Precaution Needs To Take Care Of Before Root Canal
The root canal is the inner part of a tooth located between the tooth’s roots and the dental pulp. It consists of blood vessels and nerves which can become infected when oral bacteria get in.
The dental procedure to remove the damaged root, nerve, and pulp tissue, disinfect, fill then seal the tooth is also referred to as a root canal. A dental crown is then placed over the tooth to safeguard its structure and restore functionality.
A root canal procedure remains a mystery for many people, and their first reaction is panic when the dentist informs them that they need one. Here are some facts to help you understand this treatment, what to expect, and the precautions you can take as you wait for the procedure.
Preparing For a Root Canal
The precautions for root canal treatment that you must take before the appointment include:
1) Be Inquisitive
Visit the dental office or contact your dental health provider to ask any questions you may have on oral canals. The knowledge you acquire will help ease lingering anxiety and tension that you may have.
2) Avoid Tobacco
Nicotine found in tobacco affects how blood flows through the body. Therefore, avoid smoking or using any tobacco products before the procedure as the recovery time is prolonged.
3) Acquire Prescribed Medication
Discuss all the medications you may require before or after the procedure with the dentist and acquire them before having the infected canals treated. After the process, you will be expected to rest for several hours so going to the pharmacy is out of the question.
Patients may require buying antibiotics to treat existing infections and prevent further ones. You may also get the prescribed pain medication to reduce inflammation and manage the pain.
4) Make Transportation Arrangements
The anesthetics and sedatives used during the procedure can impair your judgment, making it unsafe for you to drive yourself home after the procedure. Instead, ensure that a friend or family member will be available to give you a ride home.
What You Need To Know About Root Canals
Should I Eat Before A Root Canal?
If you are wondering whether you should eat before this endodontic procedure, you are not alone. Several patients skip a meal before this treatment since they are not well informed. A root canal treatment is not affected by taking food.
Dentists recommend that you have a meal at least two hours before the procedure since you will not eat comfortably immediately after. In addition, you must wait for some hours after treatment for the anesthetic to wear off since you may bite on your oral soft tissues. The expected slight pain, sensitivity, and soreness may also hinder you from enjoying your favorite meal.
How Painful Is A Root Canal?
Most people think that a root canal procedure is painful, whereas it is painless. One of the symptoms of an infected root canal is severe pain which is relieved through treatment.
Your dentist will administer to you a local anesthetic before the procedure to numb the tooth being treated, adjacent teeth, and surrounding soft tissues.
After the procedure, you may experience some mild pain and discomfort since the nerves near the treated tooth are still sensitive. The specialist will prescribe pain-relieving medication as you wait for the hurt to dissipate within a few days.
Consult your dentist on which types of anesthesia and sedatives are provided during treatment to ease any anxieties you may have.
Are Root Canals Safe?
Yes, root canals are among the safest and highly successful dental procedures performed in this time and age. The method requires the dentist to create a tiny opening in the infected tooth to remove the affected nerves and treat the infection. Next, the specialist will seal the opening to prevent further disease.
Similar to all medical and dental procedures, there are rare complications that may arise after this treatment. There may be persistent bacteria within the treated tooth or around it, or a hidden root canal can be missed and left untreated. However, you have nothing to fear when this endodontic therapy is performed by a highly trained and experienced dental team.
Make an appointment with our top-notch dentist at Smiles of Gilbert for a root canal treatment. We are equipped with cutting-edge dental technology, which, when combined with sedation dentistry and anesthetics, provides you with a safe, effective, and pain-free treatment.