A root canal involves deep cleaning inside the inner chamber of the tooth root, which can be painful. But the pain from a root canal shouldn’t last.

A root canal is meant to help you avoid pain related to a decaying or fractured tooth.

It’s normal to experience mild to moderate pain for a few days after a root canal.

Any pain beyond this point may warrant additional cleaning of the canals or procedures from your dentist.

In the past, root canals were extremely painful. This is one reason why people sometimes avoided such procedures. Dentists now have pain-relieving measures that can be used to reduce the amount of pain you experience during the procedure.

Before the process begins, your dentist will apply a local anesthetic that minimizes pain. You might still feel pressure during the cleaning, but you shouldn’t be in pain during the actual procedure.

During the cleaning process, your dentist makes a small opening in the crown of the tooth and cleans out diseased pulp inside the pulp chamber of the tooth.

As the local anesthetic wears off after the root canal, you might experience mild pain and sensitivity. This is related to the cleaning process. Any pain and sensitivity following a root canal should only last a few days.

Root canal pain should decrease over time. If you still experience pain or swelling, you should see your dentist. Most people need one to two sessions for a root canal to be successful. In severe cases, you may need more cleaning sessions. Recurring pain could be an indicator of this.

Your symptoms should ease up if you’re taking any over-the-counter pain medications. If they don’t, your doctor may recommend prescription-strength ibuprofen or narcotic pain relievers. These are only taken on a temporary basis.

Rarely, an infection can develop after a root canal. If you experience pus, warmth, or pain following a root canal, tell your dentist.

Pain beyond a root canal should be addressed with your dentist.

Since the pain experienced after a root canal is usually mild, you’ll likely only need over-the-counter pain medications for relief. These include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB). Check with your doctor before taking these medications to make sure they don’t interact with any supplements or prescriptions you already take.

Beyond taking medications temporarily, there are other things you can do to manage pain from a root canal.

Continue to brush and floss and care for your teeth as usual after a root canal, even if it is uncomfortable to do so. Avoiding cleaning the area may cause additional problems.

It might also help if you chew on the other side and avoiding hard and crunchy foods while discomfort is present.

You might also consider stress-relieving activities to help manage pain. Meditation, yoga, and tai chi are all practices that can also take your focus off of your pain.

A successful root canal can cause mild pain for a few days. This is temporary and should go away on its own as long as you practice good oral hygiene. You should see your dentist for a follow-up if the pain lasts longer than three days.

Once your tooth is completely treated, your dentist may put a crown on top of it. These can be made of metal, porcelain, or gold. The idea here is to prevent future damage to an already delicate tooth. If the area is sore after crown placement on a root canal treated tooth, it may mean that the bite needs to be adjusted. In this case, call your dentist to have that done as soon as possible.

If you have a root canal on a front tooth, it’s less likely you’ll have a crown.

An alternative to a root canal is a tooth extraction, in which your dentist can replace a damaged tooth with a bridge, partial denture, or implant. This can be an expensive treatment and usually requires several visits to your doctor.

Good oral health practices can help alleviate pain from a recent root canal. These can also help your new crown last for many years while protecting all your other teeth.

Consider the following tips:

  • Don’t eat overly hard foods, especially right after a root canal treatment.
  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Be sure to move the toothbrush in gentle circling motions to clean your teeth without aggravating them. You’ll want to take special care around the tooth with the recent root canal.
  • Floss once a day to help prevent future infections.
  • Reduce the amount of sugary foods and drinks you consume.
  • Avoid smoking, as this can harm your oral health.
  • Schedule regular cleanings to help keep your teeth healthy and free of infection.