Causes and Solutions for Tooth Pain After Root Canal When Biting

Causes and Solutions for Tooth Pain After Root Canal When Biting

June 1, 2023

A root canal is a necessary dental procedure performed to save a natural tooth’s life. This is after tooth infection has spread to the dental pulp causing excruciating pain. But what can cause tooth pain after a root canal when biting? What should you do when the procedure meant to alleviate pain becomes a source of it? Below you will find information about tooth pain after root canal treatment and what should be done to resolve it.

Causes of Tooth Pain After Root Canal When Biting

Post-procedure inflammation– tooth infection can make your tooth ligament become swollen. This is normal and should resolve in days or weeks after root canal therapy. Additionally, you don’t need to worry about the pain, as it will subside as your wound begins to heal.

Fillings that are too large– after removal of the infected dental pulp, a space is left inside your tooth. The dentist will fill this space using filling material. However, if too much filling material is used, it will cause the treated tooth to sit higher, causing pain whenever you bite or chew. This problem won’t resolve independently, and you will need to check in with the dentist who performs root canal treatment in Modesto for a filling adjustment.

Surrounding tissue damage– during root canal therapy, the dentist may accidentally inject bacteria into the surrounding tissue. So, you might experience relief after a root canal, but after some weeks, pain may arise from surrounding tissue infection. On the other hand, surrounding tissue damage may occur when the file used to clean the pulp area slips beyond the root tips and damages the tissue below. This will cause pain until the damaged tissue heals.

Incomplete root canal treatment- teeth like molars can have multiple canals, and it’s possible for the dentist to skip one or more during root canal therapy. This is especially true if you go to an inexperienced dentist. In such situations, the cause of the pain: which is tooth infection, is never really treated. Likewise, if the dentist fails to remove all of the damaged nerves inside the infected tooth, you will still experience pain when you take hot, cold, or acidic foods or beverages.

Solutions for Tooth Pain After Root Canal When Biting

Consult with the dentist near you– if you’re experiencing pain after a root canal, your best bet for alleviating the pain is visiting the dentist. They will examine the treated tooth and identify the cause of the pain.

Practice proper oral hygiene– a little pain after a root canal is normal. If the pain you’re going through is manageable, all you have to do is take care of your wound. This implies brushing twice and flossing once daily, avoiding smoking, and using your teeth to open bottle tops.

Take the antibiotics and painkillers given by the dentist as prescribed- antibiotics stop the growth of bacteria, and this alleviates pain. So, take any antibiotics as prescribed, and don’t forget about the painkillers, as they help relieve pain after root canal treatment.

How to Prevent Tooth Pain After Root Canal When Biting

  • Avoid chewy or sticky foods- your bite may feel different after root canal therapy. In addition, your gums are soft and tender after root canal treatment. So, it would be best to stick to soft foods like soups, scrambled eggs, and broths. You wouldn’t want to struggle to chew hard foods and cause pain to your treated tooth.
  • Go to a certified dental practitioner- some of the causes of pain after the root canal are caused by the dentist’s negligence. At 123 iSmile, we care about our patient’s oral health, and therefore we will ensure a safe dental procedure is performed by our experienced dental professional.
  • Don’t use the treated tooth to chew- you should give the treated tooth time to heal. This is because applying pressure on it through chewing and biting may cause unwanted pain.
  • Wait until your mouth regains its feeling- before root canal treatment, the dentist administers local anesthesia to prevent pain during treatment. So, you should avoid chewing or biting until your mouth has regained its feeling. Failure to do so might lead to accidentally biting your tongue or other soft tissues in your mouth, causing pain.
  • Go for follow-up care- scheduling follow-up care with your dentist is essential. This gives the dentist a chance to monitor your recovery and remove any excess fillings affecting your bite.