canal Painful Procedure?

No! There are several anesthesia that are used during the root canal procedure, so root canal procedure of opening the tooth and removing the infected pulp is no more painful. You may feel just a mild pain or distress during the surgical procedure just like any other dental procedure like dental filling. Luckily, there are several remedies for root canal pain to get rid of mild root canal pain; moreover, it is always better to bear a little pain during root canal procedure than the severe pain caused by an infected pulp that eventually decays your tooth too.

What Causes Root Canal Pain?

Root canal treatment rubber and separator

A root canal procedure may be a little painful due to a use of some sharp surgical instruments to open the infected tooth. While removing the crown and opening an infected tooth with sharp equipment, surrounding gums and ligaments may feel stressed or infected that may feel pain a bit but there are several anesthesia in the market that won’t make you feel a severe pain during root canal procedure.

How Long Is the Pain from a Root Canal?

The mild pain during the root canal treatment is over as soon as your root canal procedure is completed; however, the after pain of root canal treatment that was caused by the surrounding gums and ligaments may last for the next 4-5 days. If your teeth are more sensitive than you may feel the root canal after pain for the 7-10 days but there are several remedies that should be tried after a painful root canal procedure.

How to Stop Root Canal Pain?

If you are feeling pain after a root canal treatment, you may talk to your dentist about it but before anything, you should try some popular remedies after a painful root canal treatment.

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Following are some of the most popular remedies for the root canal pain relief:

1) Apply an Ice Pack

Girl attaching ice pack to the cheek of painful tooth

If you are feeling some serious pain after root canal due to inflammation in the surrounding tissues or ligaments, you may apply an ice pack to the inflamed area to soothe the pain immediately.

2) Gargle with Saltwater

Woman gargling with saltwater

If your root canal treatment was painful, it means that you might be infected by either of the surgical instruments. Gargling with saltwater always relieves you from any possible infection and eventually gives you a root canal pain relief.

3) Apply Clove Oil (Eugenol) on the Painful Tooth

Clove oil, cloves on ground

Clove oil is an antiseptic and anesthetic herbal oil that may be a great help regarding root canal pain treatment. You should apply just a very little amount of Eugenol with the help of cotton bud on the painful tooth and that’s all. Beware! Don’t try to swallow it.

4) Avoid the Cold and Hot Beverages

Hot and cold water dispenser

After the root canal treatment, your teeth become sensitive for the next few days. Avoid any of the cold and hot beverages because it may increase your afterpain of the root canal. It is one of the easiest remedies regarding root canal pain management where you don’t have to do anything; instead, just stay away from cold and hot beverages. That’s it.

5) Over the Counter (OTC) Pain Relievers

Common pain killers

There are some OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen that can be taken after the dentist’s consultation. You should always consult your dentist about taking them because they may have side effects as well and there may be a chance that your root canal after pain won’t last soon with the help of some home remedies.

Who Specializes in Root Canal?

Endodontists are specialized root canal dentists because they have been gaining some specific education plus additional training regarding root canal treatment. They can surely do a much better job regarding root canal as compared to a general dentist or an orthodontist. Furthermore, you won’t feel a long lasting afterpain if you have chosen an endodontist for your root canal procedure. All endodontists are a treasure of dental education and you can always learn more about dental care routines by consulting them professionally.

Takeaway

Root canal is not as painful as it is expected or portrayed. There are several kinds of anesthesia that are used during the root canal procedure to numb the pain. Furthermore, there are latest technologies,advanced instruments and more specialized root canal dentists (endodontists) out there to do the painless root canal job. So, if you want a specialized root canal treatment in Maryland (Glen Burnie) then you should always prefer an endodontist over a general dentist.