Dental Procedure Pain: Get the Facts

How To Avoid A Post Root Canal Contamination

Root canals are necessary for cleaning out infected pulp from your dying tooth. It is a two-step process, which starts with drilling into the tooth to clean out all of the bacteria and infected pulp. It is followed by putting a crown on the tooth to seal the hole and prevent bacteria from getting inside the tooth. Unfortunately, this does not always prevent a tooth from being contaminated again. Here are some things you can do to prevent contamination from happening after a root canal.

Do Not Chew With The Tooth Immediately After The Procedure

While a crown or filling is necessary to cover your tooth after your root canal, a crown is not always installed immediately following the removal of the pulp. Avoid chewing with this tooth, which can get bacteria and food in the area and cause contamination once again.

If a crown was installed, you should still give that tooth a rest in the days immediately following the procedure. The tooth can be sensitive to the pressure due to your gums being sore from the procedure.

Use A Salt Rinse

Keeping the area clean is a great way to prevent contamination following the procedure. One way you can do it that doesn't disrupt the tooth is by using a salt rinse. You may find this necessary if you feel that you are not brushing very hard in that area because of sensitivity.

A simple saltwater rinse will require 1 tsp of salt for every cup of water. Use it for a couple days until you feel that your tooth feels better and that you can brush it with a normal amount of pressure.

Limit Acidic and Sugary Foods

The crown or filling used to cover your tooth can become damaged over time. Without properly caring for your oral health, they can wear down and potentially fall out. You may not be aware that the foods that you eat can have an impact on the wear and tear of a crown or filling.

Foods that are acidic and sugary can gradually cause the filling or crown to deteriorate, or eat away at healthy parts of the tooth that holds the protective material in place. Once the protective material has fallen out, the tooth will be exposed to bacteria once again. Reduce the amount of acidic and sugary foods you eat to preserve your crown or filling, as well as keep your remaining healthy teeth.

If you follow these tips, you will be taking the necessary steps to avoid the tooth from being contaminated again. Contact a dentist, like Tony Parsley, DMD, for more help.


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