23 June 2016
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

Root canal treatments are often associated with pain, even if you rely on the best dentists to do the job. The ache you feel is usually caused because of a dental problem and not the treatment procedure. In fact, the ache from a root canal procedure is mild because a local anaesthetic numbs the area to minimise discomfort.  Most patients experience aches because of badly inflamed teeth between dental visits. This guide helps you understand different root canal aches you may experience between dentist visits.  

Building Up Of Gas

Sometimes, a tooth infection causes severe inflammation of the pulp tissue, and the pain can be very intense. Your dentist places some medication inside the infected tooth to kill bacteria. The tooth is then sealed with a temporary filling until the next visit. The decomposing of dead bacteria in the infected area produces gases. This gradually increases the pressure inside the tooth, which causes intense root canal pain. This pain usually stops when the dentist removes all bacteria and dead tissues from the infected tooth area. A mild painkiller should work until your next appointment at the dentist's office.

Frequent Travelling Via Air

When you're in between appointments for root canal pain relief, many dentists recommend avoiding air travel completely until the procedure is complete. This is typically because airplane cabins have low pressure when they are in mid air. This low pressure causes any gas trapped between your teeth to expand, which then stresses surrounding teeth to cause an excruciating toothache. If possible, avoid all air travel until your root canal procedure has been completed fully.

Temporary Loss Of Teeth Filling

After every session leading up to the final root canal procedure, dentists place temporary fillings to infected teeth to protect them until permanent restoration. If this filling falls out because you chew on something hard, your tooth becomes exposed to pollutants and bacteria in the environment. This will cause it to feel more sensitive, especially if the tooth nerves are not completely removed. The tooth is also exposed to bacteria from your mouth, which can trigger re-infections and intense pain. That's why dentists usually apply permanent fillings or crowns after a root canal procedure to prevent bacteria from leaking into canals.

Dentists usually use an anaesthetic during root canals, so you feel minimal pain during any treatment. If you experience any of these aches between visits, be sure to make a dentist appointment immediately to alleviate your pain as quickly as possible.