What Can I Eat After a Root Canal?

Root canal treatment relieves pain, but the process may leave your tooth feeling extra sensitive for a day or two. Many patients ask Dr. Estes at Innovative Endodontics, “What can I eat after a root canal?” Here are tips for root canal aftercare to make your recovery as fast and easy as possible.

Foods to Eat After a Root Canal

You should avoid biting down hard on the tooth or eating hard foods, especially before receiving the permanent crown.

Don’t eat or drink until the anesthesia from the procedure has completely worn off. Once the anesthesia wears off, you can enjoy the following foods in the week after your root canal:

Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs are easy to cook and are packed with filling protein. 

Oatmeal

The classic breakfast staple is a comforting food for many. It is also extremely versatile, adapting to a variety of tastes. Top oatmeal cooked with milk with a drizzle of syrup, a dollop of jam, or a sprinkling of brown sugar.

If you don’t like sweet food, make oatmeal with chicken broth instead of water or milk and top it with butter, salt, and pepper for a more fiber-rich alternative to mashed potatoes or rice.

Macaroni and Cheese

Feel like a kid again by enjoying macaroni and cheese for lunch or dinner. The well-cooked pasta and cheesy sauce make this a filling food that is soft enough to enjoy even in the first couple of days after your root canal.

Yogurt

Yogurt, like oatmeal, is a very versatile food. You can use it as a dip with well-cooked vegetables or warmed, soft pita bread. Add cooked fruit to make plain yogurt a sweet treat.

If you prefer something drinkable, combine the yogurt and fruit in a blender for an on-the-go smoothie you can take to work to keep your energy while your tooth heals.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter gives you protein in a smooth, easy-to-digest format that is a great way to get energy after a root canal. Skip celery and raw carrot sticks with the peanut butter until after you get your permanent crown. Instead, spread it on a warm, soft tortilla or soft bread and enjoy it as a rollup or sandwich.

Other uses for peanut butter while you heal include as an addition to yogurt smoothies, as a topping for cooked fruit, or as an enriching ingredient for sweet oatmeal.

Foods to Skip in the Week After a Root Canal

For the first couple of days after the root canal, your teeth will likely be more sensitive, making chewing hard foods or eating very hot or cold foods difficult. Plus, you don’t want to eat anything that could pull out the temporary filling or crown placed over your tooth. Avoid the following foods until after you get a permanent crown and can resume normal eating:

Taffy, Caramel, and Other Sticky Foods

Sticky foods can pull out your temporary filling, exposing the treated tooth to bacteria and raising the chances of complications. Hold off on eating these foods until after you go to your dentist for a permanent crown.

Hard Foods

Hard candies and nuts can also pose risks to the temporary crown in your mouth. Avoid these foods as much as possible. Plus, don’t chew on the side of your mouth with the treated tooth to prevent discomfort.

Extremely Cold or Hot Foods

While ice cream might sound great, your treated tooth will be sensitive to both hot and cold. Choose warm or room-temperature foods to avoid discomfort. For instance, instead of ice cream, try some yogurt. If you want fresh, oven-baked lasagna at dinner, let it cool off before eating to reduce the chances of it causing discomfort.

Root Canal Aftercare

After your root canal, you should watch what you eat, especially if you had a molar treatment. To prevent discomfort during recovery, take three 200 mg tablets of ibuprofen every six hours for the 48 hours after your appointment. Most people get relief from this dose but never take more than 3200 mg in 24 hours. Set the alarm on your phone and take this medicine every six hours to prevent discomfort from developing.

To augment the ibuprofen, you may also add one 500-mg tablet of Tylenol (acetaminophen) to each ibuprofen dose. Another way to help the medicine work better is by having 65 to 100 mg of caffeine twice a day. This is equivalent to two small cups of coffee. Other caffeinated foods include sodas, tea, and chocolate. This is one time when you get a doctor’s approval to enjoy chocolate.

Keep your appointment with your dentist if you need a crown over your tooth. Delaying this appointment more than two weeks can raise the risks of weakened tooth cracking or becoming infected, both of which require endodontic retreatment to correct.

Contact your endodontist as soon as possible if you develop a fever, extreme discomfort, or new swelling around the treated tooth. These are signs of a possible infection, a very rare complication that needs prompt treatment.

See Us at Innovative Endodontics and Discover How We Are Changing the Reputation of the Root Canal

Good care during your root canal therapy can relieve discomfort and complications. Visit us at Innovative Endodontics for a painless root canal procedure. Our location near Charleston, South Carolina, is easy for anyone in the area to reach. Call us today to schedule your endodontic appointment.