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What You Should Eat After a Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal treatment focuses on the nerve of your tooth to save your natural dentition. The nerve of your tooth becomes inflamed due to bacteria associated with trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips. If you are experiencing sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, spontaneous pain, or a throbbing ache it is likely time to consult an endodontist for root canal treatment.

After the treatment, a soft food diet is recommended. Common questions are: When can I start eating? Can I eat on this tooth? How long do I need to wait before eating a normal diet? Which foods can damage my tooth prior to a final restoration? Are there certain foods that can damage the temporary filling?

Although all patients their teeth are different, please use these guidelines to aid in your post treatment diet and recovery.

Please be mindful of the necessary steps to ensure root canal safety both before and after completing the procedure. Learn more about the proper foods to keep teeth healthy below:

What You Should Eat:

Make sure to wait until the numbness wears off to avoid biting into your cheek, tongue, or lip. While you will not be able to enjoy every food included in a typical diet once the numbness subsides, there are still many foods that will not damage your tooth.

Consuming the following soft foods and drinks will help your tooth recover:

What You Should NOT eat:

It is generally wise to avoid hard, crunchy, and chewy foods in the days following a root canal for recovery to go smoothly. Immediately after the procedure, avoid hot food to prevent burning your lip, tongue or cheek.

  • Avoid hard foods like ice and nuts
  • Crunchy foods such as apples, carrots, and celery bring unnecessary discomfort to teeth
  • Chewy foods including gummy candy and bread can pull out the temporary filling
  • Consuming alcohol can interact with medication
  • Consuming alcohol can dissolve some temporary fillings

 Central Ohio Endodontics proudly serves the Columbus area and has offices in Dublin, Worthington, and Westerville for your convenience. We have the most advanced technology around to keep your treatment pain free.

If you have any questions, concerns or need to schedule a procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our experienced Endodontists and staff will be more than happy to assist you.