How Long Should I Wait to Eat After a Root Canal?

When it comes to our general health and wellbeing, many people overlook the importance of healthy teeth and gums.

Looking after the teeth is very important when it comes to our general health and wellbeing, yet dental health and hygiene is something which is often overlooked. The good news is the fact that there are numerous skilled dentists out there who can perform a wide range of procedures, regardless of what your dental issues may be.

There are many common dental procedures performed on a regular basis by dentists, including root canals, which is what we’re going to be looking at today.

If you’re due to undergo root canal surgery, you’ll likely have questions regarding recovery and eating habits. If you’re wondering how long to eat after root canal surgery, all will soon become clear.

What is a root canal?

Typically, a root canal procedure is a non-invasive, pain-free procedure which is usually carried out by your dentist over the course of 1 – 3 appointments.

Your dentist will numb the affected area and will drill a hole into the teeth to clean the insides of the tooth and to remove any soft tissue which may be infected or causing any issues. The inside of the tooth will then be rinsed and flushed out to ensure that there is no harmful bacteria remaining within.

The amount of time the procedure takes will depend on which teeth are being operated on.

How long to eat after root canal surgery?

One of the most common questions that people ask when they’re due to undergo a root canal procedure is how long they should wait to eat after the procedure.

It is important for you to wait until your teeth and gums no longer feel numb before you try eating anything. Eating with a numb mouth is dangerous because you could bite your cheeks and/or tongue, which would be painful and could result in infection.

Tips for eating after a root canal

If you are due to undergo a root canal procedure, it’s important to plan ahead and know what you can and cannot eat, and when.

Here are some handy tips on eating after a root canal.

Eat on the opposite side of the treatment

We need food to live, and if you need to eat after a root canal and you find that your mouth is still numb, be sure to eat on the opposite side of the mouth from where the procedure was carried out.

Chew slowly

Another very simple, but highly effective tip for anybody who has just had root canal surgery is to chew your food slowly and eat slowly.

Eating slowly means that you’ll be less likely to aggravate the tooth or bite your cheek/tongue in the process.

Take your time when chewing your food and you’ll be less likely to experience any issues.

Avoid very hot food and drinks

When eating following a root canal procedure, be sure to avoid very hot foods and/or beverages, ideally until the next day at least.

The hot temperature could potentially aggravate the toot/teeth that were operated on as the tooth/teeth will likely be very sensitive.

Avoid very cold foods and drinks

Due to tooth sensitivity following a root canal procedure, you should also avoid very cold foods and drinks for the very same reasons as you would with hot foods and drinks.

Eat soft foods

Finally, when the time does come to eat following root canal surgery, when eating be sure to eat soft foods rather than hard, crunchy, or chewy foods.

Soft foods require less chewing and are much easier to eat and swallow than harder foods.

Final thoughts

So, we’ve looked at how long to eat after root canal surgery and so now, hopefully, things are much clearer?

The take home message here is to wait until your mouth is no longer numb, and be sure to eat and drink the right things at the right time.