What Can You Eat Following a Root Canal?
You have just had what amounts to dental surgery when you have a root canal procedure, so this is the most important point to keep in mind when questioning what you can (and can’t!) eat immediately following a root canal. While most literature will tell you what you can eat immediately after a root canal, be mindful of the fact that it can take several hours for the local anesthetic to wear off and there is always a danger that you could bite your tongue or chew too hard, thus damaging the filling which needs a bit more time to harden up in there!
Foods You Can Eat Following a Root Canal
It is always suggested that you eat foods that are soft and cold or cool. Never eat hot foods immediately after a root canal and do avoid those you have to chew. Soft foods you can safely eat include:
- Soft fruits like bananas and applesauce or fruit compotes
- Ice cream, yogurt, sherbet, smoothies
- Mashed potatoes and mashed veggies
- Pudding
- Soup *If allowed to cool to a lukewarm temperature or cooler
- Humus
- Tuna or egg salad
- Oatmeal, cream of wheat or grits
- Pastas
Also, try to do any small amount of chewing necessary on the opposite side of the mouth from the root canal. You don’t want to cause any damage to the filling and/or crown, so to avoid that, don’t chew on that side of the mouth.
Foods You Should Not Eat
Obviously, you should not eat foods that are hot, crunchy or chewy. Depending on just how hard or crunchy those foods are, you may be asked to stay away from them for at least a few days. The foods you should avoid include:
- Hard and crunchy foods like carrots, raw veggies, apples and corn on the cob
- Chewy foods like gum, most breads and certain chewy candies like caramels or taffy
- Hard foods like nuts because chewing them will almost certainly damage the new root canal
- Hot foods that will increase swelling already present
- Alcohol
- Spicy hot foods which can be painful on swollen, sensitive gums
The reason why cold foods are recommended is because you will almost always experience some amount of swelling which is going to be uncomfortable or even painful at times. Just as your dentist will ask you to apply a cold pack or ice to the outside of your face to reduce swelling after a root canal, those cold foods will help as well. If you experience an inordinate amount of pain after a root canal or have any questions about your root canal, contact us today.