Root Canal

hgycta

I'm not exactly sure which category to post this under, so I apologize if this is a little out of place!

Anyways, at 7:30pm I have a dentist appointment to get a root canal, oh the joy! This is my very first root canal, so I have no idea what to expect and was hoping someone here could help me get an idea of what to plan for.
It's for one (and I hope only one, but it does look like it's spreading if that's even possible) of my back molars, which is dark and very sensitive, especially when I chew on it. The dentists had a hard time determining what exactly was wrong with it, but said the root canal would be my best option, although it may be cracked. Some people were telling me to have it extracted, but since I had braces my mother was worried about my teeth eventually shifting again if I did that.

I am usually very careful about meal timing as I know what works for me so that I don't become ravenous throughout the day, and eat dinner (500 calories) at 6 and then allow for a nice dessert (400 calories) at 8. Since this dentist appointment is scheduled for 7:30 (and my dentist is usually on time or only five minutes late at the worst), I'm not sure whether or not to eat earlier or what.
Should I eat 350 calories before I go, and save 50 for a half serving of protein shake afterwards, should I eat all before, or should I wait until after, since I was hoping to eat ice cream which shouldn't be too hard on my teeth (is it really that long of a procedure generally)?

Also, will I be able to eat solid foods again afterwards, or will it be a liquid/mushy diet for the next few days?

Also, a little bit off topic, how painful are they usually?

Thank you so much for all of your help, and if anyone has any extra insight please feel free to share! I need as much information as I can to prepare myself both mentally and physically haha

michellesz

I would say eat before because sounds like you're really not sure what the procedure is going to entail. They will give you something to numb the area and probably prescribe an RX/pain pill. The dentist office will direct you on what is best to eat afterward during the recovery. All depends. Good luck to you.

Gska17

I haven't had a root canal but I've had dental work. I'd eat before like @michellesz suggested.

Do you like those *kitten* KFC mashed potatoes? Those are always my special treat after dental work.

Good luck to you!

rushfive

I have had a few done... eat before. It is usually just numb for a time after with a limited time for soft food (hours), tender (ibuprofen), and that is it. Now it you have a tooth pulled you will be on soft food for days and a pain med.
Also depending on how it goes will effect thing (cracked tooth) so do whatever the doc tell you.
Good Luck.
I ate pudding, yogurt, chicken noodle soup, ice cream. Whatever I had in the house that was soft.

257_Lag

I just had my first one a few months ago. It's not so bad, no worse than any dental work. Might have been an hour. The pain usually is because you NEED a root canal, not having one. I had a Gatorade Chocolate Peanut Butter recovery shake a few weeks ago and will always use this in the future when I need a quick and tasty 350. Yummy!

whmscll

You'll be eating regular food by your next meal. Root canals are not that big a deal, once your jaw stops being sore from having to keep your mouth wide open for like 2 hours.

hgycta

Thank you so much everyone, guess it's ice cream before I go and a small protein shake (maybe) afterwards, depending how numb my mouth is!

whmscll

Ya, you'll be numb for a while. Protein shake is a good idea.

Tubbs216

Ask for lots of freezing if you're nervous. Expect to be numb for a few hours after, and then a bit sore in the general area for a couple of days from the injections, dams etc. Because they remove the nerve, the tooth itself won't hurt afterwards. Soft food is probably a good idea, mainly so you don't chew up the inside of your mouth.

Also, if you're still getting discomfort after the root canal, it is possible that the infection has spread to the next tooth. This was my experience and I had to have the other tooth done too. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen to you. Good luck!

missiontofitness

michellesz wrote: »

I would say eat before because sounds like you're really not sure what the procedure is going to entail. They will give you something to numb the area and probably prescribe an RX/pain pill. The dentist office will direct you on what is best to eat afterward during the recovery. All depends. Good luck to you.

I might be late to the game, but call ahead to see if they're going to be using any medications that may be dangerous to mix with food/water. I was put completely under for my wisdom tooth removal (I know, completely different set of meds!), but I couldn't eat or drink for a certain amount of time before the procedure to ensure I had an empty stomach, in case I vomited.

Just to be safe, I'd give them a quick ring and see if it's okay for you to have a light meal before the procedure.