Can you eat after a root canal?

How soon can you eat after a root canal?

Healthline says to wait until your teeth and gums are no longer numb, which usually takes a few hours, because numbness raises the risk of biting your cheek or tongue or burning yourself on hot food, and can also strain the temporary filling. The AAE's post-treatment guidance is more specific about the first hour: do not chew, drink hot or cold liquids or smoke for the first hour, and avoid hard foods.

In practice, wait for the numbness to fade before a full meal, and have only a soft, cool snack and water before then if you must.

What to eat after a root canal

Healthline lists soft foods such as applesauce, cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, yogurt, soups, scrambled eggs, soft bread and soft cheese, and says to add more foods as soreness fades. Cleveland Clinic suggests soft foods for a few days. The AAE's guidance expects tenderness and mild jaw soreness for a few days.

Foods to avoid

Hard, sticky and extreme-temperature foods are the main ones to skip.

• Hard foods such as nuts and seeds.
• Sticky foods such as candy, gum and caramel.
• Very hot or very cold foods and drinks, since some sensitivity is common.
• Anything that needs heavy biting on the treated tooth.

Can you eat after a root canal without a crown?

Yes, but not on that tooth. The AAE says to avoid heavy biting on the treated tooth until your endodontist or dentist clears you, and its root canal pain page says to avoid chewing on the tooth until it has a crown or permanent filling. Its myths page explains that a crown is often needed, especially on molars and premolars, to protect them from fracture, and that front teeth may not always need one.

Cleveland Clinic says not to bite on the treated tooth until the crown is placed. Chew on the other side, and book the crown appointment as soon as your endodontist finishes treatment, as the AAE advises.

Temporary fillings and temporary crowns

The AAE says losing a thin layer of a temporary filling is normal, but to contact your endodontist if the temporary crown or filling comes out. Healthline says to avoid the same hard and sticky foods until the permanent crown is in place and not to floss on either side of a temporary crown, since that can dislodge it. After a permanent crown is cemented, your dentist will likely tell you not to chew with it for a few hours up to a full day, depending on the adhesive used.

Soreness and pain relief

Mild tenderness is normal. The AAE says symptoms usually improve within three to five days, and Cleveland Clinic says most people recover in under a week. Over-the-counter pain relievers usually help, and a cold compress on the outside of the cheek can reduce swelling, according to the AAE. Follow the label, and take any prescribed medicine exactly as directed. Healthline also suggests warm salt water rinses and finishing any prescribed antibiotics.

When it is more than normal soreness

Cleveland Clinic says throbbing pain after treatment warrants a call to your provider, since infected pulp may remain. The AAE's list of reasons to call includes severe pain or pressure lasting more than a few days, visible swelling, an allergic reaction to medicine, an uneven bite, a temporary crown or filling coming out, and pre-treatment symptoms returning.

Frequently asked questions