root canal pain?

Question

i had a root canal done like 7 months ago. but i woke up last night, and it hurts so bad and its been hurting all day, my whole left side of my mouth hurts. what could cause this? and what can i do to make the pain go away?

Answer 1

Most patients can physically and psychologically handle even severe pain if they know more or less what to expect and how to manage the situation. The fact that your dentist did not prepare you for the period that followed your root canal treatment was indeed a regrettable oversight. Although the majority of cases do not result in severe postoperative pain, there are the occasional cases such as yours that give root canal treatment its unfortunate reputation. In short, this should not have been a complete surprise to either your dentist or you.

Rest assured that there are several means of managing postoperative root canal pain, such as:

-prescription pain medication
-removal of the temporary filling in order to allow any accumulated pressure in the tooth to escape
-grinding of the chewing surface of the tooth to eliminate any functional contact with the opposing tooth

Severe pain is something that should not wait for a week, especially if your dentist has not (as your narrative suggests) provided you with any means to find relief. Call your dentist and clearly indicate the severity of the pain, the urgency of the situation, and request that he intervene prior to your next scheduled appointment. Timely emergency postoperative care is not a courtesy-- it is something a dentist is legally obligated to provide his patients.

Answer 2

You failed to mention if it was an upper or lower tooth. If it was a lower tooth you may have an abscess. If it is an upper tooth it may also be an abscess that has gone into your sinus cavity. If the root of the tooth protrudes into the sinus cavity and during the removal of the nerve the doctor should accidentally perforate the root, this could set up a condition for an abscess that can become quite painful. I know this from personal experience. You need to see your dentist as quickly as possible. Tell them you are in pain and cannot wait weeks to be seen. The quickest relief I know is to call the dentist and see if they will call in a prescription for antibiotics.

Answer 3

Until you see the dentist asap, perhaps taking an ibuprofin After eating food (to help prevent stomach irritation/ulcers) such as motrin since it's an anti-inflammatory would help with the pain a bit. Though please do get it checked out by your dentist without delay in case there is another infection or whatnot. Feel better soon.

Answer 4

Rush to your dentist and have a radiograph done for the tooth.

Till then, survive on some Tylenol or Diclofenac.